Israeli President to Address Joint Session of US Congress

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is the third foreign leader to address the US Congress this year.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog and US President Joe Biden during their visit to Israel from July 13-15, 2022. (Source: AP)

Early next week, US President Joe Biden will host his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog at the White House, to emphasize Israel's "longstanding partnership and friendship" with the United States.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that at the meeting on July 18, the two leaders "will discuss opportunities to strengthen Israel's regional integration and create a more peaceful and prosperous Middle East."

The White House chief is expected to “emphasize the importance of our shared democratic values and discuss ways to advance equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and security for Palestinians and Israelis.”

The two presidents will also discuss Russia's "deepening" military ties with Iran and Mr Biden will "reaffirm America's ironclad commitment to Israel's security".

On July 19, Mr. Herzog will meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and speak to a joint session of the US Congress.

The Israeli president will be the third foreign leader to receive the honor from Washington this year, following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's performance in June and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's in April.

This is Mr Herzog’s second visit to the US in less than nine months. At a White House meeting last October, Mr Biden stressed America’s “ironclad” commitment to Israel.

The visit by Mr Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial, will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel in 1948.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not join Herzog on the visit. Asked in a recent interview on CNN when Netanyahu would be invited to the White House, Biden said Netanyahu would come and “we have other contacts.”

“I think Bibi is trying to figure out how to work through the problems that exist in terms of his coalition,” Biden said in the interview, using Netanyahu’s nickname.

Mr. Netanyahu was elected to a sixth term in November last year but has yet to receive an invitation to visit Washington.

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