Herzog to US lawmakers who boycotted his speech: ‘Criticism of Israel must not cross the line into negation of the State of Israel’s right to exist’

Israeli President Isaac Herzog delivered a speech to a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, marking 75 years of Israeli Independence. The last Israeli president to be given this honor was Herzog’s late father, Chaim Herzog, who served as the sixth president of Israel. 

Herzog hailed the “sacred bond” that the Unites States and Israel share, saying it is “unique in scope and quality.”

“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,” stated the Israeli president.

“To us, it is clear that America is irreplaceable to Israel, and Israel is irreplaceable to America,” he added.  

Herzog’s visit to the U.S. and his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden a day prior, comes at a time of tense relations between Washington and Jerusalem. The ideological gaps between the Biden administration and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government mainly revolve around a controversial plan to overhaul the Israeli judiciary, policies towards the Palestinians and different strategies of how to deal with Iran. 

In his address, Herzog reassured members of Congress that he has “great confidence in Israeli democracy” despite on ongoing heated, painful debate among the Israelis over judicial reforms. 

According the Herzog, the biggest challenge that the two countries are currently facing is the Iranian nuclear threat. He stressed that “allowing Iran to become a nuclear threshold state – whether by omission or by diplomatic commission – is unacceptable.”

“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 realize it, is an inexcusable moral collapse,” he added. “Iran is the only nation on the planet publicly calling, plotting, and developing means to annihilate another nation, a member of the family of nations, the State of Israel.”

Herzog also highlighted Iran’s contribution to the destabilization of Yemen, Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, as well as the suffering in Ukraine. He called on the free world, Israel and the United States to act forcefully together to prevent Iran’s fundamental threat to international security. 

Herzog praised the U.S. involvement in brokering peace deals between Israel and Muslim states. He called the Abraham Accords with the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco a “true game changer,” adding that the historic agreements “have altered the trajectory of the Middle East.”

The Israeli president thanked the U.S. for working towards establishing peaceful relations between Israel and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

“We pray for this moment to come. This would be a huge sea change in the course of history in the Middle East and the world at large,” Herzog said during his address.

“My deep yearning, Mr. Speaker, is for Israel to one day make peace with our Palestinian neighbors,” he added.  

Nonetheless, Herzog clarified that “one cannot talk about peace while condoning or legitimizing terror, implicitly or explicitly.”

“True peace cannot be anchored in violence,” he stressed. “Palestinian terror against Israel or Israelis undermines any possibility for a future of peace between our peoples. Israelis are targeted while waiting for buses, while taking a stroll on the promenade, while spending time with their family. At the same time, successful terror attacks are celebrated, terrorists are glorified, and their families are financially rewarded for every Israeli they attack. This is inconceivable. It is a moral disgrace.”

Herzog’s address to Congress was boycotted by five progressive U.S. Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, in protest of Israel’s policies toward the Palestinian people. 

The Israeli president payed attention to their absence, saying: “I am not oblivious to criticism among friends, including some expressed by respected members of this House. 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 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,” he added. 

Nevertheless, Herzog expressed optimism in his speech for the continuity of a strong U.S.-Israeli alliance in the future and across generations. 

“To me it is clear that the shift in generations does not reflect changing values. Nor does it indicate changes in our interests. When the United States is strong, Israel is stronger. And when Israel is strong, the United States is more secure,” said Herzog. 

Reactions to Herzog’s speech and visit

Netanyahu said that Herzog delivered an “important speech” that expressed Israel’s “strong and decisive stance against Iran.”

“Together we stand and together we shall win,” he said regarding the U.S.-Israeli alliance. 

Opposition leader Yair Lapid congratulated Herzog for the accomplishment, saying that he “presented to beautiful face of Israeli democracy.” 

Lapid added: “The speech highlighted the shared values of equal rights, freedom of speech, checks and balances and an independent judiciary.” 

American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch wrote: “President Herzog’s address to Congress is a potent symbol of the ironclad partnership between the U.S. and Israel and how it has transformed the Middle East. It also underscores the president’s vital role as a bridge builder, one who offers pragmatic and actionable solutions to many of the issues that confront Israel. His voice is one we need to hear more. Israel has no better emissary. I know him personally as someone whose commitment and love for his nation knows no bounds. That passion was on full display today on Capitol Hill.”

Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan posted: “President Herzog’s speech reflected Israel’s special and eternal connection with the United States and it was impossible not to be moved by the tremendous bipartisan love and support for Israel by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. I am sure that our strong alliance will continue to prosper for the next 75 years and beyond!”

While Herzog was speaking at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., hundreds of Israeli and American-Jewish demonstrators protested outside against Netanyahu’s government. They urged Biden and American lawmakers to support the anti-judicial reform movement in Israel. 

Media outlets in Israel reported on Wednesday that following Biden’s meeting with Herzog on Tuesday, New York Times columnist Tom Friedman was summoned to the White House for further clarification on the administration’s stance against the judicial reform. 

Biden told Friedman that he had asked Netanyahu not to rush with the legislation in the overhaul plan.

“This is obviously an area about which Israelis have strong views, including in an enduring protest movement that is demonstrating the vibrancy of Israel’s democracy, which must remain the core of our bilateral relationship,” Biden said to Friedman.

“Finding consensus on controversial areas of policy means taking the time you need. For significant changes, that’s essential. So my recommendation to Israeli leaders is not to rush. I believe the best outcome is to continue to seek the broadest possible consensus here,” the U.S. president added.