Israel’s president promotes unity with U.S. against Iran as Netanyahu’s government draws criticism

Washington Times-July 20th,2023

By Guy Taylor

Israeli President Isaac Herzog drew cheers from a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday by stressing the U.S. and Israel must remain united on preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon — regardless of current tensions between the Biden administration and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

The relationship has been unsettled by U.S. criticism of the right-wing Israeli government’s expanding settlement activity on West Bank lands and of Mr. Netanyahu’s planned overhaul of Israel‘s judicial system. Opponents say the overhaul will destroy the country’s checks and balances system and move the country toward authoritarian rule.

Traditional bipartisan U.S. support for Israel has been frayed since Mr. Netanyahu took office a year ago, but Mr. Herzog said the two countries had a common cause in confronting Tehran.

“Israel and the United States must act forcefully together to prevent Iran‘s fundamental threat to international security,” said Mr. Herzog, whose trip to Washington coincided with growing domestic clashes back home over Mr. Netanyahu’s agenda.

Mr. Herzog, whose position is largely ceremonial and nonpartisan, has sought this week to tamp down U.S. unease, underscoring Wednesday that Israel‘s democracy remains “strong and resilient,” and that the heated protests are a sign of democracy in action.

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https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jul/19/israels-president-isaac-herzog-touts-unity-us-agai/