President Isaac Herzog today spoke at an event hosted by German Ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, ahead of German Unity Day.
Speaking at the event in Herzliya, the President reiterated the importance of Israel-European relations, and the mutual interest the partnership serves in many fields.
In his remarks the President said, “The collaboration in the present between Israel and Germany, and also between Israel and Europe at large, across science, research, culture, and so much more - serves the mutual interests of all partner countries. And it is important to state in these times: It must continue.”
He added, “I believe deeply and fully in the exceptional creative forces of the Israeli economy, which have proven themselves again and again. And I have no doubt that both Israel and Europe have everything to gain from economic ties between us. And everything to lose from weakening them.
“Of course, we cannot be blind or deaf to the calls within Europe to exclude Israel from collaborative frameworks in the EU and beyond. I want to be clear: Isolating, ostracizing and penalizing Israel is falling prey to the manipulations of agents of chaos. It plays directly into the interests of extremists who seek to destabilize and harm the Free World. And it weakens us all.”
“Germany’s determination to defend Israel’s contributing role within the EU framework is foundational. Both for its strategic benefit to Europe. And for the moral position it bespeaks. Europe must understand: Turning its back on Israel at this time is turning its back on Europe’s own interests. And we will all pay the price. Yes, in science and innovation, in research and culture. But especially in a weakened alliance of moderates in favor of an empowered axis of extremism. We must not allow this to happen.”
He concluded, “Make no mistake. After two heart-wrenching years of war in Gaza, we, too, wish to see it end, with our hostages freed. We, too, wish to shape a Day After for a Gaza not dominated by Hamas terror and oppression. And for a region not dominated by forces of extremism and radicalism. We wish this for Israel. We wish this for the Palestinians. And we wish this for the entire region. And for the stability of the world.”