Biden hosts Israeli President Herzog at White House

US President Joe Biden met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in the Oval Office on Tuesday, marking the fourth time these two leaders have met since Biden was elected. 

Biden reiterated that the US "commitment to Israel is ironclad" and that "first and foremost, we have to get the hostages back home" from Gaza. 

Herzog referred to the "sad news of the day", as he said that "two Israelis were murdered by rocket attacks from Lebanon in the northern town of Nahariya, a beautiful seashore town in the northern part of Israel."

“This is what we’re going through from Lebanon, Mr. President, and you know it all too well," Herzog continued. "We're fighting hard, we’re protecting our people….and I know that you're working very hard to make sure that this war will end and that will there will be, first and foremost security for the people, of Israel, as well as for the people in Lebanon.”

Herzog added: “It all starts in Tehran. It all starts in the empire of evil.”

Biden, as he has several times before, said one does not need to be a Jew to be a Zionist, to which Herzog responded: “I know you are, clearly a Zionist, Mr. President.”

Isaac Herzog is the brother of Michael Herzog, who has been serving as Israel’s Ambassador to the United States since November 2021.