President Isaac Herzog landed in Astana on Monday, beginning his official visit to Kazakhstan.
President Herzog was received by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan at a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Astana. The two presidents held a private meeting, followed by an expanded bilateral meeting attended by senior Kazakh government officials. The leaders discussed deepening relations and advancing strategic cooperation between the two countries.
President Herzog expressed his deep appreciation for Kazakhstan and commended its decision last November to join the Abraham Accords, as well as its membership on the Board of Peace led by President Trump.
“It's a huge honor for me to be here in the Presidential Palace in Astana. I bring with me a senior delegation of leaders and experts in fields of importance to the future of the cooperation between our two nations," Herzog opened.
The Israeli president praised his counterpart's decision to join the Abraham Accords as "very bold, and added that "It was warmly welcomed in Israel, around the world, and in the White House."
"I was also happy to witness your presence at the declaration of the Board of Peace, which is a very important entity dealing with the current challenges. This is a move that sends a clear message to the world: it is possible to choose the path of partnership, responsibility, and peace."
Herzog added: “I would like to focus on how we can double, treble and more the volume of business and trade between our nations. We are close to approving direct flights, and I think that this can have a huge impact on business and trade, especially as part of the Abraham Accords family."
President Tokayev also addressed the decision to join the Abraham Accords, saying, "We believe that the Abraham Accords have fundamentally reconfigured the Middle East's geopolitical architecture, creating a strategic framework for regional stability, shared prosperity, and collaborative efforts to address common challenges."
He proudly emphasized that "there is no antisemitism in Kazakhstan, and Judaism is one of four official major religions in Kazakhstan, alongside Sunni Islam, Orthodox Christianity, and Catholicism."