Speaking at the graduation ceremony of Israel’s National Security College (MABAL), President Isaac Herzog addressed senior military and civilian officials at the culmination of a year-long program designed to shape Israel’s future leaders in national security, defense, and diplomacy.
Held annually, the National Security College graduation marks a significant milestone for top-ranking IDF officers, government officials, and national security experts. Against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing war and complex regional dynamics, the President used the occasion to issue a powerful call for renewed diplomatic vision alongside military strength.
In his remarks, the President stressed the importance of preparing for the day after the current conflict, calling for strategic engagement with the international community.
“My words to you today are dedicated to the diplomatic component of our national security, looking ahead, to the day after this historic campaign,” said the President. “The past two years have brought many disappointments and even upheavals in the faith many Israelis once placed in the international community. International organizations and member states turned their backs on us. Human rights groups ignored a documented array of horrors. Women’s organizations stood in brazen silence in the face of shocking testimonies of sexual violence. People, organizations, and countries that preach freedom did nothing, absolutely nothing, to help free innocent captives. And international legal institutions, established after World War II and the Holocaust to uphold justice and humanity, acted with immoral hypocrisy by amplifying antisemitic voices that, directly or indirectly, support the destruction of the State of Israel,” Herzog stated.
“For nearly two years of war, the vital importance of international partnerships has been clear. Israel’s greatest allies, first and foremost the United States, continue to stand with us at critical junctures,” he said.
“We are in an era of tectonic shifts, where the global balance of power and the regional strategic landscape are being reshaped,” the President stressed.
He described the current moment as a “historic window of opportunity,” especially following the IDF’s success in confronting Iran and its proxies.
“Our military strength and exceptional strategic capabilities were clearly demonstrated in this campaign against the Iranian regime and its proxies. Our security forces, led by the IDF under your command, dear Chief of Staff, and under the direction of the political leadership, headed by the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister, broke the Iranian ring of fire and dealt a severe blow to their genocidal ambitions,” he stated.
He continued: “We must not miss this moment. Now is the time to expand the circle of partnership, peace, and normalization in the region. We must make history. We must prove, first and foremost to ourselves, that a strong Israel is not a nation that hides behind fortress walls. A strong Israel knows how to reach out once again for peace. Not a peace of illusions, but a peace rooted in strength. I truly believe this can, and must, be our future. That this is the real ‘day after.’ Let us be honest. The roots of peace with Egypt and Jordan were not based on blind love, but on deep strategic understanding of the potential for partnership between our peoples. The same goes for the Abraham Accords, initiated by President Trump, which continue to prove themselves and which we hope to see expand, beyond our blessed and inspiring partnerships with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. This is the true path to stability. This is the true path to long-term national security. Our future depends on our ability to combine immense military power with a sober diplomatic vision.”
“I say again, this is our ‘day after,’ and we must begin to speak of it and act for it. This includes, especially, the campaign in Gaza. And to enter this next phase, we must begin with the return of the hostages, and the implementation of an exit strategy that will change the reality in Gaza, along our southern border, and in the region as a whole. Complete victory will not be the day we rest on our laurels. It will be the day we turn military success into a broad, strategic diplomatic initiative. An initiative that includes normalization and relations with more and more Arab states in the region, from Syria and Lebanon to Saudi Arabia.”
“An initiative that will strengthen and expand Israel’s diplomatic and physical connections with India, and of course with Africa, Europe, and the entire world. An initiative that will transform reality and bring a future of hope and prosperity to us and to our neighbors, including the Palestinians.”
The President also emphasized the central role of the Israel-United States alliance. “The deep alliance between Israel and the United States has a critical, historic role to play in this diplomatic effort. Even in this moment, I wish to thank President Trump, who has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment to Israel’s security and to strengthening our regional ties.”
“There is no doubt we are at a key moment. Like the people of Israel as a whole, I hope that the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington will bring good and important news, both diplomatically and regionally, and above all, regarding the hostage deal and the situation in Gaza.”
The President concluded with a clear moral and national imperative. “Let me be clear. Bringing all the hostages home, every single one of them, is not only a moral obligation. It is also a powerful strategic message. The State of Israel does not abandon its own. Beyond the humanitarian issue, the return of the hostages is part of our national ethos as a people and as a state. It is not only a moral duty. It is a declaration tied directly to our national resilience. We will not rest, and we will not stop, until every hostage comes home.”