Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar hosted Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger in Jerusalem on Sunday, marking the first official foreign visit to Israel since the launch of Operation Rising Lion. During their joint press conference, Sa’ar addressed key regional and diplomatic challenges, including efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and the expansion of normalization agreements in the Middle East.
“Israel is serious in its will to reach a hostage deal and ceasefire in Gaza. We said yes to Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's proposals. But unfortunately, until this moment, Hamas hadn't,” Sa’ar stated. He called on European states to “back the American initiative for a ceasefire - and to shatter Hamas' illusions,” stressing that Israel would prefer a diplomatic resolution, but would resort to military means if necessary to secure its objectives.
Touching on broader strategic concerns, Sa’ar highlighted Iran’s regional threat, noting that Israel’s actions in the war—including operations in Iran—contributed to European security by targeting ballistic missiles and drones that could reach Europe or be used in Ukraine. “We are your strategic partner in this part of the world,” he told Meinl-Reisinger.
On humanitarian aid, the minister acknowledged Israel’s continued facilitation under difficult circumstances but pointed to Hamas’ exploitation of assistance. He endorsed the Gulf Humanitarian Fund (GHF) initiative for directing aid to Gaza’s civilian population without empowering the terrorist organization.
Sa’ar also expressed hope for expanding the Abraham Accords. “We paid for the new reality in the Middle East with the blood of our soldiers and citizens,” he said. “Israel is interested in expanding the Abraham Accords’ circle of peace and normalization. We have an interest in adding countries, such as Syria and Lebanon, our neighbors, to the circle of peace - while safeguarding Israel’s essential and security interests.”
Reaffirming Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, Sa’ar declared, “Israel applied its law to the Golan Heights over 40 years ago. In any peace agreement - the Golan will remain part of the State of Israel.”
The visit by the Austrian Foreign Minister was described by Sa’ar as a show of solidarity and an opportunity to deepen ties between the two nations. “Austria is one of Israel’s greatest friends in Europe,” he said. “We are interested in further strengthening our friendship and bilateral relations.”