Biden Befriends Herzog, Criticizes Netanyahu
Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the White House on Tuesday to speak with U.S. President Joe Biden. During their cordial meeting, Biden called the United States and Israel’s friendship “simply unbreakable.” He mentioned that his “love for Israel is deep,” and he stressed his administration’s “ironclad” commitment to Israel’s security.
Biden’s friendliness toward Herzog contrasts with his chilly comments concerning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Through an op-ed by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times published today, Biden urged Netanyahu to take more time to find a consensus in Israel before pushing his judicial reform plans through, something Herzog told Biden he would seek to do. Speaking on the proposal, Biden warned the prime minister, “You are going to break something with Israel’s democracy and with your relationship with America’s democracy, and you may never be able to get it back.”
Herzog has kept ties with the United States warm during his visit. Netanyahu and Biden are expected to meet this fall. Perhaps Herzog can act as a bridge between Netanyahu and Biden in the meantime to strengthen their relationship. Israel and the United States thrive most when they work together, and these visits can help them continue in that direction.
