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 america, 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’m wondering should you assume there’s a solution to keep it up his legacy by persevering with that sort of diplomatic work.
AMB. LEITER: Completely, Lindsey was a pricey good friend. My first day in Washington, January 27 2025, the primary telephone 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 yr 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, but it surely actually goes to occur if his first a part of that imaginative and prescient is fulfilled, and that is that Iran is 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 comply with that.
AMB. LEITER: We nonetheless have a while.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We nonetheless have a while. Let me ask you in regards to the different vital improvement in a single day with Iran. The try to revive this truce between america and Iran clearly has simply collapsed. This was simply an try to have a pause to reopen the- the Strait of Hormuz. Frankly, it was fairly restricted in scope. However then the IRGC fired on a business vessel. The US 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 will 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 would not work, you need to return to army and kinetic exercise. When america 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 protecting the straits open. And that they’ve fully ignored. In order that they pressured the U.S. to return into kinetic exercise. We’re a companion, we’re an ally. If america calls on us to rejoin kinetic exercise towards Iran, we will be there for america.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However in the mean time, the U.S. is asking you to attend.
AMB. LEITER: I- I did not say that. I stated america has not requested us to affix the hassle. But when that request will are available in, we will 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 huge flaws on this deal. If you noticed what occurred, was there a second of “I informed 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 might 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 might 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 completed it with out kinetic exercise. Now we have doubts about the potential for that really working, however all we do is categorical our opinion.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, very clear in regards to the very first few traces 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 attempting to dealer these talks between the Israeli authorities and the Lebanese authorities to primarily work collectively towards Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. Beneath 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 appear like?
AMB. LEITER: Nicely, I am really main the negotiations on Israel’s behalf with Lebanon, so I do know a factor or two in regards to 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 reality, Israel and Lebanon are on the identical web page. We wish Hezbollah out for our safety and for his or her sovereignty. We will withdraw the second that Hezbollah is dismantled. If Hezbollah is just not dismantled, then we now have to remain in our safety zone as a result of we’re not going to return to a scenario 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 is not delayed. We’re working along with CENTCOM and the Lebanese Armed Forces to create the circumstances in order that we will really transfer right into a scenario 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 have not completed something, and that is why they’re known as pilot zones. If it really works, then we proceed the withdrawal. If it would 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 actually 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 actually 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 shortly 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 automobiles 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 really came about as they’ve reported it, completely condemning it. We have to rein in violence on all sides. Now, by way of Ro Khanna, we reached out to him once 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 advised 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 Avenue, which is a anti-government, anti-Israeli authorities advocacy group right here in Washington. So you recognize he coordinated–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –It is a Jewish foyer group–
AMB. LEITER: –Nicely, it’s–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –That’s supportive of a special 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 towards 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 recognize to have this incident on Wednesday and wait to launch it on Saturday, perhaps this had extra one thing to do together with his assist of- of Graham Platner beforehand and the difficulties he had with that, and attempting 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 once we requested that he coordinate the journey with us, he rejected that by mainly staying silent. In order that’s unlucky. This complete incident is unlucky. And if- if any individual, it is sort of attention-grabbing that any individual needs to declare a presidential run by operating off to Israel? Not unusual?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, we will have to depart it there, sir. There’s a lot extra to speak about with you, however I am out of time. Thanks for having me. And we’ll be proper again with much more. Face the Nation. Stick with us.
