JERUSALEM (JNS) – Israeli President Isaac Herzog told visiting congressional Democrats at his official residence in Jerusalem on Thursday that President Joe Biden is “a great friend of Israel.”
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“President Biden is a great friend of Israel. When we hosted him less than two years ago here, I could see his love and affection and emotion towards the people of Israel and the State of Israel. The tears in his eyes when he saw so many great moments here. He is a true friend and I respect him a lot for that,” Herzog told the lawmakers participating in an AIPAC-led trip.
He spoke amid tensions between Washington and Jerusalem over the direction of the war being waged in Gaza since the Hamas-led invasion of Oct. 7, and in particular regarding the IDF’s pending offensive in Rafah, which the White House opposes but which Israel says is necessary to defeat the terrorist group.
The tensions hit a boiling point with Monday’s U.S. refusal to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire not conditioned on the release of 134 Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
This led Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to protest the move by canceling the planned visit of an Israeli delegation to Washington to discuss alternatives to the Rafah operation, before later in the week reversing the decision.
“We share with the United States of America, and with the president of the United States of America, our dear friend President Joe Biden, the same vision of eradicating terror, of bringing the hostages back home, a vision of moving towards peace with our neighbors—once we finish the ability of our enemies to carry out terror from Gaza against us,” Herzog said.
“And finally, most importantly, we share the vision of inclusion of Israel in the region, in which I believe strongly, including the normalization [of relations] with Saudi Arabia,” he added.
In concluding his remarks to the American lawmakers, Herzog emphasized the “unique bond” between the two nations and the importance of strengthening ties.
“We will work together to alleviate and upgrade the humanitarian aid to Gaza and we will work together endlessly to bring the hostages back home. And we will work endlessly to fight terror, stand up to the empire of evil, and lead the world and the region to a better future. Thank you very much,” he said.
A friend like that you don’t need enemies
That statement speaks volumes about him
But the real problem is he’s powerless and yet runs around spouting his non sense as if he’s in charge and not an appointed figure head
What do you want him to say? A group of Democrats are visiting, and his job is to be hospitable and courteous for a protracted photo-op visit.
Leave the real communication to Bibi as he deals with our Dearborn- loving commander-in-chief.
A friend? I would say he’s a frenemy.
What a crock.
I wonder what he was high on to call that alter overbutel goy a frriend of Israel.
The Biden admin has spent its entire time in office undermining Israel on the world stage amd promoting the Palis.
with friends like Biden, we don’t need enemies..
Isaac Herzog is the best president Israel has had so far. He says and acts exactly as he should in his position and makes a Kiddush Hashem every day. Even if it’s not exactly true the Biden is “our best friend,” but merely by publicly promoting that idea, President Herzog puts Biden in a position that he will feel he has to live up to that compliment to an extent.
I had wondered why Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog did not seem to have children that lived up to his Torah wisdom and fidelity. It seems his grandson and namesake, Pres. Isaac Herzog is more religious or traditional than we think. He noted that when he heard about the Oct. 7 attack he was in shul for Simchas Torah. As much as I hold Netanyahu in high esteem, and his grandfather, Rav Noson Mileikowsky, was also a gadol b’Torah, I doubt if Bibi was in shul.