President Isaac Herzog told the JNS Policy Summit on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump is a reliable partner for Israel, and that the conflict between Israel and Lebanon must be resolved through direct negotiations between the two countries, not through Iranian extortion.
President Isaac Herzog delivered a clear diplomatic statement at the JNS Policy Summit on Monday morning (June 22), affirming that U.S. President Donald Trump is a reliable partner for Israel. Herzog specifically addressed the ongoing conflict on Israel's northern front, stating that the dispute with Lebanon must be resolved through direct bilateral negotiations, not through what he termed "Iranian extortion."
Herzog's remarks come amid a broader diplomatic push involving Washington and Jerusalem over the situation in Lebanon. As The Zioneer has previously reported, the administration of President Trump has publicly differed with Israeli positions on the northern front — with Trump having described Netanyahu as a "good guy" who "gets too excited" over Lebanon, and acknowledged a "small disagreement" between the two leaders on the matter. Herzog's statement reframes the relationship positively at a time of ongoing debate over whether the U.S.-Iran deal framework extends to Lebanon.
Herzog's characterization of negotiations with Lebanon as a "bilateral" matter appears to align with recent statements from Israeli cabinet members who argue that Lebanon is a separate red line from Iran and should not be dictated by an American-Iranian arrangement. The president's formulation — "not through Iranian extortion" — directly counters Iran's claim, reported earlier this month, that a ceasefire framework with the U.S. also applies to Lebanon.
Herzog's statement is an on-record position from the Israeli presidency but is not a formal government policy declaration.
2 developments
- StrongPresident Herzog tells Fox News: 'How can you talk peace when Hezbollah hijacked Lebanon?'
- DevelopingHerzog says in Arabic: if you make peace and dismantle Hezbollah, I may consider pardoning Netanyahu
- StrongTrump says he hopes the Lebanon situation can be resolved, acknowledges Hezbollah
- DevelopingRubio, Lebanese President Aoun discuss Hezbollah disarmament and ceasefire with Israel
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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