Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Louise Mushikiwabo toured the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council Monday, accompanied by Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman. The foreign ministers visited the situation room at the regional council, observed the Iron Dome missile defense system in action, met with soldiers at Kibbutz Zikkim, and visited a home damaged several days ago at Netiv Ha’asara.
Foreign Minister Liberman thanked Mushikiwabo for visiting Israel during Operation Protective Edge, and added that he attributes great importance to the visit. “It is very important that she sees with her own eyes what is happening here. The Israel Foreign Ministry is working to maximize diplomatic credit in order to enable the IDF to complete its mission,” Liberman said.
Liberman also noted the significance of the visit given Rwanda’s current position on the Security Council, and praised her for making an effort “to understand the vastness of the challenge which we in Israel are facing.”
FM Liberman added, “Beyond the diplomatic importance of the visit by Rwandan Foreign Minister Mushikiwabo, we came to support the IDF soldiers, who are the most humane and bravest army in the world. They are doing everything to defend the State of Israel, while maintaining their moral values. We are committed to doing everything to strengthen our soldiers and provide them with the best conditions to complete the tasks entrusted to them.”
Mushikiwabo’s visit to Israel came on the heels of Liberman’s visit to Rwanda last month during a seven-country African tour. On June 12, the foreign ministers signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen business and economic ties between the two countrys. More than 200 Rwandan and Israeli businesspeople attended the MoU ceremony.
“I see great importance to investment in Africa, in the humanitarian, economic and political spheres,” said Liberman at the time. “There are many areas where Israel can help with aid and development: Agriculture, water management, medicine, combating terrorism, and more.”