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The Six United States Presidents Who Visited Israel

By My Olive Tree | March 18, 2019

According to the United States Department of State, only six United States presidents have visited Israel—the most recent being President Donald Trump. Our countries have enjoyed a strong partnership for more than 70 years, and each president who has visited Israel has had a major impact, not just on our relationship, but on the world.

Richard Nixon | Setting the Stage

The early 1970s were a tumultuous time for Israel, which was up against a coalition of Arab countries that intended to destroy the Jewish state once and for all. When Egypt launched a surprise attack on the holy day of Yom Kippur in 1973, the Israelis bravely fought but were quickly running low on supplies.

In this time of crisis, President Nixon and the United States responded. The United States airlifted munition and supplies that would ultimately give Israel just what it needed to fend off its foes and secure its borders.

Read more about the Yom Kippur War here!

Nixon then became the first president to visit Israel in 1974. He met with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to discuss the continued partnership between the two nations, as well as how to create a lasting peace in the region.

Before this visit, the United States was primarily concerned about the Soviet threat, which had been supporting Arab nations against Israel. They saw the destruction of Israel as a Soviet victory.

Because of this meeting with Israel, the United States shifted its focus. The nation became concerned with helping Israel for more than just strategic reasons. The U.S. became interested in partnering with Israel to spread liberty and justice for all.

Jimmy Carter | Setting Sights on Stability

Following the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Egypt and Syria had signed a cease-fire treaty with Israel, but the United States wanted to see a lasting end to the fighting.

Since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918, the entire world had been struggling to restore stability in the Middle East. And the United States of America was up for the task.

President Jimmy Carter worked alongside his secretary of state, Cyrus Vance, to meet individually with all of the leaders in the Middle East. Their mission was to…

• Encourage the Arab nations to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist in peace
• Ensure the city of Jerusalem would no longer be divided

Carter was able to make remarkable progress. The Egyptian leader, Anwan Sadat, faced immense pressure from the Arab League, which saw peace talks with Israel as a sign of betrayal. But American leaders were able to convince him to act in the best interest of his people, of the region, and for peace.

When Egypt and Israel finally signed the Israeli-Egyptian Treaty in 1979, relations between the former enemies normalized. They exchanged ambassadors, began to trade, and coexisted in peace.

The United Nations had failed to create peace between Israel and its neighbors time and time again, but President Carter proved that under the leadership of the United States, peace could be made even between the most bitter of enemies. And that set a precedent for future American leaders.

President Clinton | Paying Respects

President Bill Clinton visited Israel 4 times throughout his presidency:

• 1998—to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss American-Israeli partnerships
• 1996—to honor victims of terrorist attacks
• 1995—to pay his respects to late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
• 1994—to facilitate peace talks between Israel and Jordan

While the neighboring nations had not been at war for some time, tensions were building over a scarce commodity in the desert— water. The Jordan and Yarmouk rivers run between both countries and were being overdrawn.

President Clinton brought leaders from both sides together to accomplish the Israeli-Jordanian agreement of 1994. Essentially, the agreement outlines how both countries would share water—and it has not only kept the peace but also allowed the rivers to begin recovering!

Israel has always been eager to cooperate and share with its neighbors, but diplomatic tensions and especially pressure from Arab League nations and Soviet Russia have made peace negotiations difficult for leaders on both sides to cooperate.

Fortunately, as Israel’s economy grows in strength and stability, a shift continues to be made.

George W. Bush | Saying It Best

The alliance between our governments is unbreakable, yet the source of our friendship runs deeper than any treaty. It is grounded in the shared spirit of our people, the bonds of the Book, the ties of the soul. When William Bradford stepped off the Mayflower in 1620, he quoted the words of Jeremiah: ‘Come let us declare in Zion the word of God.’” —President Bush addressing the Israeli Knesset in May 2008

President George W. Bush visited Israel twice during his two terms as commander in chief. When he first came in January of 2008, his objective was to monitor the peace between Israel and Palestine.

President Bush sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. They had a successful meeting in that all 3 leaders agreed to work toward peace and a final agreement status was in order… but the problem, as told by President Bush, was that Palestine’s Hamas-led government was making these negotiations impossible because, despite Olmert’s best efforts to work towards peace, they still refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist.

President Bush stayed firm with Palestine and set a precedent that the United States would stay loyal to Israel… That the U.S. would not concede to spiteful groups interested in war rather than peace. Above all else, President Bush’s message to the world was loud and clear: The United States recognizes that Israel has the right to exist, and we are ready to defend that right!

Barack Obama | Wishing the Best for Israel

President Obama also visited Israel twice—first to visit with Prime Minister Netanyahu and then-president Shimon Peres in 2013, and then in 2016 to attend the state funeral of Shimon Peres.

President Obama’s visits to Israel were intended to show appreciation for the Jewish state and Jewish culture. He spoke highly of Israel’s mission for peace.

Behind the scenes, President Obama also helped Israel by increasing their budget for defense aid. He was also praised for developing more close cooperation between American and Israeli military and intelligence agencies.

Though there was a mutual respect between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu, and though they all wanted peace, there were disagreements as to how to achieve that.

Netanyahu ultimately hoped that Obama would have taken more immediate action and demonstrate a stronger stance for Israel. Israel appreciated Obama’s intentions, along with his gestures, praise, and respect for Jewish people and culture. He actively campaigned in the Middle East for peace and spoke out against anti-Semitism.

In the end, Obama took some steps in the right direction, but many believe he could have done much more to help Israel.

Donald Trump | Moving the Embassy

When President Donald Trump visited Israel in May of 2017, he became the first sitting president to visit Jerusalem’s Old City. His first stop was the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and then he moved on to visit the Western Wall.

Other U.S. Presidents have visited the Old City, but not while holding office, so as to avoid the controversy that has surrounded Jerusalem for so long. Before President Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel , the United States and most other countries kept their embassies in Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem was split between Israel and Palestine authority.

But Israel had been the de facto ruler of Jerusalem since 1967, when the city was taken over during the Six-Day War.

President Trump changed that when he moved the American embassy to Jerusalem, in recognition that it was Israel’s undivided capital once and for all. Shortly thereafter, the Evangelical-led country of Guatemala moved its embassy, and other countries—most notably Romania and Australia—are considering moving their embassies as well.

The rest of President Trump’s legacy is still unwritten, but this move has already fulfilled one of America’s key objectives that dates back to Carter’s presidency. With Jerusalem recognized as Israel’s capital once and for all, we can finally start to see restoration and peace on the horizon.

President Bush offered Palestine a choice as to how they wanted to work toward a final agreement, and they chose to make cooperation difficult, hoping it would deter American involvement. But with strong leaders, we take a stand for Israel. And we don’t back down.

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Middle East crisis — explained

The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them.

What you need to know about Biden's wartime trip to Israel

Deepa Shivaram

Tamara Keith

President Biden greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, in Tel Aviv. Evan Vucci/AP hide caption

President Biden greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, in Tel Aviv.

For updates on President Biden's visit, follow NPR's live blog .

President Biden is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Wednesday as the White House shows solidarity with its chief ally in the Middle East after Hamas killed some 1,400 Israelis during an Oct. 7 attack.

But the trip became more fraught after an explosion at a busy Gaza hospital killed hundreds of people, shortly before Biden left Washington. Biden had initially planned to stop in Amman, Jordan after Tel Aviv to meet with three key leaders about humanitarian aid for Gaza. But that part of the trip was called off.

Here's what you should know about Biden's visit.

Why isn't Biden going to Amman now?

Biden has been originally scheduled to carry on to Amman after Tel Aviv to meet with Jordan's King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hundreds killed in explosion at a crowded Gaza hospital

The purpose was to discuss efforts to get humanitarian aid into Gaza — something that has become a growing concern as the territory runs out of food, water and medical supplies. Civilians — including American citizens in Gaza — have been unable to leave through the Rafah crossing into Egypt.

But then an e xplosion at a hospital in Gaza killed hundreds of people. Palestinian authorities accused Israel, while Israel said a Palestinian militant group was responsible.

Abbas cancelled his meeting with Biden, and called for three days of mourning. Biden said he would postpone the visit after he talked to King Abdullah.

Sitting beside Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Biden said he was "deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion."

"Based on what I've seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team — not you — but there's a lot of people out there not sure, so we've got to overcome a lot of things," Biden said.

President Biden speaks as he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv. Evan Vucci/AP hide caption

President Biden speaks as he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv.

What does Biden hope to accomplish in Tel Aviv?

Biden has taken a strong pro-Israel stance after the Hamas attacks, saying that it was the most deadly attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust, and that Israel has a right to defend itself. Kirby said 31 U.S. citizens were among the dead and 13 Americans remain unaccounted for.

Biden wants to get an update from Israeli military officials on their strategy and the pace of their operations when he meets with Netanyahu and his war cabinet, Kirby said. The trip comes as Israel prepares for a ground offensive in Gaza, and Biden wants to learn more about the objectives and plans for coming days and weeks, Kirby said.

"He'll be asking some tough questions - he'll be asking them as a friend, as a true friend of Israel but he'll be asking some questions of them," Kirby said.

Biden made promises to Israel and Ukraine. To keep his word, he needs Congress

At the same time, Biden has pledged support for Israel in its war against Hamas, and is expected to ask Congress later this week to provide funding for additional military aid to Israel.

Biden also hopes to get more information about efforts to locate and free hostages taken during the attacks, a handful of whom are believed to be American citizens. Biden will meet with people who lost loved ones during the attacks, as well as first responders, Kirby said.

What about humanitarian aid for people in Gaza?

Biden's team has been pressing Israel and Egypt to allow food, water and medicine into Gaza — and to let civilians out. On the way to Tel Aviv, Kirby expressed some optimism that could happen soon.

The ragged border crossing that could become Gaza's lifeline

The Rafah crossing is effectively the only option for Palestinians to leave Gaza, and for any aid to come in. Food, water and medicine are already extremely scarce in Gaza, and the dire conditions have worsened in the last week. Hospitals are running out of electricity and are struggling to treat the thousands of injured, many of whom are children.

In the meantime, there are reports that Israel has been bombing the Rafah crossing region, damaging many of the roads, which makes it unclear how the aid will be distributed even if the Rafah crossing is opened.

A huge banner in Tel Aviv marking President Biden's visit. Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

A huge banner in Tel Aviv marking President Biden's visit.

How dangerous is this visit for Biden?

The White House is providing less public information about the trip than usual because of the risks of traveling to the region right now. During Blinken's visit to Tel Aviv, sirens went off as a warning of new rocket attacks, and the secretary was moved to a bunker for about five minutes.

But Biden has visited war zones before, including a trip to Ukraine in February. That travel wasn't revealed until the president was on the ground in Kyiv.

Kirby has said Tel Aviv is not being actively targeted in the same way that Kyiv was at the time of Biden's visit.

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Biden embarks on his first visit to Israel since taking office

Nick Schifrin Nick Schifrin

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/biden-embarks-on-his-first-visit-to-israel-since-taking-office

President Biden arrived in Israel Wednesday, the beginning of a four-day Middle East trip that will also take him to Saudi Arabia. Much of his focus today was in Israel’s military, and regional cooperation against Iran. Biden also began his trip with a visit to a solemn site at Israel's national Holocaust memorial. Nick Schifrin reports.

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Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

Judy Woodruff:

As we reported, President Biden arrived in Israel today, the beginning of a four-day Middle East trip that will also take him to Saudi Arabia.

Much of today's focus was on Israel's military and regional cooperation against Iran.

But, as Nick Schifrin reports, President Biden also began his trip with a visit to a solemn site.

Nick Schifrin:

It is one of Israel's most sacred spaces, the Holocaust museum Yad Vashem's Hall of Remembrance, President Biden and Israeli leaders on the mosaic floor etched with the names of Nazi murder sites.

President Biden embraced American Israeli Holocaust survivors. And he paused above the crypt full of ashes of Holocaust victims. "Never again," say the U.S. and Israel, as Israel has tried to guarantee itself. Today, it demonstrated for the present its newest military technology, an air defense system that uses lasers to shoot-down missiles.

Israel's primary concern is Iran. And in an interview on Israeli TV released tonight, President Biden warned Iran, the military option was on the table.

In the past, said you will do anything. And you say it again, that you will ensure Iran would not acquire nuclear weapons. Does that also mean, sir, that you would use force against Iran? Is that what that means, if need be?

President Joe Biden:

If that was the last resort, yes.

President Biden still wants an Iranian nuclear deal over Israeli concerns. But, today, he emphasized his support for Israeli security.

Because the connection between the Israeli people and the American people is bone-deep, we have reaffirmed the unshakeable commitment of the United States to Israel's security.

One of Israel's most critical points when it comes to security is here, its northern border with Lebanon. Israel's built this wall just in the last few months, on the other side of it, Hezbollah and its 130,000 rockets.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah holds extensive political and military power. It's fought two wars with Israel. And Israel says it continues to fire and deploy advanced missiles with Iranian technology on the border, including in Lebanese towns that peer over Israel's wall, between the countries, a single barrel that marks the blue line, a U.N. buffer zone.

Today, Israeli troops patrol along the border. The barbed wire is Israel, just a few hundred feet away, a Hezbollah shack. Behind its fluttering front door, members of Hezbollah hid from our camera. The group calls this an office for environmental study.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Concricus, International Spokesperson, Israel Defense Forces:

What in fact you're seeing is a Hezbollah intelligence collection center. And it's there in order to monitor Israeli activity and to collect intelligence on everything on the Israeli border.

Jonathan Conricus is in the Israeli Defense Forces' active reserves and is the IDF's former international spokesman. Our interview was arranged by the IDF.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus:

We're talking about 95 percent of the Israeli population is within rocket range of Hezbollah. They now today have 130,000 rockets hidden behind Lebanese civilians, and all of them aimed or in the future will be aimed at Israeli civilians.

And now there is a new wave of tension, the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon near a gas field that Israel considers vital to its future security.

Last week, unmanned Hezbollah drones approached the field. The Israeli military shut them down. But here, on the coast closest to the gas field, Israel knows the threat is growing, thanks to Iranian technology.

Standard-level UAVs provided by Iran. Iran has a vast, deep and very developed UAV industry. And, today, there are Iranian UAVs in Yemen, in Syria, in Lebanon, in Iraq, and, of course, in Iran.

That spreading Iranian threat has helped spark regional coordination that Israel and the U.S. are eager to expand.

Yair Lapid, Israeli Prime Minister:

During your visit, we will discuss matters of national security. We will discuss building a new security and economy architecture with the nations of the Middle East.

Israel certainly hopes that architecture runs through Jerusalem. They have the military technology here, thanks to U.S. support.

What they're hoping, according to Israeli officials, is that President Biden's trip to Saudi Arabia creates more political support, Judy, for more regional integration between Israel and their Arab neighbors.

So, Nick, you mentioned regional cooperation. How much of that is actually happening there?

Yes, the key there is air defense, Judy.

And in order to have regional air defense, you have to be able to communicate instantly and digitally. And I talked to a former senior military official who has been in the middle of this effort. And this official said that they were making progress. They held some exercises regionally. They shared some data.

And they said that there are countries that are cooperating fully, Jordan, Bahrain, Egypt and Israel. But, so far, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, according this official, have not been communicating as much as they need to. And Kuwait and Iraq are actually actively resisting.

So, Judy, there is a long way to go before you could actually get the kind of integrated defense and procedures that are required to do so that Israel is hoping for. But, again, Israel and the U.S. believe that the momentum is positive.

And, Nick, what are you hearing from U.S. officials about the possibility of military action against Iran?

Yes, those comments that we saw in the story just at the top that President Biden made this evening, that military action against Iran could be the last resort, U.S. officials insist that that is not a new message or a new change in policy at all.

They cite examples from Secretary of State Antony Blinken talking about military resort — military action being the last resort. But, clearly, Judy, the timing of those comments are vital as President Biden arrives in the Middle East for the first time as president. Regional actors here will certainly see those comments, and those comments will be reassuring to Israeli officials,despite, Judy, that ongoing disagreement over whether the U.S. and Iran should sign another nuclear deal.

Certainly, they caught our attention.

Nick Schifrin reporting from Israel.

Thank you, Nick.

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Nick Schifrin is PBS NewsHour’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Correspondent. He leads NewsHour’s daily foreign coverage, including multiple trips to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion, and has created weeklong series for the NewsHour from nearly a dozen countries. The PBS NewsHour series “Inside Putin’s Russia” won a 2017 Peabody Award and the National Press Club’s Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence. In 2020 Schifrin received the American Academy of Diplomacy’s Arthur Ross Media Award for Distinguished Reporting and Analysis of Foreign Affairs. He was a member of the NewsHour teams awarded a 2021 Peabody for coverage of COVID-19, and a 2023 duPont Columbia Award for coverage of Afghanistan and Ukraine. Prior to PBS NewsHour, Schifrin was Al Jazeera America's Middle East correspondent. He led the channel’s coverage of the 2014 war in Gaza; reported on the Syrian war from Syria's Turkish, Lebanese and Jordanian borders; and covered the annexation of Crimea. He won an Overseas Press Club award for his Gaza coverage and a National Headliners Award for his Ukraine coverage. From 2008-2012, Schifrin served as the ABC News correspondent in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In 2011 he was one of the first journalists to arrive in Abbottabad, Pakistan, after Osama bin Laden’s death and delivered one of the year’s biggest exclusives: the first video from inside bin Laden’s compound. His reporting helped ABC News win an Edward R. Murrow award for its bin Laden coverage. Schifrin is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a board member of the Overseas Press Club Foundation. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a Master of International Public Policy degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

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Israeli President’s Visit Herzog Addresses Congress Amid Tensions Over Israel’s Policies

A handful of progressive Democrats boycotted the speech, a day after the House voted overwhelmingly in support of Israel — with some notable defections. Treatment of Palestinians and proposed changes to Israel’s judiciary have worried some Democrats.

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Israeli President Addresses Congress

President isaac herzog of israel delivered a speech to lawmakers that focused on the foundations of his country’s relationship with the u.s. amid tensions between factions in each country..

Mr. Speaker, we are proud to be the United States’ closest partner and friend. We are grateful to the United States for the necessary means you have provided us to keep our qualitative military edge, and to enable us to defend ourselves by ourselves. This reflects your ongoing commitment to Israel’s security. We are also tremendously proud that ours is a two-way alliance. When the United States is strong, Israel is stronger, and when Israel is strong, the United States is more secure. My deep yearning, Mr. Speaker, is for Israel to one day make peace with our Palestinian neighbors. [applause] Over the years, Israel has taken bold steps towards peace and made far-reaching proposals to our Palestinian neighbors. However, true peace cannot be anchored in violence.

Karoun Demirjian

Israel’s president works to ease tensions with the U.S., calling the two nations’ bond ‘irreplaceable.’

President Isaac Herzog of Israel used an address to Congress on Wednesday to try to smooth over fresh tensions between his country and the United States, appealing to American lawmakers to continue investing in the “irreplaceable” relationship even as he acknowledged problems at home that have strained that bond.

Mr. Herzog kept his words strictly nonpartisan as he spoke about the strength of the security partnership between the United States and Israel, decried Iran’s nuclear ambitions and thanked the United States for shepherding through the Abraham Accords, which he called a “game changer” for peace in the Middle East. And he elicited applause from both Republicans and Democrats as he lauded the vibrancy of Israel’s democracy and recalled the 75-year alliance with the United States.

“We are proud to be the United States’s closest partner and friend,” Mr. Herzog told lawmakers. “When the United States is strong, Israel is stronger. And when Israel is strong, the United States is more secure.”

The speech was an effort to solidify bipartisan support for Israel at a time when a growing number of Democrats have questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s embrace of right-wing policies they see as undemocratic, and an emboldened left wing is openly accusing the country of imposing apartheid policies against Palestinians. It also appeared aimed at reassuring Israelis, who have taken to the streets by the thousands to protest Mr. Netanyahu’s policies, that the country still values its democratic, pluralistic legacy.

Israel “takes pride in its vibrant democracy, its protection of minorities, human rights and civil liberties, as laid down by its parliament, the Knesset, and safeguarded by its strong Supreme Court and independent judiciary,” Mr. Herzog said. He later added that the debates roiling the Israeli population were “the clearest tribute to the fortitude of Israel’s democracy.”

The reception for Mr. Herzog in the packed House chamber was staunchly supportive, with frequent standing ovations by the assembled lawmakers, including when he decried Palestinians for destroying the prospects for peace by supporting terror attacks against Israel.

“Israel cannot and will not tolerate terror, and we know that in this we are joined by the United States of America,” Mr. Herzog said.

But the camaraderie within the House chamber on Wednesday masked a fraught debate over Israel’s policies raging just outside its doors, where a group of left-wing House Democrats who boycotted the speech have accused Israeli leaders of endorsing racist policies against Palestinians that have led to a system of apartheid.

On the eve of the speech, 10 left-wing House Democrats declined to vote for a widely backed resolution stating that Israel was neither racist nor an apartheid state, alongside declarations of strong support for Israel and a denouncement of antisemitism and xenophobia in all its forms. Republicans had written the resolution after Representative Pramila Jayapal, Democrat of Washington and a leading progressive, told a liberal audience over the weekend that Israel “is a racist state.”

Though Ms. Jayapal later walked back the comments — and voted for the resolution — the episode touched off a bitter standoff in Congress, as Republicans accused Democrats of tolerating antisemitism and Democrats charged that Republicans were trying to turn Israel into a partisan issue by driving a wedge among their members.

Mr. Herzog acknowledged the tensions only glancingly in his speech.

“I respect criticism, especially from friends, although one does not always have to accept it,” Mr. Herzog said. “But criticism of Israel must not cross the line into negation of the state of Israel’s right to exist.” He said that was “not legitimate diplomacy, it is antisemitism” — a line met in the chamber with thunderous applause.

None of the lawmakers criticizing Israel’s policies as apartheid this week questioned Israel’s right to exist. Instead, they cited the findings of various human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and a United Nations report, that have said that Israel’s unequal treatment of Jews and Palestinians under law, as well as its pursuit of settlement construction in the West Bank in violation of international law, amounts to apartheid.

“The facts are clear, and the international consensus is resounding — Israel is an apartheid state,” Representatives Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Cori Bush of Missouri, two of the Democrats who boycotted Mr. Herzog’s speech, said in a joint statement. They said it was “shameful to deliberately ignore — and even normalize — this racist and oppressive system of apartheid.”

Ms. Tlaib and Ms. Bush were joined by Democratic Representatives Jamaal Bowman and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, both of New York; André Carson of Indiana; Summer Lee of Pennsylvania; Ilhan Omar of Minnesota; Ayanna S. Pressley of Massachusetts; and Delia Ramirez of Illinois, in voting against the resolution. Representative Betty McCollum, Democrat of Minnesota, voted “present,” declining to register a position.

Though Ms. Jayapal voted in favor of the resolution, she joined several of those members in skipping Mr. Herzog’s speech on Wednesday, as did Representative Nydia M. Velázquez, Democrat of New York, who said the current Israeli government was “undermining” the right to self-determination for all people and diminishing the likelihood of a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.

As a result, there was no hint of dissent in the chamber when Mr. Herzog stated that the United States and Israel “have always stood for the same values.”

“Our two nations are both diverse, life-affirming societies that stand for liberty, equality and freedom,” Mr. Herzog said. “Both peoples seek to repair the cracks in our world.”

Lawmakers also demonstrated their approval and sympathy when Mr. Herzog paid tribute to Israeli citizens who disagree with the government’s policies, particularly proposals seeking to weaken the national court system and centralize power.

Several Democratic lawmakers, as well as President Biden, have expressed concerns in recent months about Mr. Netanyahu’s embrace of the measures, and Mr. Herzog has previously warned the backlash could pitch the country into a civil war. On Wednesday, he appealed to lawmakers — and Israelis — to see that debate playing out on the streets as democracy in action.

“Our democracy is also reflected in the protesters taking to the streets all across the country, to emphatically raise their voices and fervently demonstrate their point of view,” he said. “Although we are working through sore issues, just like you, I know our democracy is strong and resilient.”

Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, announced late Wednesday that the country would allow American citizens of Palestinian origin to visit starting on Thursday. The move will allow them to transit through Israel on their way to and from the occupied territories. Currently, Palestinian Americans visiting the West Bank and Gaza must make a lengthier and more arduous journey via Jordan or Egypt.

If the plan is carried out to the satisfaction of American officials, the U.S. government is expected to waive visa requirements for Israeli citizens in a reciprocal gesture. Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday that Israel’s changes would “ensure equal treatment to all U.S. citizen travelers without regard to national origin, religion or ethnicity,” and that the U.S. would make a decision about admitting Israel to its visa waiver program by Sept. 30.

On Capitol Hill, Mr. Herzog received a warm reception from members of both parties, who had jointly invited him to address Congress and met with him together on Wednesday before his speech. He was the ninth Israeli leader to address Congress, and the first to do so since 2015, when Mr. Netanyahu delivered an address at the invitation of Republicans over President Obama’s objections and used it to slam the nuclear deal his administration was trying to negotiate with Iran. Only one other Israeli president — Mr. Herzog’s father, Chaim Herzog — has addressed Congress, in 1987.

Mr. Herzog took a noticeably more conciliatory tone than Mr. Netanyahu, even when talking about Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“Allowing Iran to become a nuclear threshold state — whether by omission or diplomatic commission — is unacceptable,” he said, adding that “the world cannot remain indifferent to the Iranian regime’s call to wipe Israel off the map.”

Mr. Herzog made no specific mention of the informal agreement that the Biden administration has been trying to strike with Tehran to limit its nuclear program, through which it has been building a stockpile of highly enriched uranium but has not yet attempted to build a bomb.

In fact the only moment of the speech that appeared to inspire any division at all was when Mr. Herzog mentioned that Tel Aviv hosts “one of the largest and most impressive L.G.B.T.Q. Pride Parades in the world,” a line that inspired cheers from Democrats, but silence from most Republicans. It was a reminder that the two parties are warring over a G.O.P. drive to impose conservative social policies throughout the government.

Michael Crowley contributed reporting from Washington and Patrick Kingsley from Jerusalem.

Michael D. Shear

Biden urges Israel’s prime minister to look for consensus.

President Biden urged Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, to stop trying to push through an overhaul of Israel’s judicial system, continuing his efforts to rein in an ally with whom he has a tense relationship.

Mr. Biden tempered the critique with a nod to the “vibrancy of Israel’s democracy.” But just days after the two men spoke on the phone, the comments were intended to make clear the president’s position on the debate that has sparked protests in the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

“So my recommendation to Israeli leaders is not to rush,” Mr. Biden told Tom Friedman, a New York Times columnist , in an interview published Wednesday. “I believe the best outcome is to continue to seek the broadest possible consensus here.”

The official readout for American reporters after Monday’s call said Mr. Biden told the prime minister of “the need for the broadest possible consensus.” White House officials have been describing the president’s views in similar terms for months.

But the decision to speak to Mr. Friedman — a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner who has spent much of his career writing about the Middle East — will most likely make bigger ripples in Israel, where journalists often closely monitor his column for insights into American policy.

That may have been Mr. Biden’s goal: to offer rhetorical support from afar for Israelis who disagree with Mr. Netanyahu’s aggressive efforts to change the country’s courts. That was the suggestion by John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, at a briefing for reporters hours after the president and the prime minister spoke on Monday.

Asked whether the president stands with protesters in Israel, Mr. Kirby said the message from the president is that “we stand for the Israeli people.”

“We stand for Israel’s democracy,” Mr. Kirby said. “And we want to see that democracy and the hopes and the dreams of all Israeli people and all their aspirations met through strong, viable democratic institutions that are built on consensus and compromise.”

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Isabel Kershner

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel praised Herzog’s address in a post on Twitter, describing it as “an important speech” that “expressed our firm and decisive position against Iran. Together we will stand, together we will win,” Netanyahu added. Unusually, Netanyahu has not yet made an official visit to Washington in the six months since he returned to office, reflecting the tensions between the Biden administration and his hardline government. But President Biden invited him to a meeting in the United States later this year during a phone conversation on the eve of Herzog’s visit.

Israeli television broadcast the speech live, replacing the usual early evening news programs. As Herzog spoke, hundreds of reservists in the Israeli military gathered in a square in central Tel Aviv and signed a declaration saying they would no longer volunteer for service in light of the government’s insistence on advancing its plans for a judicial overhaul.

Michael Crowley

In a no-surprises speech that focused on the foundations of the U.S.-Israel relationship, Herzog secured what may have been his main objective: Clips of thunderous applause and standing ovations demonstrating that congressional support for Israel remains extremely strong overall.

Jonathan Weisman

Israel’s president gave a speech to Congress aimed very much as easing concerns that Israel is losing its democratic, pluralistic tradition, but his message was equally aimed at members of the Netanyahu government who wish to move away from those traditions toward a state that is more Jewish, where power is more centralized in the prime minister’s office.

Maggie Astor

The Republican presidential candidates do not appear to be focusing much on the speech. Senator Tim Scott and former Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina posted relatively boilerplate statements on Twitter extolling the United States’ alliance with Israel, and that seems to be about it so far.

Welcome President @Isaac_Herzog to the United States! Israel and the U.S. share a deep connection rooted in shared values and common interests. The bond forged between our two countries is unshakeable. — Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) July 19, 2023

Welcome President @Isaac_Herzog to Washington and the U.S. Congress. America and Israel have an unbreakable bond rooted in our shared values of democracy, faith, and religious liberty. May our ironclad friendship stay strong. — Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) July 19, 2023

After the speech, Herzog offers handshakes to many lawmakers, and hugs to Representative Steny Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York.

How it’s playing at home: A headline in the centrist Times of Israel says that “To thunderous applause in Congress, Herzog stresses Israel’s ’independent judiciary.’” The more conservative Jerusalem Post is highlighting his comments about antisemitism and his call for cracking down on Iran’s nuclear program.

Am Yisrael Chai, the people of Israel live: It’s a phrase every American Jew will recognize.

Herzog’s speech is a rhetorical help to Biden’s effort to triangulate toward the middle. But it does little to change the reality of Biden’s frustration with Netanyahu’s government, which he recently called the most extreme in decades.

That line Herzog just said about how families argue and debate is reminiscent of how a lot of lawmakers have been describing the U.S.-Israel relationship lately, as they argue for demonstrations of unfailing solidarity even as criticism of the health of Israel’s democracy, and its treatment of Palestinians, is rising.

I will be very interested to see how this speech plays in a divided Israel, which might not see it as bipartisan as Congress does.

President Biden told our columnist Thomas Friedman yesterday, in an echo of Herzog’s words just now, that the protests in Israel demonstrate the “vibrancy of Israel’s democracy.” But Biden also said that Israel leaders must seek “the broadest possible consensus” before making dramatic overhauls, and it is clear that he and other U.S. officials don’t believe that’s happening.

Again, Herzog’s appeal to pluralism, extolling the simultaneous Muslim call to prayer, the start of the Jewish Sabbath and an L.G.B.T.Q. pride parade, is as much targeted at his American audience as the Israeli government of Netanyahu.

Herzog’s reference to Israel hosting a large Pride Parade is the first thing to split this chamber — Democrats leaped up to cheer, but only a handful of Republicans joined them. It's a reminder that Congress is fighting a series of culture wars over the rights of women, transgender people, and diversity education, in the defense bill and the federal budget.

Herzog paints the street protests in Israel over proposed judicial reforms as a good thing, “the clearest tribute to the fortitude of Israel’s democracy.” Herzog has warned in the past that the protests could lead to civil war.

Herzog says he welcomes criticism — an oblique reference to the 10 Democratic lawmakers who refused to vote for a resolution saying Israel is neither racist or an apartheid state. But he says criticism “must not cross the line into negation of the State of Israel’s right to exist,” calling that “antisemitism,” and drawing huge cheers. It’s worth noting that none of the lawmakers accusing Israel of apartheid this week questioned Israel’s right to exist.

Karoun and Jonathan both noted the bipartisan nature of this speech. Even many Israeli leaders on the political right and left wings understand that it is dangerous for their country to be a partisan issue in Washington, given the way power swings back and forth.

Here, Herzog is astutely noting the generation gap, even within the American Jewish community. Older American Jews reflexively embrace Israel. Younger American Jews are far more critical and want to see progress on Palestinian rights.

Herzog has a guest for his speech — the daughter of history-making Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel — which is a tactic used by American presidents when they address Congress for State of the Union speeches.

Herzog sums up the symbiosis of the U.S.-Israel security partnership as: “When the United States is strong, Israel is stronger. And when Israel is strong, the United States is more secure.”

In that whole part of Herzog’s speech about the terms under which Israelis and Palestinians can achieve peace, it’s notable that he never said the words “two-state solution.” Congressional Republicans have started to abandon references to that idea, too, while Democrats call for it frequently.

To Karoun’s point, the term “terror” is subjective in the Middle East. Palestinians would say Israeli military tactics in the occupied territories are terroristic, but Palestinians don’t have much of a voice in the House chamber.

The when and where of President Joe Biden's visit to Israel

Here's us president joe biden's schedule during his visit in israel..

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The Jerusalem U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Joint   Declaration

The leaders of the United States and Israel, President Biden and Prime Minister Lapid, met in Jerusalem on 14 July 2022, and adopted the following Joint Declaration on the US-Israel Strategic Partnership:

The United States and Israel reaffirm the unbreakable bonds between our two countries and the enduring commitment of the United States to Israel’s security. Our countries further reaffirm that the strategic U.S.-Israel partnership is based on a bedrock of shared values, shared interests, and true friendship. Furthermore, the United States and Israel affirm that among the values the countries share is an unwavering commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and the calling of “Tikkun Olam,” repairing the world. The leaders express appreciation to former Prime Minister Bennett, who led the most diverse government in Israel’s history, and under whose leadership this extraordinary partnership has continued to grow stronger.

Consistent with the longstanding security relationship between the United States and Israel and the unshakeable U.S. commitment to Israel’s security, and especially to the maintenance of its qualitative military edge, the United States reiterates its steadfast commitment to preserve and strengthen Israel’s capability to deter its enemies and to defend itself by itself against any threat or combination of threats. The United States further reiterates that these commitments are bipartisan and sacrosanct, and that they are not only moral commitments, but also strategic commitments that are vitally important to the national security of the United States itself.

The United States stresses that integral to this pledge is the commitment never to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, and that it is prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome. The United States further affirms the commitment to work together with other partners to confront Iran’s aggression and destabilizing activities, whether advanced directly or through proxies and terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The United States and Israel note that nothing better reflects the steadfast and bipartisan support of the United States to Israel’s security than the unprecedented Memoranda of Understanding on security assistance signed by successive U.S. administrations over the last few decades, and that these arrangements demonstrate in word and deed that the United States considers Israel’s security essential to U.S. interests and an anchor of regional stability.

The United States strongly supports implementing the terms of the current historic $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding in full, which honors the United States’ enduring commitment to Israel’s security, as well as its conviction that a follow-on MOU should address emerging threats and new realities. In addition, the United States is committed to seeking additional missile defense assistance in excess of MOU levels, in exceptional circumstances such as the hostilities with Hamas over eleven days in May 2021. Israel appreciates the U.S. commitment to the MOU and for providing an additional $1 billion over MOU levels in supplemental missile defense funding following the 2021 conflict. Further, the countries express enthusiasm to move forward the U.S.-Israel defense partnership through cooperation in cutting-edge defense technologies such as high energy laser weapons systems to defend the skies of Israel and in the future those of other U.S. and Israel security partners.

Israel thanks the United States for its ongoing and extensive support for deepening and broadening the historic Abraham Accords. The countries affirm that Israel’s peace and normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco constitute a critical addition to Israel’s strategic peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, all of which are important to the future of the Middle East region and to the cause of regional security, prosperity, and peace. The countries note that the historic Negev Summit, initiated and hosted by Prime Minister Lapid, was a landmark event in joint U.S.-Israeli efforts to build a new regional framework that is changing the face of the Middle East.

The United States and Israel welcome in this regard the meeting held in Manama, Bahrain on June 27th, forming the Negev Forum on regional cooperation. The United States welcomes these developments and is committed to continue playing an active role, including in the context of President Biden’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, in building a robust regional architecture; to deepen the ties between Israel and all of its regional partners; to advance Israel’s regional integration over time; and to expand the circle of peace to include ever more Arab and Muslim States.

The United States and Israel also welcome the opportunity to participate in a quadrilateral (hybrid) meeting, together with the leaders of India and the United Arab Emirates, in the context of the I2U2 initiative, bringing together these four countries to advance cooperation in economy and strategic infrastructure, and demonstrating the importance of this new partnership, first launched by their Foreign Ministers in October 2021.

The United States and Israel reiterate their concerns regarding the ongoing attacks against Ukraine, their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and affirmed the importance of continued humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine.

The United States and Israel affirm that they will continue to work together to combat all efforts to boycott or de-legitimize Israel, to deny its right to self-defense, or to unfairly single it out in any forum, including at the United Nations or the International Criminal Court. While fully respecting the right to freedom of expression, they firmly reject the BDS campaign. The two countries will use the tools at their disposal to fight every scourge and source of antisemitism and to respond whenever legitimate criticism crosses over into bigotry and hatred or attempts to undermine Israel’s rightful and legitimate place among the family of nations. In this context, they express their deep concern over the global surge in antisemitism and reassert their commitment to counter this ancient hatred in all of its manifestations. The United States is proud to stand with the Jewish and democratic State of Israel, and with its people, whose uncommon courage, resilience, and spirit of innovation are an inspiration to so many worldwide.

The United States and Israel commit to continuing to discuss the challenges and opportunities in Israeli-Palestinian relations. The countries condemn the deplorable series of terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens in recent months and affirm the need to confront radical forces, such as Hamas, seeking to inflame tension and instigate violence and terrorism. President Biden reaffirms his longstanding and consistent support of a two-state solution and for advancing toward a reality in which Israelis and Palestinians alike can enjoy equal measures of security, freedom and prosperity. The United States stands ready to work with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and regional stakeholders toward that goal. The leaders also affirm their shared commitment to initiatives that strengthen the Palestinian economy and improve the quality of life of Palestinians.

The United States and Israel enjoy extensive bilateral cooperation and dialogue between their two countries in many critical spheres – from groundbreaking collaboration in science and technology, to unique intelligence sharing and joint military exercises, to shared efforts in confronting pressing global challenges such as climate change, food security, and healthcare. To complement the extensive existing scientific and technological cooperation between their two countries, and to bring their cooperation to a new height, the leaders launched a new U.S.-Israel Strategic High-Level Dialogue on Technology to form a U.S.-Israel technological partnership in critical and emerging technologies, as well as in areas of global concern: pandemic preparedness, climate change, artificial intelligence, and trusted technology. This new technological partnership will be designed to boost the countries’ mutual innovation ecosystems and address geostrategic challenges.

In this same spirit, the United States and Israel affirm their commitment to continue their shared and accelerated efforts to enable Israeli passport holders to be included in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program as soon as possible, as well as their support for increased collaboration on operational cyber exchange and on combatting cybercrime. The leaders state that all of these initiatives, and countless other joint endeavors, undertaken between their peoples at every level of government and civil society demonstrate that the U.S.-Israel strategic partnership is indispensable and makes an outsized contribution not only to the good of American and Israeli citizens but also to the good of the Middle East and of the world.

With this record of remarkable achievement and with a sense of the incredible promise that the unparalleled U.S.-Israel relationship holds for the future, the United States and Israel warmly welcome entering the 75th year of this extraordinary partnership. 

Signed at Jerusalem on the 14 th day of the July, 2022, which corresponds to the 15 th day of Tamuz, 5782, in the Hebrew calendar, in duplicate in the English language.

Joseph R. Biden Jr. 

President of the United States of America   

Prime Minister of the State of Israel

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Israeli President Isaac Herzog will visit the White House next week

WASHINGTON — Israeli President Isaac Herzog will visit the White House on Tuesday and deliver a joint address to Congress during his two-day trip to the nation's capital, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a news release.

"The two leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen Israel’s regional integration and to create a more peaceful and prosperous Middle East," Jean-Pierre's statement said. "President Biden will stress the importance of our shared democratic values, and discuss ways to advance equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and security for Palestinians and Israelis."

Biden and Herzog will also discuss Russia's "deepening" military relationship with Iran and Iran's "destabilizing behavior in the region," she said.

The meeting will also emphasize Israel's "enduring partnership and friendship" with the U.S., and Biden will "reaffirm the ironclad commitment of the United States to Israel’s security," Jean-Pierre said.

Herzog will meet with Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday. He will be the third foreign leader to hav e de liver ed a joint address to Congress this year. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered an address in June, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol did the same in April.

Biden met with Herzog at the White House in October, when he emphasized the U.S.' "ironclad" commitment to Israel.

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is not joining Herzog for the visit. In an interview that aired Sunday on CNN, Biden was asked when Netanyahu would be invited to the White House. He said Herzog would be coming and that "we have other contacts."

"Bibi, I think, is trying to work through how he can work through his existing problems in terms of his coalition," Biden said in the interview, using Netanyahu's nickname.

While the White House supports a two-state solution for the Israelis and the Palestinians, that option appears unlikely under the far-right Israeli government.

Israel’s military raided the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank this month in the biggest incursion in 20 years. The military said the operation was meant to target militants. At least 10 Palestinians were killed.

In June, the Israeli government approved the construction of thousands of new homes in the West Bank. The U.S. asked Israel's ambassador in the U.S. this year to come to the State Department, which had protested a new Israeli law that would allow expanded construction of settlements in the West Bank.

Beyond settlements in the West Bank, a two-state solution is further complicated by the geographic separation between Gaza and the West Bank and leaders' varying control in those areas, including Hamas in Gaza and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.

Israel's government has also recently faced countrywide demonstrations against a planned judicial overhaul that would limit the Supreme Court's oversight.

Megan Lebowitz is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Biden speaks with Netanyahu as US prods Israel and Hamas to come to agreement on cease-fire deal

President Joe Biden has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the United States presses Israel and Hamas to agree to a “bridging proposal” that could lead to a cease-fire in the war in Gaza

BUELLTON, Calif. -- President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday as the United States presses Israel and Hamas to agree to a “bridging proposal” that could lead to a cease-fire in the war in Gaza .

Hamas and Israel have signaled that challenges remain amid significant differences over the presence of Israeli troops in two strategic corridors in Gaza and other issues, dimming Biden's hopes that a deal can soon be reached. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is in Chicago this week to accept her party's nomination at the Democratic National Convention, also joined the call.

Biden "stressed the urgency of bringing the ceasefire and hostage release deal to closure," the White House said in a statement. The two leaders also discussed using high-level talks in Cairo this week between mediators from the U.S., Israel, Egypt and Qatar to work through "remaining obstacles" to an agreement.

But hope that a deal can be completed, at least in the near term, appears to be diminishing.

The president on Friday said he was “optimistic” that an agreement could be reached after he spoke by phone with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, whose countries are key interlocutors with Hamas.

But by Tuesday, Biden was notably more muted about the prospects of the two sides coming to an agreement soon. He told reporters after delivering an address at the Democratic convention that “Hamas was now backing off,” but that the U.S. is “going to keep pushing” to land a cease-fire deal.

The president spoke with the Israeli prime minister from Santa Ynez, Calif., where he's vacationing with his family at the 8,000-acre property of the medical technology mogul and Democratic donor Joe Kiani.

The White House said Biden and Netanyahu discussed escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, and with militant groups — Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis — that are backed by Tehran.

The call came after Secretary of State Antony Blinken met this week with officials in Israel, Egypt, and Qatar and ahead of the new round of talks in Cairo later this week.

"This is a decisive moment, probably the best, maybe the last opportunity to get the hostages home, to get a ceasefire, and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security," Blinken said after meeting with Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv on Monday.

Officials in Egypt told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Hamas won’t agree to the bridging proposal for a number of reasons — ones in addition to the long-held wariness over whether a deal would truly remove Israeli forces from Gaza and end the war.

One Egyptian official, with direct knowledge of the negotiations who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter, said the bridging proposal requires the implementation of the deal’s first phase, which has Hamas releasing the most vulnerable civilian hostages captured in its Oct. 7 attack on Israel that sparked the war. Parties during the first phase would negotiate the second and third phases with no “guarantees” to Hamas from Israel or mediators.

The official said the proposal doesn’t clearly say Israel will withdraw its forces from two strategic corridors in Gaza , the Philadelphi corridor alongside Gaza’s border with Egypt and the Netzarim east-west corridor across the territory. Israel offers to downsize its forces in the Philadelphi corridor, with “promises” to withdraw from the area, the official said.

Hamas is seeking a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, including the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow 14.5-km-long (nine-mile) stretch of land along the coastal enclave’s southern border with Egypt.

Netanyahu met earlier this week with right-wing groups of families of fallen soldiers and hostages in Gaza. The groups, which oppose a cease-fire deal, said he told them Israel will not abandon the two strategic corridors in Gaza . Netanyahu’s office did not comment on the groups' accounts.

Blinken after his visit to Egypt and Qatar said the bridging proposal is “very clear on the schedule and the locations of (Israeli military) withdrawals from Gaza,” but no details on either have emerged.

AP writer Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed reporting.

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Israel-Hamas War Latest: Blinken Visits Gaza Mediators in Pursuit of Cease-Fire Deal

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has visited fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar as he presses ahead with the latest diplomatic mission to secure a cease-fire in the war in Gaza, even as Hamas and Israel signal that challenges remain

Abdel Kareem Hana

Tents are crammed together as displaced Palestinians camp on the beach, west of Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar as he pressed ahead Tuesday with the latest diplomatic mission to secure a cease-fire in the war in Gaza , even as Hamas and Israel signaled that challenges remain.

Hamas in a new statement called the latest proposal presented to it a “reversal” of what it agreed to previously and accused the U.S. of acquiescing to what it called “new conditions” from Israel. There was no immediate U.S. response.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told relatives of hostages in Gaza that a key goal is to “preserve our strategic security assets in the face of great pressures from home and abroad.”

Netanyahu’s meeting with the families came as Israel’s military said it recovered the bodies of six hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that started the war, bringing fresh grief for many Israelis who have long pressed Netanyahu to agree to a cease-fire that would bring remaining hostages home.

Blinken’s meetings in Egypt and Qatar came a day after he met in Israel with Netanyahu and said the prime minister had accepted a U.S. proposal to bridge gaps separating Israel and Hamas. Blinken called on the militant group to do the same.

But there still appear to be wide gaps between the two sides.

Here’s the latest:

Israeli strikes in Lebanon kill 1 and injure 19

BEIRUT — At least one person was killed and 19 injured in a series of Israeli strikes in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley early Wednesday, Lebanon’s public health ministry said. It was not immediately clear what the target was.

Hospital officials said the wounded included children.

Earlier in the week, the Israeli army said it hit “a number of Hezbollah weapons storage facilities” in the Bekaa Valley. Videos from the scene showed a large fire and multiple explosions following the initial strike.

Israel and the Lebanese militant group have traded near-daily strikes for more than 10 months against the backdrop of Israel’s war against Hezbollah’s ally, Hamas, in Gaza. The exchanges have killed more than 500 people in Lebanon — mostly militants but also including around 100 civilians and non-combatants — and 23 soldiers and 26 civilians in Israel.

Israel says military is shifting its attention to the border with Lebanon

TEL AVIV, Israel — Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says Israel’s military is shifting its attention from Gaza to the border with Lebanon.

Touring northern Israel on Tuesday, Gallant said Israel has scaled back its activities in Gaza, where it has been fighting a war against Hamas for nearly a year, and turned its focus to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

“Our strongholds are moving from the south to the north, we are gradually changing, we still have a number of missions in the south,” Gallant told troops.

Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The sides have been engaged in almost daily fighting since then, raising fears of a broader regionwide war. Those fears have grown as Hezbollah has vowed retaliation for an Israeli strike in Beirut last month that killed a top Hezbollah commander.

Hezbollah launched more than 120 projectiles towards northern Israel on Tuesday, causing damage to a home and sparking a number of fires. Israel said it was striking the source of the launches.

More than 500 people have been killed in Lebanon, including at least 100 civilians. In Israel, 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed.

Some kibbutzim will boycott official memorial commemorating Hamas' Oct. 7 attack

JERUSALEM — Some small towns and communal farms in southern Israel that were devastated during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack plan to boycott an official government memorial commemorating the first anniversary.

Kibbutz Nirim said Tuesday that not a single government representative had come to visit or take responsibility for the failures on Oct. 7. Israeli media said at least five other hard-hit kibbutzim have said will not join the government event and will hold their own ceremonies instead.

Many residents of the small towns in the south have said they felt abandoned by the government during the attack, when Hamas militants stormed the border and killed approximately 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage, as well as in the ensuing 10 months.

It took Israeli forces hours to respond to the attack. Dozens of hostages, many from border communities, remain in captivity in Gaza. Many community members accuse the government of dragging its feet in cease-fire talks.

The official government memorial ceremony for the attack will be overseen by Transportation Minister Miri Regev, one of Netanyahu’s staunchest supporters in his Likud party. In June, Israeli police raided Regev’s Jerusalem office after the state attorney ordered an investigation into whether Regev gave preferential treatment to Israeli cities and towns whose officials supported her politically.

Israeli airstrike on school-turned-shelter in Gaza kills at least 10 people, Palestinian officials say

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian officials say an Israeli airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City killed at least 10 people.

The Israeli military said Tuesday’s strike on the Mustafa Hafez school targeted Hamas militants who had set up a command center inside and were planning and launching attacks.

The Palestinian Civil Defense, first responders operating under the Hamas-run government, said the strike killed at least 10 people and that they were still searching for survivors. It said around 700 people were sheltering at the school when it was hit.

Earlier on Tuesday, a strike in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza killed five children and their mother, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where an Associated Press reporter counted the bodies.

The hospital said the father, Alaa Abu Zeid, a schoolteacher, has been in Israeli detention for the last nine months.

Bureij is one of several crowded, built-up refugee camps in Gaza that date back to the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation.

Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames their deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in dense residential areas. It has struck several schools-turned-shelters in recent weeks, accusing Hamas fighters of sheltering inside them.

Israeli military says it has recovered the bodies of 6 hostages in a Gaza operation

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it has recovered the bodies of six hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that started the Gaza war.

The military said in a statement Tuesday that its forces recovered the bodies in an overnight operation in southern Gaza. It identified the hostages as Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell, and Haim Perry, without saying when or how they died.

The recovery came as the United States, Egypt and Qatar were trying to mediate a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas that would see the release of scores of hostages held by the militant group.

Hamas is still believed to be holding around 110 hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack. Israeli authorities estimate around a third of them are dead.

Israeli military says 55 rockets from Lebanon ignite fires in northern Israel

JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said that a barrage of 55 rockets from Lebanon has ignited fires in northern Israel.

The military said Tuesday that only some of the projectiles were intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems, while others fell in open areas. Firefighters were working to contain the blazes.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group said it fired “intense barrages of missiles” at military positions in Israel’s north. Israel said it struck the areas where the missiles were launched in Lebanon.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since Oct. 8, causing widespread damage on both sides of the border and killing civilians and combatants on both sides.

Fears have increased in recent weeks of a larger escalation, with Hezbollah vowing retaliation for an Israeli strike last month in Beirut that killed one of its top commanders.

Bodies of 2 hostages returned to Israel from Gaza, their communal farm says

JERUSALEM — The bodies of two hostages were returned from the Gaza Strip, the communal farm they lived on announced Tuesday.

Kibbutz Nirim said that the bodies of Yagev Buchshtav and Nadav Popplewell had been returned to Israel from the Gaza Strip overnight. The kibbutz did not provide additional information and the Israeli military did not immediately confirm the information.

Israeli media reported that the two men — along with Avraham Munder, whose death his kibbutz announced Tuesday — were part of a larger military hostage extraction operation overnight.

Popplewell was declared dead by the Israeli military in June. Hamas said in May that Popplewell had died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike. Israel’s military announced Buchshtav's death in July.

The men were taken hostage by militants who stormed the border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking roughly 250 hostages. About 110 hostages kidnapped that day remain in the strip. About a third of them are believed to be dead.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive on Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.

Another Israeli hostage dies in Hamas captivity, his village says

JERUSALEM — Another male hostage has died in Hamas captivity, his communal farming village announced Tuesday.

Kibbutz Nir Oz said that Avraham Munder had been killed while held hostage in Gaza “after enduring months of physical and mental torture.” It was not clear from the statement whether his body had been recovered. Israel’s military did not immediately confirm the information.

Of some 110 hostages remaining in Gaza who were captured in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, around 40 are believed to be dead, their bodies held in Gaza.

The kibbutz remembered Munder for his “clear voice, warm smile, and boundless love for his family and the kibbutz.”

Militants kidnapped Munder on Oct. 7 when they stormed Nir Oz , dragging some 80 of its residents back to Gaza.

Munder’s wife, daughter, and grandson were also taken hostage, but released during a brief cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. His son was killed on Oct. 7.

In total, militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, across southern Israel and took about 250 hostages back to Gaza. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials.

UN chief calls for ‘constructive dialogue’ as a former Israeli ambassador to the UN returns to the post

UNITED NATIONS – From the early days of the Israel-Hamas war, Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan attacked U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, accusing him of being “an accomplice to terrorism” and calling for his resignation.

Now, Israel has a new ambassador, and the U.N. chief is calling for “a constructive dialogue.”

However, Danny Danon, who served as Israel’s U.N. ambassador from 2015-2020 and presented his credentials to the secretary-general on Monday, made clear he would be following in Erdan’s footsteps when it comes to Israel’s views about the United Nations.

Danon said he's returning to the U.N. at a time of “immense challenges” for Israel and its people, saying 115 Israelis are still being held hostage in Gaza and face “ongoing atrocities and suffering.”

“I am committed to represent my country to show the real face of Israel, and to push back the lies and the hypocrisy that we unfortunately have to deal with here at this building,” he said.

Neither the U.N. Security Council nor the General Assembly have condemned Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people and triggered the war, though Guterres has repeatedly called for a cease-fire and the release of all hostages. He has also criticized the killing of over 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including many women and children, mainly in Israeli airstrikes, as well as Israel's obstruction to humanitarian aid deliveries.

For his part, Guterres said that “for the U.N., it is extremely important to have an objective relationship with Israel.”

“We have different points of view in many aspects in relation to the two-state solution, in relation to what has been happening recently,” Guterres said, “but that doesn’t mean that we should not have a constructive dialogue based on truth.”

Multiple Israeli airstrikes reported in Lebanon

BEIRUT — The Israeli army said it hit “a number of Hezbollah weapons storage facilities” in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley Monday night.

At least three Israeli airstrikes hit towns in the Baalbek district, Lebanese state media reported.

Videos from the scene showed a large fire and multiple explosions following the initial strike.

“Following the strikes, secondary explosions were identified, indicating the presence of large amounts of weapons in the facilities struck,” the Israeli army statement said.

A spokesperson for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the strike.

A similar scene took place last month after an Israeli airstrike on the southern coastal village of Adloun hit an arms depot, setting off a series of explosions that hit nearby villages with shrapnel.

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