The next is the transcript of an interview with Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on July 12, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re joined now by Israel’s ambassador to the USA, Dr. Michael Leiter. Good to have you ever again right here.
ISRAELI AMBASSADOR MICHAEL LEITER: Good morning. Your Prime Minister this morning has been honoring Senator Lindsey Graham. I do know he was a fierce advocate for Israel, and he additionally was actually pushing for normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Simply three weeks in the past, on this program, he made that pitch. I ponder for those who assume there’s a technique to keep it up his legacy by way of persevering with that type of diplomatic work.
AMB. LEITER: Completely, Lindsey was a pricey buddy. My first day in Washington, January 27 2025, the primary cellphone name I acquired as soon as I landed on my seat within the embassy was from Lindsey Graham. He stated, “can we now have dinner tonight?” And we have been speaking about normalization within the Center East for the previous 12 months and a half. And he was not solely a fierce advocate of defeating this Iranian regime, he was additionally a fierce advocate of what would occur afterwards. And he noticed, he had a imaginative and prescient for peace within the Center East. And completely, we now have to work towards that finish, however it actually goes to occur if his first a part of that imaginative and prescient is fulfilled, and that is that Iran is now not a regional hegemon menacing its neighbors.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, three weeks in the past, Lindsey Graham stated on this program, 2026. That was his vow that normalization would occur. So we’ll must observe that.
AMB. LEITER: We nonetheless have a while.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We nonetheless have a while. Let me ask you concerning the different important growth in a single day with Iran. The try and revive this truce between the USA and Iran clearly has simply collapsed. This was simply an try and have a pause to reopen the- the Strait of Hormuz. Frankly, it was fairly restricted in scope. However then the IRGC fired on a industrial vessel. The USA has resumed bombing. For the second, Iran has not fired on Israel. Israel has not fired on Iran. Does Israel intend to remain on the sidelines? How can we see this battle at this level?
AMB. LEITER: President Trump has been constant, I believe, all through this confrontation. If talks will work, if diplomacy can work, then he is in favor of the diplomatic route. However when it does not work, it’s important to return to navy and kinetic exercise. When the USA signed the MOU with Iran just some weeks in the past, there was one merchandise, only one factor, that the Iranians needed to fulfill, and that was conserving the straits open. And that they’ve fully ignored. In order that they compelled the U.S. to return into kinetic exercise. We’re a companion, we’re an ally. If the USA calls on us to rejoin kinetic exercise in opposition to Iran, we’ll be there for the USA.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However for the time being, the U.S. is asking you to attend.
AMB. LEITER: I- I did not say that. I stated the USA has not requested us to affix the trouble. But when that request will are available in, we’ll be there.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, that MOU, when it was signed by the president in Versailles after which by the vice chairman, your authorities was against this. You made no mistake that Prime Minister Netanyahu noticed massive flaws on this deal. While you noticed what occurred, was there a second of “I advised you so” right here?
AMB. LEITER: No, that is not the character of our relationship. We categorical our opinion. We noticed flaws, however we additionally expressed hope that it could work. If, on the finish of the day, 60 days after the MOU, we have got a denuclearized Iran, we have got Iran not producing ballistic missiles–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –That’s the most aggressive timeline in history–
AMB. LEITER: –And never supporting their proxies. Nicely, if it could be 90 days or 120 days, if we now have Iran that is denuclearized, not constructing ballistic missiles, not supporting proxies across the area, simply not being a menacing, mayhem-spreading regime, then we can have achieved it with out kinetic exercise. We’ve doubts about the potential for that really working, however all we do is categorical our opinion.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, very clear concerning the very first few strains of the MOU that talked about Lebanon, and that is the place I need to go subsequent, as a result of the U.S. has been making an attempt to dealer these talks between the Israeli authorities and the Lebanese authorities to primarily work collectively in opposition to Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. Underneath the framework that was reached final month, Israel pledged to withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon. Do you continue to intend to do this? What does that timeline seem like?
AMB. LEITER: Nicely, I am truly main the negotiations on Israel’s behalf with Lebanon, so I do know a factor or two concerning the trilateral settlement. And what the settlement with Lebanon does is totally take away Iran from the paradigm. Iran is to not be concerned in Lebanon. They don’t have any enterprise in Lebanon. Hezbollah has no enterprise in Lebanon. As a matter of truth, Israel and Lebanon are on the identical web page. We wish Hezbollah out for our safety and for his or her sovereignty. We are able to withdraw the second that Hezbollah is dismantled. If Hezbollah just isn’t dismantled, then we now have to remain in our safety zone as a result of we’re not going to return to a state of affairs the place our residents are going to be threatened by an Iranian proxy firing missiles and constructing tunnels to allow them to assault, like Hamas did October 7.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, that is completely different from what the U.S. State Division has lined up right here, which is particularly two pilot zones that Israel is meant to withdraw from, and CENTCOM would oversee. Is that–
AMB. LEITER: –They’re pilot zones.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When does that occur? [inaud] withdrawal.
AMB. LEITER: Nicely, we’re getting ready it proper now, however the entire concept of the pilot has stated the pilot zone–
MARGARET BRENNAN: As a result of Lebanon has stated that is delayed.
AMB. LEITER: No, it isn’t delayed. We’re working along with CENTCOM and the Lebanese Armed Forces to create the situations in order that we will truly transfer right into a state of affairs the place the pilot zones are receptive to Lebanese Armed Forces. If they are not going to be receptive, if Hezbollah goes to remain there, we’ve not achieved something, and that is why they’re referred to as pilot zones. If it really works, then we proceed the withdrawal. If it does not work, then we keep the place we’re.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Are you continue to going to Rome to conduct these talks, and can these pilot zone withdrawals occur anytime quickly?
AMB. LEITER: I definitely hope they’re deliberate for the following few weeks. We’re engaged on that along with CENTCOM. Am I nonetheless going to Rome? That is going to be a query concerning the the Senator Graham funeral. However definitely the talks will proceed in Rome.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, earlier than I allow you to go, there have been two high-profile incidents I need to rapidly contact on right here. One, a CNN crew attacked within the West Financial institution by what they are saying have been 4 settlers. There was additionally an incident with Ro Khanna, the congressman from California, who stated he was his autos he was in have been stopped by Israeli settlers, after which when the IDF confirmed up, they have been on the facet of the settlers, not him. He stated “[i]t’s not a good suggestion to detain longshot presidential candidates”. It was a warning to your authorities. Do you assume your authorities must apologize to each him and people CNN journalists?
AMB. LEITER: Any violence is to be condemned. No excuses, no explanations. Okay. So if CNN crew was attacked, that must be condemned, and I am doing so proper now. And we have to do a greater job.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You might be condemning it [inaud]–
AMB. LEITER: –If if if it was truly happened as they’ve reported it, completely condemning it. We have to rein in violence on all sides. Now, when it comes to Ro Khanna, we reached out to him after we heard he was going to Israel, the Israeli embassy right here in Washington. As all congressmen do, they coordinate their journey with the Israeli authorities. We prompt he go to with- with survivors of the October 7 bloodbath. That he go to the borders, so he understands the, the problems that we now have in our borders and so forth. He ignored that and he determined to coordinate his journey not with Israel, however with Palestinian activists and with J Road, which is a anti-government, anti-Israeli authorities advocacy group right here in Washington. So you understand he coordinated–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –It is a Jewish foyer group–
AMB. LEITER: –Nicely, it’s–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –That’s supportive of a unique path for Israel.
AMB. LEITER: Yeah, yeah. I- I play tennis every year. That does not make me a tennis participant. The truth that they name themselves a Jewish group is- is irrelevant. They’re- they’re- an advocacy group in opposition to the federal government of Israel. That must be clear.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The present authorities, Netanyahu authorities.
AMB. LEITER: Sure. Sure–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –That is what you imply, the federal government you’re employed for.
AMB. LEITER: And Congressman Khanna, there hasn’t been no secret about his antipathy in the direction of the federal government of Israel as effectively. So maybe if he would have coordinated the journey after which you understand to have this incident on Wednesday and wait to launch it on Saturday, possibly this had extra one thing to do together with his assist of- of Graham Platner beforehand and the difficulties he had with that, and making an attempt to shift the main target to one thing else. Maybe I am asking a query.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, we did hear from Congressman Khanna, who stated that there was an alert to the embassy on his behalf, and that they requested for the news–
AMB. LEITER: –There was not, there was not–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –to be held till he had left the nation.–
AMB. LEITER: There was a query. There was not an alert. There was a query about visas. That is all. However after we requested that he coordinate the journey with us, he rejected that by principally staying silent. In order that’s unlucky. This complete incident is unlucky. And if- if anyone, it is type of attention-grabbing that anyone needs to declare a presidential run by operating off to Israel? Not unusual?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, we’ll have to go away it there, sir. There’s a lot extra to speak about with you, however I am out of time. Thanks for coming.
AMB. LEITER: Thanks Margaret for [inaud].
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’ll be proper again with much more. Face the Nation. Stick with us.
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