American Jewish groups celebrate Herzog’s speech to Congress

While eight members of Congress boycott Israel’s dovish president, proving it’s not Netanyahu they oppose, but the Jewish state as a whole.

By JNS | | Topics: America
Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressing a joint session of the US Congress on July 19, 2023. Photo by Chris Kleponis/GPO
Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressing a joint session of the US Congress on July 19, 2023. Photo by Chris Kleponis/GPO

In an address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked US legislators for their support of Israel and had harsh words for Iran, which he said is building “nuclear capabilities that pose a threat to the stability of the Middle East and beyond” and calls “to wipe Israel off the map.”

The address drew praise from major American Jewish organizations.

Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, called Herzog a “bridge-builder” who “offers pragmatic and actionable solutions to many of the issues that confront Israel.” He called the speech “a potent symbol of the ironclad partnership between the US and Israel, and how it has transformed the Middle East.”

“President Herzog’s address serves as a testament to the unwavering bond between the Israeli and American peoples,” stated Harriet Schleifer and William Daroff, chair and CEO respectively of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “The timing of President Herzog’s address highlights Israel’s 75th anniversary, a moment to celebrate the nation’s remarkable resilience and prosperity.”

See related: Biden sends mixed messages to Israel after meeting President Herzog?

In a statement, the Jewish Federations of North America referred to the Israeli president’s “warm reception today by members of Congress across party lines,” which it called “a testament to the unique relationship these two nations share and the eternal bonds that unite us.”

“Herzog’s well-received speech, interrupted by applause and standing ovations, was a testament to his exemplary leadership and diplomacy and highlighted his commitment to fostering cooperation between Israel and the United States and to peace in the Middle East,” B’nai B’rith International stated.

“We appreciate his pragmatic and forward-looking solutions to pressing issues, such as the threat posed by Iran to Israel, the Middle East and the world,” B’nai B’rith added. “He said that the greatest challenge Israel and the US face together is the Iranian nuclear threat, and he went on to stress that Iran is not trying to gain nuclear power for peaceful purposes.”

Eight members of Congress boycott talk by Israel’s president

Seven Democrats in the US House of Representatives and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an Independent, opted not to attend Herzog’s address.

The House members were Reps. Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Cori Bush (Mo.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Jamaal Bowman (NY), Nydia Velazquez (NY) and Raul Grijalva (Ariz.).

“Boycotting Herzog, a former Labor Party standard-bearer who represents the State of Israel—not a political party, faction or policy—shows they really oppose Israel,” the Republican Jewish Coalition stated.

The legislators refusing to attend “are ruining the bipartisan support that has always existed for Israel,” the RJC added.

Bush and Tlaib declared that “Israel is an apartheid state. To assert otherwise in the face of the colossal body of evidence … is to deny this reality.”

Explaining why she was boycotting the speech, Ocasio-Cortez told a reporter: “There’s currently a crisis of democracy and apartheid” in Israel.

You Might Also Like
Load more
Members

Israel Today Membership

Read all member content. Access exclusive, in-depth reports from Israel! Free Zoom events. Connect with Israel right from your home! Raise a voice of truth and hope. Support Faith-based journalism in Jerusalem!

Monthly
Membership

$5
/ month
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Become a Member

Yearly
Membership

$46
/ year
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Save 18% Per Month.
Become a Member

Six Months
Membership

$28
every 6 months
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Save 9% Per Month.
Become a Member
Israel Today comments guidelines Kommentar-Regeln

Leave a Reply

Israel Today Newsletter

Daily news

FREE to your inbox

Israel Heute Newsletter

Tägliche Nachrichten

KOSTENLOS in Ihrer Inbox

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter