House Speaker McCarthy hails shared values and heritage between U.S. and Israel, vows to deter Iran

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Monday the U.S.-Israeli bond is unbreakable and the nations cannot ignore threats from Tehran and Beijing as Jerusalem bolsters its economy and its relations with the Arab world on its doorstep.

Mr. McCarthy, California Republican, said Iran will continue to destabilize the Middle East through drones, support for rogue armies and cyberattacks.

“As we welcome peace, we cannot ignore the threats to peace in our region. The threats have one primary cause, the rogue Iranian regime,” Mr. McCarthy told the Knesset, Israel’s parliament in Jerusalem, in a visit to mark the country’s 75 years of statehood.

He said, as long as he is House speaker, the U.S. will fully fund Israel’s efforts to defend itself.

“Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon,” Mr. McCarthy added to applause.

Mr. McCarthy said their nations must remain on guard against China’s rising aggression, such as the theft of intellectual property. He warned against “prejudice” toward Israel that involves boycotts over Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and includes U.N. resolutions that criticize Jerusalem.

The speaker said he will establish a House-Knesset partnership that will increase cooperation between the legislatures and foster trips between the nations.

Mr. McCarthy is the second speaker to address the Knesset after Newt Gingrich in 1998.

Mr. McCarthy had planned to visit Taiwan this year, but given the turmoil with China over the island, he met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California.

“This is my very first trip overseas as the U.S. speaker of the House of Representatives. There is no place I’d rather be than right here, right now, with all of you,” Mr. McCarthy told the Knesset.

Mr. McCarthy brought a bipartisan delegation to mark statehood celebrations and shore up the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Israel has been rocked in recent weeks by internal discord over judicial overhauls pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who says he is putting the changes on hold.

Mr. McCarthy backed Mr. Netanyahu, while President Biden urged the Israeli leader to back away from his plans.

Despite the messy situation, the speaker insisted the U.S.-Israel bond remains firm.

“I think you look at us right here, we’re stronger,” Mr. McCarthy said at a press conference. “I think it will be even stronger tomorrow.”

In his speech, he spoke of the U.S.-Israeli relationship in unflinching terms.

“It’s more personal and more powerful than we might even realize,” Mr. McCarthy said, explaining Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana gave him a picture of an Israeli pilot who trained in the House speaker’s hometown of Bakersfield, California.

Mr. McCarthy hailed Israel as a “modern miracle” that’s survived external threats since biblical times and is flourishing with a dynamic economy and talented people despite unrelenting adversity.

“Our values are your values, our heritage is your heritage, our dreams are your dreams,” the speaker said.

The speaker also hailed the Abraham Accords that during the Trump administration established closer relations between Israel and Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. He said Saudi Arabia is a “powerhouse” that could improve the accords by joining.

“When you look at the region itself, everyone can benefit,” Mr. McCarthy told reporters.

Mr. McCarthy was joined in Israel by Rep. Garret Graves, a Louisiana Republican playing a key role in debt-limit talks, and former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat still in Congress.

“Mr. Speaker, it was an excellent speech. You delivered it well, and it expressed the sentiment of our country,” Mr. Hoyer said at the press conference. “Yes, we’re Democrats, and yes, we’re Republicans. But on this issue, we are [Israel’s] friend, your ally and your fellow in fighting for the values we share.”

Other notable figures in the delegation were House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, Arkansas Republican, and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey Democrat and co-chairman of the Problem Solvers Caucus.

Mr. McCarthy also brought Republican Reps. Andrew Garbarino of New York, Julia Letlow of Louisiana, Anthony D’Esposito of New York, Erin Houchin of Indiana, Thomas Kean Jr. of New Jersey, Nick LaLota of New York, Michael Lawler of New York and Max Miller of Ohio and Democratic Reps. Jimmy Panetta of California, Greg Landsman of Ohio, Rob Menendez of New Jersey and Jared Moskowitz of Florida.