According to reports from several Hebrew media outlets on Tuesday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has been extended an invitation by U.S. President Joe Biden to visit the White House. This invitation comes as Herzog is scheduled to address Congress during his trip in July.
The official trip will mark Herzog's second visit to the White House within a year, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet been invited to meet with President Biden since winning the Israeli elections in November.
Although an official date has not been finalized, Hebrew media reports suggest that an announcement will be made in the coming days. Herzog's speech to the joint session of Congress is intended to commemorate 75 years since Israel's declaration of independence, despite the country already celebrating its official Independence Day in April.
According to media reports, the invitation to address Congress was offered to President Herzog by former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer during his visit to Washington last October. During that trip, Herzog had meetings with congressional leaders and President Biden.
In contrast, Prime Minister Netanyahu has yet to receive an invitation to visit the White House, even after six months in office. Tensions between Netanyahu and the Biden White House have recently arisen due to the Israeli government's planned judicial reforms.
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