Israel’s President Isaac Herzog delivers a speech during a tribute ceremony at the Halle aux Grains in Toulouse, southern France, on March 20, 2022. Photo: Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS

i24 News — Israeli President Isaac Herzog met on Thursday with a delegation of US lawmakers from the Democratic Party, telling them that, despite ongoing tensions between the US and Israel over the war in Gaza, the alliance between the two countries is “unbreakable.”

In reference to public differences arising lately between Washington and Jerusalem, Herzog said, “The United States of America has no greater friend than Israel, and Israel has no greater friend than the United States of America. This unbreakable bond, this alliance, is as strong as ever and is irreplaceable.”

The US delegation was led by an initiative of AIPAC, the foremost pro-Israel lobby organization in the US.

“We all have to understand that we share the same objectives,” the Israeli president explained. “We share the objective of eradicating terror, of fighting the empire of evil which emanates from Tehran and wants to undermine world law and order, and its adverse directly to the national interest of the United States of America. And of course, as a clear enemy of ours too.”

Herzog added, “We share with the United States of America, and with the President of the United States of America, our dear friend President Joe Biden, the same vision of eradicating terror, of bringing the hostages back home, a vision of moving towards peace with our neighbors — once we finish the ability of our enemies to carry out terror from Gaza against us. And finally, most importantly, we share the vision of inclusion of Israel in the region, in which I believe strongly, including the normalization with Saudi Arabia.”

The Biden administration, under pressure from Democrats to increase pressure on Israel to curtail its war efforts against the Hamas terror group in Gaza, has been at odds in recent weeks over how the Jewish state should conduct military operations in Rafah, which is Hamas’ last stronghold in the Palestinian enclave and where many civilians are sheltering. Israel has said a ground offensive is needed to eliminate the last remaining Hamas battalions; the US has argued that a large-scale military operation would be unnecessary to target Hamas and endanger civilians.

Regardless of such differences, Herzog argued that Biden is a friend of Israel.

“President Biden is a great friend of Israel. When we hosted him less than two years ago here, I could see his love and affection and emotion towards the people of Israel and the State of Israel. The tears in his eyes when he saw so many great moments here. He is a true friend and I respect him a lot for that,” Herzog stressed.

The Israeli president concluded: “And I say to our friends in America, and I say to the Israeli people: this bond is essential, essential to the well-being of our nations, and we should simply focus on upgrading, enhancing, and strengthening this bond. Because, this bond is a unique bond throughout the history of two nations who believe in true humanitarian values. We will work together to alleviate and upgrade the humanitarian aid to Gaza and we will work together endlessly to bring the hostages back home. And we will work endlessly to fight terror, stand up to the empire of evil, and lead the world and the region to a better future.”