Posted on 01/21/25
During his visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Isaac Herzog participated in a keynote discussion, interviewed by journalist Fareed Zakaria.
*Key excerpts from the President’s remarks:*
On the Iranian threat: “The source of evil that emanates and covers us all starts with terror, especially with Iranian instigated terror. This is the strategic issue above everything. Each proxy you deal with: the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, in Iraq and so forth and so on. It is all supported, financed, organized, commanded, control, trained by Iran. This empire of evil in Tehran is still spending billions, and I have news for you and the entire universe. They are working day in, day out, even now, rather than soul-searching, looking in the mirror, seeing how they failed, and how much damage and havoc and sorrow they created with their barbaric attacks, with their proxies, they are continuing, endlessly - rushing towards the bomb and, of course, planning all the time terror attacks world over and in our region, predominantly the regime and its and its organizations, the IRGC as the main focus. And I'm warning the world not to fall into kind of an aura of optimism, but rather be lucid about it. Yes, there is an opportunity, a huge opportunity, to change the course of the Middle East for the better, but there is also huge risk, so long as this regime in Iran stays put and continues its efforts - it can stop its efforts, but it still continues.”
On the hostage deal:*
"Now we've had the opportunity to reach a hostage deal, which was very difficult to reach this agreement. It is very painful, very difficult.
“Israel is a democracy, you want to know something, I truly understand those who have reservations and fears, because we are going to release terrible terrorists. This is the whole equation. We are asking to release women and children, and for that, we are paying with terrorists, cruel, barbaric terrorists. But we all agree that this has to be done. We want them home. It's top priority of the nation of Israel.”
On normalization with Saudi Arabia:
“Saudi Arabia is a very important country in the region, and is, of course, the basin for Islam, and I believe that this must be moved forward. I say it openly. I supported it, and I still support it. There is an opportunity now to move forward regarding the conditions, I think these things need to be discussed in closed rooms. I assume the Oval Office will be involved. I think that everybody realizes that this is a step that should radiate to the entire universe. Israel is here in this region forever, and that's why we should aim for it, apart also from the fact that Saudi Arabia itself is a key to regional stability.“
On Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi: “In the last hour, the Chief of Staff, General Halevi, submitted a letter announcing that he will be retiring in March, and I made a statement commending him. He's an outstanding hero of Israel who took responsibility, both originally and in his letter, for the failure of the IDF to block and prevent the horrific attack of October 7th. This, of course, does not derogate from the real responsibility which lies on Hamas, of course. And I also made a statement that there is a national need to inquire in depth.
“It’s an incredible nation we have, and I'm very, very proud, but there's an agony, and many of these families say to us, "we want to submit our position". And that is why I repeated my call for a national inquiry commission.
“We are a democracy. Everything is debated out in the open. We are a very vibrant, successful democracy, with all its challenges and problems. It is impressive to see how the debate goes on in hundreds of websites, in demonstrations, in the streets, in public debates and so forth and so on, and TV channels and in the parliament, and I'm sure that will be at the end, discussed and deliberated when an election comes.”