Israel’s President Isaac Herzog is headed to Washington DC for an official visit to the White House at the invitation of President Joe Biden.
Herzog is slated to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Congressional Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other administration officials, Congressional leaders as well as with the heads of the American Jewish community – “to strengthen and reinforce the bridges between Israel and world Jewry” — in addition to his meeting with Biden.
Herzog told reporters prior to his departure that he was “delighted” to host Biden during his visit to Israel a few months ago, calling the US “Israel’s greatest ally” and reiterating the familiar refrain, “our strategic partnership is both enduring and unshakeable.”
The Israeli president said he intends to discuss “important developments” in the region “from the Abraham Accords to the gas deal with Lebanon, and of course our desire and hope to have more nations join the circle of regional peace.”
The most important item, he said, was the issue of the Iranian threat, “which is destabilizing not only the Middle East but the entire world, requiring a firm and united stand against it.”
Herzog added that other issues on the agenda would be the climate crisis, the “climate challenge” – which he called a “danger to the entire world and humanity” – as well as the opportunities for trade and diplomacy, business relations and others.
He noted that the visit was scheduled during elections taking place both in Israel and the United States, but said it was an opportunity to reaffirm the relationship of the two countries is “above all disagreements and above any political or party divisions.”
