Israel’s President Herzog outlines Israel’s shared values with US in speech before the Congress
The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, yesterday addressed a special joint session of the US Congress in Washington with both the House of Representatives and the Senate attending.
President Isaac Herzog addresses Congress Pic. C-SPAN
The session was presided over by one Democratic politician, Vice President Kamala Harris (in the US, the Vice President presides over the Senate) and a Republican, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. The speech was hosted in the House chamber, so President Herzog addressed his remarks to the Speaker specifically.
President Herzog compared Israel to the US, saying, “Mr Speaker, the sacred bond we share is unique in scope and quality because it is based on values that reach across generations and administrations, governments and coalitions, carrying us through times of turmoil and elation.”
“Ultimately, Israel and the United States stand — and indeed, have always stood for the same values. Our two nations are both diverse, life-affirming societies that stand for liberty, equality, and freedom. At our core, both our peoples seek to repair the cracks in our world.”
The democratic members of the House all stood to applaud comments such as when President Herzog promised that Israel will continue to have a strong and independent judiciary and that Israel has one of the world’s largest gay pride parades in the world.
But lines like “Israel has strong democracy in its DNA” saw standing ovations from both sides of the political aisle.
There were also full ovations when the President said about Iran, “let there be no doubt, Iran does not strive to obtain nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Iran is building nuclear capabilities that pose a threat to the stability of the Middle East and beyond. Every country or region controlled or infiltrated by Iran has experienced utter havoc. We have seen this in Yemen, Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. In fact, we have seen this in Iran itself, where the regime has lost its people and is suppressing them brutally.
“Allowing Iran to become a nuclear threshold state – whether by omission or by diplomatic commission – is unacceptable,” added Herzog. “The world cannot remain indifferent to the Iranian regime’s call to wipe Israel off the map. Tolerating this call and Iran’s measures to realise it is an inexcusable moral collapse. Backed by the free world, Israel and the United States must act forcefully together to prevent Iran’s fundamental threat to international security. I am here to reiterate what every Israeli leader has declared for decades: the State of Israel is determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapon capabilities.”
On the bond that Israel shares with America, President Herzog said, “Mr Speaker, the sacred bond we share is unique in scope and quality because it is based on values that reach across generations and administrations, governments and coalitions, carrying us through times of turmoil and elation.”
All present also applauded when President Herzog compared Israel’s relationship with America to that of a family.
He said, “Israel and the United States will inevitably disagree on many matters. But we will always remain family.”
President Herzog also spoke on criticism of Israel from some corners of America, including members of the US Congress who refused to attend his speech. On that, Herzog distinguished between legitimate criticisms and illegitimate ones that deny even Israel’s right to exist.
“Mr Speaker, I am not oblivious to criticism among friends, including some expressed by respected members of this House,” he said. “I respect criticism, especially from friends, although one does not always have to accept it. But criticism of Israel must not cross the line into the negation of the State of Israel’s right to exist. Questioning the Jewish people’s right to self-determination is not legitimate diplomacy, it is antisemitism. Vilifying and attacking Jews, whether in Israel, in the United States, or anywhere in the world, is antisemitism. Antisemitism is a disgrace in every form, and I commend President Joe Biden for laying out the United States’ first ever National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism.”
There was applause when, at the end of his address, he said the Hebrew words “Am Yisrael Chai” – Long Live Israel.
