The following is a transcript of an interview with Isaac Herzog, the president of Israel, on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on September 22, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: This is Chris Livesay from Tel Aviv, now the President of Israel. Isaac Herzog, Welcome to “Face The Nation.”
THE PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL ISAAC HERZOG: Thank you, Margaret, good morning,
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. President, in the past few days, Israel conducted a groundbreaking operation against thousands of Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon. The US was only notified 20 minutes in advance. Since then, Israel has also carried out an attack in Beirut that killed a senior Hezbollah commander. What is this strategy here, and is Israel trying to fight Hezbollah?
PRESIDENT HERZOG: Absolutely not. We don’t want this war. We do not seek war. The war was fought by the proxies of the Iranian empire, on October 7 by Hamas, and on October 8 by Hezbollah. And since then, from Lebanon in the north, and, of course, from Hamas in the south and throughout the Middle East, Iran’s proxies are now attacking and attacking. Hezbollah has been attacking us every day, destroying Israeli villages and towns, driving 100,000 Israelis from their homes. Life has been shattered on our northern border. I don’t think any American would accept this as the status quo in the United States. And in the end, there are things to do. The duty of the government or the state is to take care of its citizens and bring them home.
MARGARET BRENNAN: but on the issue of what’s going on in the north of Israel right now, the White House is saying that war in Lebanon is not the way to bring those 100,000 Israelis back to their homes. They want a diplomatic agreement on the blue line. Do you think the current Israeli government wants a diplomatic agreement?
PRESIDENT HERZOG: We never said we didn’t want a diplomatic agreement. On the contrary, there is a very capable American envoy, Amos Hochstein, the President’s adviser, who tries to go back and forth between us and Lebanon. We support and welcome the efforts of the United States and its administration. indeed. We appreciate it tremendously. But in the end, okay, Mr. Hochstein left Israel, and they continued to fire and fire, and they could not continue, because our citizens had to go home, because people in Lebanon, Mr. Nasrallah, thought of him. he wants to connect to Gaza. And in Gaza there is another arch terrorist, Mr. Sinwar in prison, who doesn’t want to deal, doesn’t want to deal. This is jihadism at its best, and this is what we are fighting for. And I want, really, and I say it as the official President of Israel, and I say it directly, because I know we don’t want war, but if it is waged to us, we go all.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, you said you don’t want war, Mr. President, Israel moved the 98th division into northern Israel this week. Your defense minister says the center of gravity is shifting to Lebanon. What is the purpose of these military movements, if not to prepare for war?
PRESIDENT HERZOG: Because these are the men we eradicated there, they gathered in an apartment in Beirut for another plan on October 7. He developed this school of thought, rallying to Israel, trying to take hostages, about butchering-
(CROSSTALK)
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Do you have proof?
PRES. ISAAC HERZOG: – rape, burning, kidnapping
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you have any evidence that there was an attack?
PRES. ISAAC HERZOG: We have enough risk here to take care of—Excuse me?
PRES. ISAAC HERZOG: So I can’t go to all the information myself, but it is assumed that they are planning an attack. You see today. This morning, they attacked cities, towns and villages all over Israel in northern Israel. Hit with huge bombs and missiles in the north of Israel. Why is there a nation willing to accept it? Why is there a nation that deserves to receive it? We have been in such a state of vicious cycle for almost a year. We want to get out of this vicious cycle.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Last week, the AP released images of Israeli soldiers pushing Palestinian bodies from the roof of a building in the West Bank. The White House said it wanted to investigate, saying it was “disgusting and egregious” behavior. How do you respond to these concerns from one of your closest allies that could increase the risk of escalation?
PRES. ISAAC HERZOG: So, of course, listen to your closest allies openly and frankly. This is if- if it happens as reported, and investigated, because we are a country of laws. We will, of course, take all the necessary actions. We will punish, and use all – you know, legal measures that should be taken, but we learn because we are a serious army and serious people, and we study and investigate ourselves as we are. can.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Before we let you go, do you think that President Biden’s attempt to negotiate a hostage deal is just wishful thinking? Will this be a problem for the next American president?
PRES. ISAAC HERZOG: So actually, I would say that I appreciate President Biden’s efforts, and we wholeheartedly support them. But as the spokesman for the National Security Council, General Kirby, said just the other day, we are not getting any positive signs from Hamas. From Sinwar, he was out there in the dungeons taking, you know, I mean- whatever we think in our line of thought as free, love, nation and nation. He thought otherwise. But I will say that the call to the family of the nation in the current crisis, which is very hot, may be an opportunity to move forward and change the situation by finding the right path and bringing the hostages back home.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. President, thank you for your time this morning.
PRES. ISAAC HERZOG: Thank you very much.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll be back.
