President Isaac Herzog said in an interview with Fox News that Israel is not opposed to a diplomatic outcome to the war, but stressed that Israel has legitimate concerns that must be addressed as diplomatic efforts continue.

Speaking about the possibility of a future agreement, Herzog said, “We are certainly not opposed to a diplomatic outcome of the war, but we are raising concerns that are legitimate.” He argued that a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon cannot succeed if Iran continues to wield significant influence and attempts to insert itself into the conflict through the recognized terrorist organization Hezbollah.

“Iran should not be involved in the Lebanon crisis at all,” Herzog said. “The world must stand up to Iran and make clear that it cannot be involved in Lebanon.”

Addressing relations with the United States, Herzog emphasized that Israel and the U.S. maintain a very close relationship built on trust and constant dialogue at every level. He said that while allies may sometimes disagree, raising legitimate concerns is entirely appropriate because Israel remains on the front lines of the conflict.

“We are the ones absorbing missiles from Iran and its proxies,” Herzog said. “We are working together with the United States to ensure that Iran does not obtain nuclear capabilities and does not become a threshold nuclear state.”

Herzog also discussed the future of relations with Lebanon, recalling a recent visit to Israel’s northern border during which he addressed the Lebanese public and leadership in Arabic. He stressed that Israel has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon and no fundamental dispute with the Lebanese people.

“We want peace,” Herzog said. “My dream is to take a car and drive all the way to Beirut.”

At the same time, he argued that Hezbollah continues to stand in the way of peace and regional stability.

“How can peace between Israel and Lebanon be achieved when Hezbollah has hijacked Lebanon?” Herzog asked. He said Hezbollah opposes peace, has repeatedly violated the ceasefire, and remains a terrorist organization armed from head to toe by Iran.

“Someone has to do the job,” Herzog said. “Unfortunately, those are our soldiers.” He added that he does not see anyone else carrying out that task unless a diplomatic solution is reached that makes clear Hezbollah is disarmed and can no longer block the path to peace.

Concluding the interview, Herzog reiterated the importance of continued dialogue with Washington.

“We have a close and good dialogue with the United States,” he said. “We respect President Trump’s efforts and raise legitimate concerns that should be discussed properly.”

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