During a recent address to a joint session of Congress, Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed the escalating criticism of Israel, particularly from progressive Democrats in the House of Representatives. While refraining from naming specific individuals, Herzog's remarks clearly alluded to recent pronouncements that have questioned Israel's legitimacy and characterized its policies as discriminatory.

Herzog acknowledged the importance of discourse and debate, especially among allies, stating, "I respect criticism, especially from friends, although one does not always have to accept it." However, he drew a firm line against rhetoric that negates Israel's right to exist, emphasizing that such pronouncements cross the boundary into antisemitism.

Herzog explicitly condemned the labeling of Israel as an apartheid state and the questioning of the Jewish people's right to self-determination as antisemitic. He praised President Biden's efforts in establishing the first National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism, underscoring the global nature of this issue.

The Israeli President's comments come in the wake of controversial statements from several House members. Rep. Pramila Jayapal recently retracted her description of Israel as a "racist state" after facing widespread backlash. Similarly, Rep. Rashida Tlaib's characterization of Israel as an "apartheid state" born from violence and ethnic cleansing drew strong criticism.

Following Jayapal's remarks, the House passed a resolution affirming that Israel is not a racist or apartheid state. Nine Democrats voted against this resolution, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Summer Lee, Ayanna Pressley, Cori Bush, Andre Carson, and Delia Ramirez. Rep. Betty McCollum voted "present."