Biden tells Herzog US relationship with Israel is ‘unbreakable’

Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on Tuesday, amid another round of “Day of Disruption” protests in Israel over the government’s judicial reform.

Herzog told Biden, whose administration has been critical of the reform, that his “heart and soul” are in Israel, as the country is going through "a heated debate as a society." 

The Israeli president added that the internal debate underscores “the greatness of Israeli democracy," which he described as "sounds, strong and resilient."

“I say this to you, Mr. President, as I have said as head of state to the people of Israel: We shall always seek to find amicable, consensus, and I agree with you on that as well, Herzog told Biden. 

He revealed that efforts “to find solutions and exit out of this crisis properly” are currently taking place.

The U.S. president did not directly address the judicial overhaul plan in his comments but emphasized that his “love for Israel is deep-rooted and long-lasting.” 

“This is a friendship that I believe is simply unbreakable, unbreakable, and together we are working to bring more integration and stability in the Middle East,” Biden added.

Biden listed his administration’s achievements in the region, including U.S. mediation of a maritime border agreement between Israel and Lebanon, the opening of Saudi Arabia’s airspace for Israeli flights and a meeting with Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanian and Egyptian representatives in Sharm el-Sheikh in the Sinai Peninsula in March. 

Biden vowed that Washington "is committed to ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon."

“As I confirmed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, America's commitment to Israel is firm, and it is ironclad,” said Biden, referencing his first conversation with Netanyahu after four months of disconnect. 

Biden’s meeting with Herzog comes at a time of tense relations between Washington and Jerusalem. The U.S. president referred to Netanyahu’s cabinet as “one of the most extreme" he has ever seen in Israel. In addition, his administration has voiced concern over the Israeli government’s policy toward Palestinians and measures taken in the West Bank that go against the two-state solution. 

Against this backdrop, Biden only this week extended Netanyahu an invitation to meet, which is roughly seven months since the prime minister resumed office. 

Herzog, whose role as Israel’s president is mainly ceremonial and symbolic, mentioned that he was pleased to hear about Biden’s recent conversation with Netanyahu. 

"There are some enemies of ours that sometimes mistake the fact that we may have some differences as impacting our unbreakable bond, and I truly believe that if they would know how much our cooperation has grown in recent years and achieved new heights, they would not think that way,” Herzog said.

After making their public statements, Biden and Herzog met in private for 40 minutes. They were later joined by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. 

Following the meeting, the Israeli president told reporters they discussed “what’s happening in Israel,” as well as the Iranian nuclear threat, Hezbollah and building regional cooperation. They noted that normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia is complex but “possible.”  

The Israeli president said he had a “wonderful meeting” with Biden, comparing Israel's relationship with the U.S. to having “family ties.” 

Biden reiterated his support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism. Nevertheless, he warned against violent acts of retaliation on behalf of Israeli civilians, often referred to as a “price tag” policy. 

Herzog is also scheduled to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday and deliver an address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress at 11 a.m. EST, marking 75 years since the establishment of the State of Israel. 

Five progressive Democrats, including Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), announced their plans to boycott Herzog's speech. Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) recently called Israel "a racist state” and later apologized.

Her comments led House Republicans to initiate a vote on a resolution Tuesday, stating that Israel is not a 'racist or apartheid state’ and that the U.S. will always support Israel.