Biden lauds ‘historic’ Israel-Lebanon border deal in White House meet with Herzog
Israeli president says US-Israel relationship should transcend politics amid some tensions over far-right parties
Luke Tress is a JTA reporter and a former editor and reporter in New York for The Times of Israel.
WASHINGTON — US President Joe Biden lauded the Israel-Lebanon maritime border agreement as a “historic breakthrough” during a meeting with President Isaac Herzog at the White House on Wednesday.
“Tomorrow, Israel and Lebanon are going to sign an agreement to establish a permanent — permanent — maritime boundary,” Biden said.
“I think it’s a historic breakthrough- — it took a lot of courage for you [Israel] to step up and step into it, and it took some real guts, and I think it took principle and persistent diplomacy to get it done,” he said.
“I compliment you and I compliment the government,” Biden said, adding that the deal should have significant benefits for both Israel and Lebanon.
Herzog thanked Biden for the US helping to broker the agreement with Lebanon and said the two would further discuss the “inclusion and integration of Israel in the Middle East.”
He focused his comments on Iran, saying he and Biden would discuss the “Iranian challenge.” Herzog is presenting visual evidence of Iranian drones on the battlefield in Ukraine during his two-day visit to Washington.
“The Iranian regime is crushing thousands of Iranian citizens, men, young men, women, who are demonstrating and simply pleading to have their own liberties,” Herzog said. “This is an example of the way Iran is working, crushing its own citizens, moving toward nuclear weapons, and supplying lethal weapons that are killing innocent citizens in Ukraine.”
Also during his meeting with the US president, Herzog reiterated that the Israel-US relationship should remain above politics, ahead of upcoming elections in both countries and some friction over far-right lawmakers in Israel.
Herzog delivered the same message several times during his two-day visit to the US.
“We have elections in Israel and you are having midterm elections in the United States, but one thing is clear, and I think this visit epitomizes it best, is that our friendship, our strong bond, transcends all political differences, and opinions and parties,” Herzog said.
“I hope that together we can continue to work toward the well-being of the State of Israel, the United States and the world at large,” he added.
Biden stressed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to Israel.
“I’ve said this 5,000 times in my career: The ironclad commitment the United States has to Israel based on our principles, our ideals, our values,” he said. “They’re the same values. I have often said, Mr. President, if there were not an Israel, we’d have to invent one.”
The two heads of state were accompanied by several other officials, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides, Israel’s Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog (President Herzog’s brother), White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk.
Ahead of his meeting with Biden, Herzog met with Sullivan and held talks with Blinken the day before.
Herzog also met with American Jewish leaders and top congressional figures, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who along with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, invited the president to mark the 75th anniversary of Israel’s founding, which is next year.
Shortly after arriving in Washington on Tuesday, Herzog also met with US energy envoy Amos Hochstein, who was the key broker in the maritime border talks between Lebanon and Israel.
The deal is scheduled to be signed on Thursday with Israeli and Lebanese officials in separate rooms and Hochstein on hand.
