As diplomatic tensions simmer, Herzog calls Biden ‘a great friend of Israel’

Amid tensions between the White House and the Benjamin Netanyahu government over the conduct of the war in Gaza, President Isaac Herzog tells a group of visiting Democratic congresspeople that US President Joe Biden is “a great friend of Israel.”

“When we hosted him less than two years ago here, I could see his love and affection and emotion towards the people of Israel and the State of Israel,” says Herzog to the group, led by AIPAC. “The tears in his eyes when he saw so many great moments here. He is a true friend and I respect him a lot for that.”

Herzog says the bond between the two countries is “essential to the well-being of our nations, and we should simply focus on upgrading, enhancing, and strengthening this bond.”

The president insists the alliance is “as strong as ever,” and that “the United States of America has no greater friend than Israel, and Israel has no greater friend than the United States of America.”

The president tells the visiting lawmakers that the US and Israel “will work together to alleviate and upgrade the humanitarian aid to Gaza and we will work together endlessly to bring the hostages back home.”

“And we will work endlessly to fight terror, stand up to the empire of evil, and lead the world and the region to a better future,” he concludes.