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Transcript: Michael Herzog, Israeli ambassador to the U.S., on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Aug. 25, 2024
The following is a transcript of an interview with Michael Herzog, Israeli ambassador to the U.S., on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Aug. 25, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’re joined by the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog. Ambassador, good to have you here.
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL HERZOG: Good morning, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So we just heard about the casualties. Tell me, was this friendly fire? Did Hezbollah, as they claim, actually cause some Israeli casualties?
AMB. HERZOG: So what happened yesterday is that we identify concrete planning and preparation by Hezbollah to launch a massive missile and drone attack into Israel, and we carried the real time operation in order to degrade those capabilities that were about to be launched at Israel. We were successful. Nevertheless, they launched several hundred rockets into Israel, and also drones that were aimed at central Israel, and we intercepted all of them. One of our soldiers was killed by the debris of Israeli interceptors.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you assess at this point that we are escalating towards a regional war, or that we are taking a step back? Is there risk of escalation?
AMB. HERZOG: I believe that the success of our operation yesterday prevented an escalation to a major war. The threat is still there. We still need a settlement with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. They followed Hamas by launching a war with Israel on October 8, and they have been firing thousands of rockets into Israel since then. We give a chance to diplomacy, and we hope it works, but if not, we have nearly 70,000 people in Israel, northern Israel, away from their homes, refugees in their own country, and we have to make sure they can go back safely to their homes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And- and many in southern Lebanon, also unable to return to their homes. It’s being reported that Israel and Hezbollah have been trading messages back and forth not to escalate. I know that the Qatari Prime Minister is headed to Iran tomorrow with a message not to escalate. Do you believe that you can avoid a direct attack by Iran on Israel?
AMB. HERZOG: I believe so. I think the Iranians are contemplating an attack on Israel, but decided for now to put it on hold. And I think the main reason for that was, deter messages from Israel and the U.S., and a very strong U.S. posture in the region, which tells you that you can deter them.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There are 40,000 U.S. troops now in the region. What is it that you think General C.Q. Brown will do when he arrives in Israel later today? Is this further planning for potential attacks?
AMB. HERZOG: Well, as I said, we do not seek war, and we don’t believe that they seek war. However, there is room for miscalculation, and I think part of his regional visit is to make sure that everything is under control. Again, the U.S. posture in the region is very strong, I think played a role in deterring Iran.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In Cairo, you mentioned the diplomacy that is underway, the CIA director, Bill Burns, is there, Brett McGurk, one of the president’s top advisors as well. Hamas has sent a political delegation to Cairo. Now we know it is Yahya Sinwar who is the ultimate decider here, but do you see that there is momentum in these talks? Is a breakthrough that brings home the hostages possible?
AMB. HERZOG: We certainly hope so. As we speak, we have an Israeli delegation in Cairo, along with all the mediators and Hamas representative, and we hope to make progress. As Secretary Blinken said a few days ago, the U.S. put forward a bridging proposal, which was accepted by Israel, and now it’s up to Hamas to say if they accept it or not. So they did send their representative. We- we still not 100% sure that they are in the game. We certainly hope so, and if that is the case, we can make progress towards a deal.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The Secretary of State did say the bridging proposal was accepted, but then your prime minister has said things publicly that seem to contradict that in terms of the specifics, particularly among that Philadelphi Corridor. What is reality?
AMB. HERZOG: The reality is that we are not obliged to leave the Philadelphi Corridor at this phase. We are reducing our forces there. We had constructive talks in Egypt a few days ago, we are well coordinated with the U.S. administration. We’re waiting for Hamas to see if they are in the game.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When you say in this phase, are you being specific in saying that’s not part of phase one of this multi-phase diplomatic deal the U.S. is trying to broker?
AMB. HERZOG: The deal is multi-phase, as you said, but we are now focusing on phase one. And phase one, we hope to get as many live hostages out as possible. It comes with a pause in our military operation for at least 42 days. And in that period, we hope that, again, we can release as- get out as many live hostages as possible. Every day that passes endangers their lives.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ambassador Herzog, thank you.
AMB. HERZOG: Thank you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I know it’s been a long night, so I appreciate you being live with us this morning.
AMB. HERZOG: Thank you.
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Paul Whelan, freed in prisoner swap with Russia, tells other American detainees: “We’re coming for you”
Washington — Nearly seven weeks after the Russians handed over Paul Whelan on a tarmac in Ankara, Turkey, the Marine veteran stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with a message for other Americans who are held abroad.
“We’re coming for you,” he told reporters Tuesday night after he met with lawmakers. “It might take time, but we’re coming.”
Whelan said he spoke with lawmakers about how the government can better support detainees after they’re released.
“We spoke about how the next person’s experience could be better,” he said. “What the government could do for the next person that’s held hostage and comes home — the care and support that other people might need, especially people that are in a worse situation. There are people coming back that lived in the dirt without shoes for three years, people that were locked up in hideous conditions for 20 years. They need support.”
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The U.S. secured Whelan’s release in August in one of the largest prisoner swaps since the end of the Cold War. The complex deal came after months of sensitive negotiations between the U.S., Russia, Germany, Slovenia, Poland and Norway.
As part of the deal, Russia released 16 prisoners while the Western countries released eight Russians. Whelan was released alongside Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva and Vladimir Kara-Murza, a U.S. green card holder and Kremlin critic.
Whelan, who had been the longest-held American detainee in Russia, was arrested in December 2018 when he traveled to the country to attend a friend’s wedding. He was convicted of espionage in a secret trial and sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020.
Whelan, his family and the U.S. government vehemently denied that he was a spy and accused Russia of using him as a political pawn. The U.S. government considered him to be wrongfully detained, a rare designation that put more government resources toward securing his release.
But a deal to secure his freedom was long elusive. He remained behind bars as Russia freed Marine veteran Trevor Reed and women’s basketball star Brittney Griner — both of whom were detained after Whelan’s arrest — in prisoner swaps with the U.S.
The U.S. said it pushed for his inclusion in both exchanges, but Russia refused. It led to Whelan advocating for his own release from a remote prison camp, calling government officials and journalists to make sure that he wasn’t forgotten.
When the plane carrying Whelan, Gershkovish and Kurmasheva landed in Maryland on Aug. 1, Whelan was the first to disembark. He was greeted by President Biden, who gave Whelan his American flag pin, and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Whether he likes it or not, he changed the world,” Rep. Haley Stevens, a Michigan Democrat, told reporters Tuesday.
Whelan’s case and his family’s constant pressure on the U.S. government brought more attention to the cases of Americans who are wrongfully detained by foreign governments.
Haley said Whelan is a reminder to other Americans considering traveling to Russia that “you have a target on your back.”
Whelan said it’s been an adjustment acclimating to life back in the U.S., especially learning the latest technology like his iPhone 15.
“I was in a really remote part of Russia,” he said. “We really didn’t have much. The conditions were poor. The Russians said the poor conditions were part of the punishment. And coming back to see this sort of thing now is a bit of a shock, but it’s a good shock.”