以色列总统艾萨克·赫尔佐格奥巴马星期三上午在国会联席会议上发表讲话，强调了美国和以色列关系的基础，此外还谈到了以色列和一些国会议员之间紧张关系中的反犹太主义问题。
赫尔佐格在进入众议院会议厅时受到了起立鼓掌——这是罕见的两党合作表现，尽管一些民主党人表达了对国家领导层的批评——并开始回忆1987年他的父亲，时任总统哈伊姆·赫尔佐格在国会发表演讲。
赫尔佐格说:“那一刻，我了解到他为以色列国付出的生命，讲述了美国人民和以色列人民之间建立的纽带的核心，我们建立的国家如何克服损失，我们的故事如何相互补充，以及我们一起走过了多远。”。
赫尔佐格在讲话中说，以色列和美国面临的最大挑战是伊朗核项目。
“请不要怀疑:伊朗并不努力为和平目的获取核能。伊朗正在建设核能力，这对中东和其他地区的稳定构成威胁。每一个被伊朗控制或渗透的国家或地区都经历了巨大的灾难。
赫尔佐格说，防止伊朗获得核武器是以色列的首要任务。
“允许伊朗成为核门槛国家——无论是通过疏忽还是通过外交手段——都是不可接受的。世界不能对伊朗政权号召将以色列从地图上抹去无动于衷，”他补充道。
赫尔佐格说，以色列已经与巴勒斯坦邻国“朝着和平迈出了大胆的步伐”，但“真正的和平不能建立在暴力的基础上”
他对强有力的美以关系持乐观态度，“是时候设计我们不断发展的友谊和不断增长的伙伴关系的下一阶段了。”
“当美国强大时，以色列也更强大。当以色列强大时，美国就更加安全。
赫尔佐格说，在世界任何地方攻击犹太人都是反犹太主义，他强调了乔·拜登总统的观点打击反犹太主义的国家战略。报道的反犹太事件达到2022年创历史新高据反诽谤联盟称。
以色列总统还提到了一些民主党人最近的言论，包括贾亚帕尔、奥卡西奥-科尔特斯和其他人，批评以色列总理内塔尼亚胡对约旦河西岸定居点的态度。
“我没有忘记朋友们的批评，包括一些由本议院受人尊敬的成员提出的批评。我尊重批评，尤其是来自朋友的批评，尽管一个人并不总是必须接受，”他说，引得旁听席上一片笑声。
“但是对以色列的批评不能越过底线，否定以色列国的生存权。质疑犹太人的自决权不是合法的外交，而是反犹太主义，”他补充道。
几位众议院的进步人士没有出席会议，其中包括众议员普拉米拉·贾亚帕尔，她收回了她最初的评论，即以色列是一个“种族主义国家”——这些言论导致了一场抗议压倒性的两党投票申明以色列不是一个种族主义或种族隔离国家，并谴责反犹太主义。贾亚帕尔投票赞成该决议。她的办公室向美国广播公司证实，她“由于日程冲突”跳过了周三的演讲
众议员亚历山大·奥卡西奥·科尔特斯、拉希达·特拉伊布、贾马尔·鲍曼、伊尔汉·奥马尔和柯里·布什都是周二投票反对该决议的九名众议院进步人士之一，他们跳过了赫尔佐格的讲话。支持该决议的众议员劳尔·格里哈尔瓦和尼迪亚·贝拉斯克斯也没有出席。
众议院共和党人谴责议员们跳过演讲的决定。
“事实上，一些众议院民主党人抵制今天的讲话是荒谬的，”众议院多数党党鞭汤姆·埃默说。“10名众议院民主党人拒绝同意以色列不是一个种族主义国家的事实是完全不可原谅的。”
共和党成员称赞会议主席埃莉斯·斯特凡尼克(Elise Stefanik)羞辱民主党人“传播有害和可耻的反犹太言论”，众议院外交事务委员会主席迈克尔·麦考尔(Michael McCaul)谈到了他父亲在二战期间的经历，然后称民主党的表现“可耻”。
赫尔佐格还提到了对以色列司法改革的抗议——这是众议院进步人士跳过演讲的一个关键症结——他说，“在过去的几个月里，以色列人民进行了一场激烈而痛苦的辩论，这不是什么秘密。”
他补充说，这是一场“激烈的辩论”，是“对以色列民主坚韧不拔的最明确的赞颂”。
赫尔佐格在演讲结束时说“我是以色列人”，意思是“犹太民族活着”
“上帝保佑以色列国，上帝保佑美利坚合众国，”他说，得到了众议院长时间的起立鼓掌和欢呼。
Israeli president highlights US-Israeli relationship, addresses antisemitism in speech to Congress
Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed a joint meeting of Congress Wednesday morning, highlighting the foundations of the U.S.-Israel relationship in addition to addressing antisemitism amid tensions between Israel and some members of Congress.
Herzog received a standing ovation when entering the House chamber -- a rare bipartisan display despite some Democrats expressing criticism of the nation's leadership -- and started his address reminiscing about 1987, when his father, then-President Chaim Herzog, spoke before Congress.
"That moment, in which I learned of the life he gave for the State of Israel, spoke to the very core of the bond forged between the people of the United States and the people of Israel, how the nations we built overcame loss, how deeply our stories complement each other, [and] how far we have all come, together," Herzog said.
During his address, Herzog said the greatest challenge Israel and the United States face is the Iranian nuclear program.
"Let there be no doubt: Iran does not strive to attain nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Iran is building nuclear capabilities that pose a threat to the stability of the Middle East and beyond. Every country or region controlled or infiltrated by Iran has experienced utter havoc," he said.
Preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is a key priority of Israel, Herzog said.
"Allowing Iran to become a nuclear threshold state -- whether by omission or by diplomatic commission -- is unacceptable. The world cannot remain indifferent to the Iranian regime's call to wipe Israel off the map," he added.
Herzog said Israel has "taken bold steps toward peace" with its Palestinian neighbors but "true peace cannot be anchored in violence."
He's optimistic about a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and "it is time to design the next stage of our evolving friendship and our growing partnership together."
"When the United States is strong, Israel is stronger. And when Israel is strong, the United States is more secure," he said.
Attacking Jewish people anywhere in the world is antisemitism, Herzog said, highlighting President Joe Biden's National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. Reported antisemitic incidents reached all-time high in 2022, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
The Israeli president also alluded to recent remarks by some Democrats, including Jayapal, Ocasio-Cortez, and others, criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for his approach toward West Bank settlements.
"I am not oblivious to criticism among friends, including some expressed by respected members of this House. I respect criticism, especially from friends, although one does not always have to accept it," he said, drawing laughs from the gallery.
"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," he added.
Several House progressives were absent from the chamber, including Rep. Pramila Jayapal who walked back her initial comments that Israel is a "racist state" -- remarks that resulted in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote affirming Israel is not a racist or apartheid state and condemning antisemitism. Jayapal voted for the resolution. Her office confirmed to ABC that she skipped the Wednesday address "due to scheduling conflicts."
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Jamaal Bowman, Ilhan Omar, and Cori Bush, all of whom were among the nine House progressives who voted against the resolution on Tuesday, skipped Herzog's address. Reps. Raul Grijalva and Nydia Velazquez, who supported the resolution, also did not attend.
House Republicans condemned the members' decision to skip the address.
"The fact that a number of House Democrats boycotted today's address is ridiculous," House Majority Whip Tom Emmer said. "And the fact that 10 House Democrats refused to agree that Israel is not a racist state is completely inexcusable."
GOP members applauded Conference Chair Elise Stefanik as she shamed Democrats for "disseminat[ing] harmful and shameful antisemitic rhetoric," and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul spoke about his father's time in WWII before calling Democrats' showing "disgraceful."
Herzog also referenced protests over judicial reform in Israel -- a key sticking point for the House progressives who skipped the address -- saying it's "no secret that over the past few months, the Israeli people have engaged in a heated and painful debate."
It's an "intense debate" and is the "clearest tribute to the fortitude of Israel's democracy," he added.
Herzog closed his speech saying "Am Yisrael Chai," which means "The Jewish nation lives."
"God Bless the State of Israel and God Bless the United States of America," he said, receiving a big standing ovation and cheers in the House chamber.
