Israel's President Isaac Herzog Speaks: Iran, Lebanon, and the Election That Could Change Everything

We have a very special episode this week on Being Jewish as Jonah Platt sits down with a true head of state, Isaac Herzog, President of Israel, for a rare, wide-ranging conversation that goes straight into the fire. Is the ceasefire with Lebanon actually going to hold? What does President Herzog really think it will take to remove Hezbollah for good, and what role is Iran playing behind the scenes? He doesn't hold back on any of it. Then the conversation turns inward, to the fights tearing at Israeli society ahead of one of the most heated elections in the country's history: the battle over Haredi military service, the widening rift between Israel's Jewish and democratic identities, and the reckoning still to come over October 7th. President Herzog also gets candid about the rise in global antisemitism, his own report card after five years in office, and what he's hoping Israel looks like by its 80th anniversary. 0:00 - Intro, family history, and what Israel's President actually does 3:47 - The Haredi draft law explained 10:14 - Israel's most heated election in history 14:33 - Uniting Israel and world Jewry after October 7th 24:18 - Inside the Lebanon-Hezbollah ceasefire deal 29:11 - Iran, Trump, and the fight for the Middle East 34:47 - Grading his presidency and hopes for Israel's 80th 40:34 - Lightning round: "Ze or Ze?" Follow President Isaac Herzog: On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/isaacherzog/?hl=en On X - https://x.com/Isaac_Herzog?lang=en If you want to go deeper beyond the podcast, join the Being Jewish Kehillah -- our subscriber community that gives you access to exclusive bonus content, merch discounts, live office hours with Jonah, special community events, and more. Join the Kehillah today at http://beingjewishpodcast.com/join #IsaacHerzog #PresidentOfIsrael #BeingJewishWithJonahPlatt