MISSION CRITICAL: Here are 3 things Israeli President Herzog must accomplish during US visit this week

DENVER, COLORADO — As Israeli President Isaac Herzog spends five days in the United States this week on a high-stakes diplomatic mission, there are three critical things he must accomplish. 

First, as he meets with President Joe Biden at the White House, Herzog must secure a definitive invitation — with a firm date and time that takes place soon — when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu can come to Washington to meet with Biden. 

It is absolutely unacceptable that Biden has refused to meet with Netanyahu for more than seven months.

There are monumental matters of U.S.-Israeli national security, foreign policy and economic importance to discuss and advance.

Biden loves to say he’s a “Zionist” and the most pro-Israeli figure in the Democratic Party.

But making Netanyahu “persona non grata” is not only offensive, it’s downright anti-Israel.

After all, Biden has shown more eagerness to talk to the tyrants of Tehran about highly-sensitive Middle East issues than to meet with the democratically-elected leader of America’s most important ally in the epicenter. 

Herzog needs to calmly but firmly read Biden the riot act and demand that Biden fix the situation immediately. 

If Biden refuses, then Herzog needs to go public and explain to the American people how offensive and wrong is the stiff-arming of such a great American ally. 

Second, in his address to a Joint Session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, and his meetings with United Nations leaders in New York, Herzog must explain in chilling detail just how close Iran is to being able to build nuclear weapons, and just how close Israeli leaders are to having to attack and destroy Iran’s nuclear program before it’s too late. 

Herzog must impress upon the American people just how dangerous the situation is, and just how little time there is for the world to act decisively before Israel is forced to act alone.

He has to be clear that Israel does not want war, but that Israel cannot ever allow the terror masters in Tehran to be capable of attacking Israel with atomic weapons and bringing about a Second Holocaust.

Third, in his address to Congress and in all his other meetings, Herzog must connect Israel’s biblical, ancient and enduring moral values to the heart of the American people and to the core of the American experiment, and impress on all Americans that Israel is the best and most faithful friend and ally the U.S. has in the entire world. 

Herzog must make a robust and passionate case that Israel is the indispensable ally of the United States.

He must not assume that younger Americans truly understand Israel’s ancient and modern history, or the values that have wed our countries together over the past 75 years. 

Rather, he needs to retell the story of Israel’s prophetic and miraculous rebirth in 1948 and our salvation from annihilation in 1967. 

He needs to praise American leaders from both political parties for all they have done to build this enduring strategic alliance.

He needs to thank Americans profusely for their generosity and friendship.

He needs to quote the Bible early and often.

He needs to recount Israel’s commitment to make peace with the Arab and Muslim world, and explain just how much Israelis want peace with Saudi Arabia, the Palestinians and everyone in the region.

And he needs to find a way to share some of his personal story, drawing from his family’s rich Jewish history and their decades of close and intimate bonds with the American people. 

Ideally, he will weave good humor into his messages that will endear him and the Israeli people to his audiences. 

To be sure, Herzog is not known for being a stirring orator.

He is no Winston Churchill, or Martin Luther King, Jr., or even Bibi Netanyahu.

But he has been given a rare opportunity to address America and her most important leaders.

And I am praying that he will truly rise to the occasion. 

Here is the full text of the statement released by President Herzog’s office on Sunday:

At the invitation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, President Herzog will address a special joint session of the United States Congress, marking 75 years of Israel’s Independence, and hold meetings with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and other senior Administration officials.

The purpose of the diplomatic visit is to strengthen the relations and the partnership between the US and Israel, and to reflect the deep ties between the countries.

President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog, will depart tomorrow night (Monday, 17 July 2023) for a diplomatic visit (July 18-22) to the United States of America, during which he will visit Washington DC and New York City. The visit follows an invitation by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and the current Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, and marks the President's second visit to the US since taking office.

The President will be accompanied on the visit by the Israeli Ambassador to the US and the US Ambassador to Israel. The purpose of the diplomatic visit is to strengthen the relations and the partnership between the US and Israel, and to reflect the deep ties between the countries which are placed above all controversy.

During his visit to Washington DC, President Herzog will address a special joint session of the US Congress being convened to mark the 75th year of the State of Israel’s independence. The President will meet with President of the United States Joseph R. Biden at the White House, where he is expected to discuss a series of political, security and economic issues. In addition, President Herzog will hold further meetings with senior administration officials.

The President's address in Congress will be only the second such address in history to be given by an Israeli president to a joint session of both Houses of Congress. 

The first was delivered by President Herzog’s father, the sixth President of the State, Chaim Herzog, more than 35 years ago.

During his visit, the President is also expected to meet with Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris. The meeting will deal with the promotion of joint initiatives in the field of efforts and technologies to mitigate the impact of climate change.

In addition, President Herzog will meet with senior officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

President Herzog will then continue on to New York where he will visit the United Nations and meet with the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres. He will then hold meetings with Governor of New York Kathy Hochul, Mayor of New York City Eric Adams, and members of the Jewish community, including young leaders. The President will be hosted at a festive event by the Jewish Federation of New York.

In attending his meetings in Congress and with the UN Secretary General, President Herzog has invited Leah Goldin – mother of the late Lt. Hadar Goldin, who fell in combat with terrorists in the Gaza Strip during Operation Protective Edge, and whose body remains held captive by Hamas – to raise the issue of the Israelis held captive.

Ahead of his visit, President Herzog noted: “I am very much looking forward to representing the entire nation of Israel as President of the State of Israel, before the elected representatives of the American people, to mark the 75th anniversary of the State of Israel. The United States is Israel's closest and most important friend and partner. The relationship between our countries is unique in its strength, which has rightly made it an unassailable alliance. I thank the leadership of the United States Congress, led by Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy and his predecessor Nancy Pelosi, for the historic privilege to address a joint session of both Houses of Congress marking the 75th anniversary of the State of Israel.”

He continued, “I will emphasize the importance of expanding the circle of regional peace and stress the essential need to fight against the hatred and terrorism that Iran is spreading while it pursues nuclear weapons. In my speeches and meetings, I will relate to my hosts as close partners in all the issues at hand, including the internal challenges and opportunities facing Israeli society. As part of my actions to build bridges and strengthen relations between Israel and Diaspora Jewry, I will participate in an important flagship event of the Jewish community in North America, the largest of the Jewish communities in the Diaspora.”