Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson for standing up for the Jewish state in a podcast interview that the Louisiana Republican posted online Tuesday.

"Thank you, Speaker @MikeJohnson, for your strong and principled words about Israel. Your clarity and conviction strengthen our shared stand against terror," the premier stated on his office's X social media account, along with a link to Fox News‘ coverage of the interview, which aired on "The Katie Miller Podcast."

Speaking to Miller alongside his wife, Kelly Johnson, at the U.S. Capitol last week, Johnson defended the U.S.-Israel relationship as strategically vital and called for universal rejection of antisemitism, addressing growing rifts within the Republican Party over Israel policy.

Johnson emphasized Israel's role as the only stable democracy in the Middle East and said the alliance serves American interests regardless of religious motivations.

"It's really important to have that ally and partner in that corner of the world," Johnson said.

He acknowledged that some Americans support Israel for biblical reasons but stressed that the relationship's strategic importance transcends religious considerations.

Republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate