In his first official visit to the U.S. last week, President Issac Herzog sat down with CNN to discuss antisemitism and the conflict in Ukraine, where he said that "history teaches us that xenophobia starts with Jew hatred."
In an interview with Wolf Blitzer, Herzog expressed concern over the uptick in antisemitic sentiments in the United States, and the recent comments made by rapper Kanye West.
Herzog told Blitzer that he praised the “overwhelming reaction” to West’s inflammatory comments.
The president said there are multiple factors that can ignite a new wave of widespread antismitism.
“We also assume that whenever you have an energy or other economic crises, the first ones to be blamed for them throughout history, were the Jews," Herzog said. "The lessons are clear. We raise our voices loud and clear,” he said.
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Pictures of the Goyim Defense League banners supporting Kanye West's comments about Jews
(Photo: Twitter)
The president also touched on the subject of the war in Ukraine. When asked about Israel’s refusal to supply of weapons and air defense systems to the war-ravaged country, Herzog was adamant that Israel has been “enormously supportive of the Ukrainian people in a variety of fields.”
He said that Hebrew is currently the most spoken language on the ground in Ukraine, thanks to volunteers of civil society.
The president added that Israel has offered an early warning detection system for missiles and drones to the Ukrainian government.
Herzog showed no hesitation in shifting the blame over drone attacks in Ukraine on Iran, saying that Tehran's denial that it had been supplying attack drones to Russia is a “blatant lie” - designed to undermine Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Herzog said that it was no surprise that Iran is behaving in such a manner, after they were observed killing their own civilians who have come out to demonstrate against the regime, and as they further their long-standing plans to obtain a nuclear w.
Herzog also claimed the Iranian regime had sent assassins to Turkey, specifically to target Israelis. “What else does the world need to understand that Iran is a dangerous country?”