Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned Iran's nuclear program during a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, saying the country 'does not strive to attain nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.'
The divide was reflected in the audience of House and Senate members Wednesday. While lawmakers in attendance repeatedly rose to their feet in thundering applause of Herzog's recounting of Israel's founding, a handful of leading young progressive Democrats boycotted his speech.
"But criticism of Israel must not cross the line into negation of the state of Israel's right to exist. Questioning the Jewish people's right to self-determination, is not legitimate diplomacy, it is antisemitism." "I do not believe the idea of Israel as a nation is racist," Jayapal said in a statement."I do, however, believe that Netanyahu's extreme right-wing government has engaged in discriminatory and outright racist policies and that there are extreme racists driving that policy within the leadership of the current government."
After the speech to Congress, Herzog was to return to the White House on Wednesday to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris. Her office said the leaders will announce that both governments intend to spend $70 million over five years to support climate-smart agriculture programs.with President Biden on Tuesday, Herzog sought to assure Mr. Biden that Israel remains committed to democracy amid deepening U.S. concerns over Netanyahu's plans to overhaul his country's judicial system.
Herzog's visit comes weeks after Israeli forces carried out one of their most intensive operations in the occupied West Bank in two decades, with ain Jenin, a militant stronghold. Senior members of Netanyahu's government have been pushing for increased construction and other measures to cement Israel's control over the occupied West Bank in response to a more than yearlong wave of violence with the Palestinians.
The Biden administration declined to say whether Mr. Biden would host Netanyahu at the White House — as the Israeli leader has hoped — or in New York on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly in September.
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