Israeli President Herzog to brief US Congress and visit White House

US President Joe Biden will meet Isaac Herzog on his July 18-19 visit to Washington

US President Joe Biden met Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the White House in Washington last October. EPA

The White House on Thursday announced that President Joe Biden would host Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his visit to Washington on July 18.

“As Israel celebrates its 75th anniversary, the visit will highlight our enduring partnership and friendship,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement previewing the trip.

“President Biden will reaffirm the ironclad commitment of the United States to Israel’s security. The two leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen Israel’s regional integration and to create a more peaceful and prosperous Middle East.”

The White House said that meetings are expected to also focus on Israel's role in the region, Russia's relations with Iran and Tehran's “destabilising behaviour in the region”.

Mr Herzog is also scheduled to address a joint session of Congress.

His trip to the US is largely seen as ceremonial. Mr Biden has said he would not invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House “in the near term”.

The US President is managing aims to keep long-time US-Israeli relations while facing calls by some American leaders to put pressure on Israel over recent violent incidents in the West Bank. Mr Biden has said Israel is “part of the problem”.

The two met in October last year when Mr Herzog visited the White House.