President Isaac Herzog addressed diplomatic contacts in the region, Iranian involvement in Lebanon, and U.S.-Israel relations in an interview with Fox News.
1+Addressing the possibility of a diplomatic settlement, Herzog emphasized that Israel isn’t opposed to a diplomatic solution but is committed to raising its legitimate security concerns. “We are definitely not opposed to a diplomatic outcome to the war, but we are raising concerns that are legitimate,” the president said. “A peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon cannot exist if Iran has such great influence and is trying to push itself into the conflict in Lebanon through a recognized terror organization called Hezbollah. Iran should not be involved at all in the crisis in Lebanon.”
Regarding relations with the United States, Herzog stressed that close, open, and credible dialogue is taking place between the two countries at all levels. “Israel and the United States have very close relations based on trust,” he said. “We can disagree, and raising legitimate concerns is completely legitimate, because Israel is on the front lines of this war. We are the ones absorbing Iranian missiles and their proxies, and we are working together with the United States to ensure that Iran does not achieve nuclear capability and does not become a nuclear threshold state.”
1+Discussing the future of relations with Lebanon, Herzog recounted his recent visit to the northern border and his address to the Lebanese public and leadership in Arabic. “Israel has no territorial aspirations in Lebanon. We have no substantive disputes with Lebanon. We want peace, and my dream is to take a car and drive all the way to Beirut.”
Still, Herzog stressed that Hezbollah continues to work against the possibility of peace and to undermine regional stability. “How can we achieve peace between Israel and Lebanon when Hezbollah is hijacking Lebanon? Hezbollah opposes peace, has repeatedly violated the ceasefire, and it is a terror organization armed from head to toe by Iran. Someone has to do the work. Unfortunately, it’s our soldiers. I don’t see anyone else doing it, unless a diplomatic solution is reached that makes clear that Hezbollah is disarmed and is no longer able to prevent the path to peace.”