Since the early days of Israel’s system of government, which has included the office of an honorary president, the person filling this role has served as the official explainer of Israeli policy to the world. But the more that Israel has become contrarian toward the liberal-democratic world, particularly during Benjamin Netanyahu’s terms as prime minister, the figure of the president has become the liberal “good” cop opposite the government, which has become the anti-liberal “bad” cop.
The practice reached its peak during President Reuven Rivlin’s tenure thanks to the special personal animosity that developed between him and Netanyahu. That authentic animosity, which was not concealed, enabled Rivlin to position himself as the “better” cop vis-à-vis foreign governments that viewed him as a more moderate, responsible and liberal address for Israeli policy discussions on topics that disturbed them.
There have been differences with respect to ideology and values between Netanyahu and Rivlin and Netanyahu and the current president, Isaac Herzog. But they’re mainly differences due to personality, image and conduct. In practice, at the level of policy itself, the president and prime minister have always and will always promote the same basic policy, the general outlines of which are coordinated by their political advisers, who are responsible for the messaging. In the process, the seeming disparities between the “good cop” president and “bad cop” prime minister enable Israel to juggle issues before the world and through differences in style, sell the world the same policy.
As a result, Herzog’s expected trip to Washington shouldn’t be viewed as some kind of American jab or domestic Israeli humiliation in the absence of a similar invitation for Netanyahu to come to Washington. In practice, Herzog would be expected to play the role of Netanyahu’s envoy on the trip to the United States – a faithful policy ambassador of the current government, in the guise of the good cop whose message will go down better with the Democrats.
By the same token, the president’s brother, Michael Herzog, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, decided to stay on the job even though he was appointed by the previous government – convincing himself that it’s important for him to be there now and represent the current horror of a government. Granted that here and there, Michael Herzog is liable to inject less nationalistic messaging on the subject of the Palestinians and to express his own positions in private conversations. But Netanyahu has also been clearly condemning illegal West Bank outposts and settler violence while at the same time enabling it.
At the end of the day, the president’s presence will soften the government’s positions for the Americans – and not only on the subject of Iran, over which there are no gaps in the messaging – but also with regard to the domestic developments in Israel. Isaac Herzog will again explain that despite the disagreements, Israel is still a wonderful liberal democratic country. He will also say how much he and the government itself have been seeking to achieve a compromise and unity regarding the government’s planned judicial overhaul. He will paint over all the awful things with the right moderate language. It will be the perfect “washing” trip to Washington.
And if Isaac Herzog speaks to the U.S. Congress, as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has announced, the speech will in no way be perceived as in opposition to the Biden administration, as Netanyahu’s speech to Congress in 2015 was toward the Obama administration. The framing of Herzog’s speech, marking the 75th anniversary of Israel’s founding, already speaks to the nonpartisanship in which it will be couched, avoiding any hint of a desire to undermine the administration.
That’s despite the fact that deeper down, between the words, Isaac Herzog will advance the same longstanding Israeli policy toward an agreement with Iran. He is Netanyahu’s ideal good cop.