BICOM

What’s happening: President Herzog will leave tonight on a diplomatic mission to the US.

• Herzog has been invited by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and the current Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
• In a statement last night, President Herzog said, “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.”
• According to Herzog, as part of his agenda he will, “emphasise 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.”

Context: The main purpose of the visit is to strengthen the relations and the partnership between the US and Israel.

• Israel’s political leadership is united in its concern over the Iranian threat, both nuclear and conventional, whilst also keen for the US to help advance normalisation with Saudi Arabia. (For more on this see BICOM’s recent paper.)
• Also on the president’s agenda will be to strengthen relations between Israel and the US Jewish community.
• The timing of the visit is particularly significant, due to the unfavourable impression made by some members of the current Israeli government and the fact that Prime Minister Netanyahu has, unusually, not yet been invited to the White House since his re-election last November.
• The Biden administration has expressed growing concern over both the Israeli government’s planned moves on judicial reform and its West Bank policy, particularly regarding increasing construction in settlements and settler violence against Palestinians.
• Last week the New York Times ran an oped by Thomas Friedman that suggested the US administration was ‘re-assessing’ ties with Israel. The term ‘reassessment’ has a precedent going back to the 1970s when a Rabin-led Labour government pushed back on US terms of an agreement with Egypt.
• The US President is keen to embrace Herzog as a representative of the Israeli people, whilst continuing to distance himself from the prime minister.
• However, the US continues to support Israel militarily. Two weeks ago Israel’s Ministry of Defence announced the purchase of additional 25 F-35 aircraft from the US government. This will enable the Israeli Air Force to operate a third squadron of the world’s most advanced stealth aircraft ,with the deal worth around $3 billion.
• Last July President Biden visited Israel and alongside Prime Minister Lapid signed the ‘Jerusalem Declaration’, which stated, “The enduring commitment of the United States to Israel’s security. Our countries further reaffirm that the strategic US-Israel partnership is based on a bedrock of shared values, shared interests, and true friendship.” The document further underscored, “unshakeable US commitment to Israel’s security, and especially to the maintenance of its qualitative military edge, the United States reiterates its steadfast commitment to preserve and strengthen Israel’s capability to deter its enemies and to defend itself by itself against any threat or combination of threats.”
• This will be President Herzog’s second visit to the US since taking office, while his speech in Congress will be only the second time an Israeli president has spoken to a joint session of both Houses. The first was by President Herzog’s father, the sixth President of the State, Chaim Herzog, more than 35 years ago.

Looking ahead: 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 Biden in the White House.
• The President is also expected to meet with Vice President Harris, which will focus on promoting  joint initiatives to mitigate the impact of climate change.
• He will also meet with other senior officials including Secretary of State Blinken and US National Security Adviser Sullivan.
• After Washington, President Herzog will travel onto New York where he will visit the United Nations and meet with the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres. Herzog has invited Leah Goldin to join that meeting. She is the mother of the late Lt. Hadar Goldin, who fell in combat in the Gaza Strip during Operation Protective edge in 2014, and whose body remains held captive by Hamas.
• He will also meet with Governor of New York Kathy Hochul, Mayor of New York City Eric Adams, and members of the Jewish community.