Israel’s President Isaac Herzog met for talks in Switzerland on Monday with his Swiss counterpart, President Ignazio Cassis. The Israeli president was set to participate in Monday’s event marking the 125th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress in Basel.
The Israeli President and First Lady are staying at the Grand Hôtel Les Trois Rois (Three Kings Hotel) in Basel, in the same room in which Theodor Herzl slept during the Fifth Zionist Congress in 1901.
While Herzog met with his Swiss counterpart earlier in the day, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Israeli and Swiss national science foundations and met for a diplomatic working meeting before being joined by their respective delegations for expanded talks.
“Switzerland has a global reputation for its promotion of peace processes,” Herzog pointed out at a briefing with reporters. “The State of Israel shares with Switzerland this commitment to peace and fervently aspires to peace with all its neighbors, and of course with our Palestinian neighbors, our immediate neighbors,” he said, but noted that Israel’s immediate neighbors do not want peace.
“Unfortunately, the recent conflict with terrorists in Gaza, in which over one thousand missiles were fired at our towns, was imposed on us. We were forced to fight terrorist threats and to defend our people,” he explained, adding that he is “glad calm has returned to our cities, towns, and villages, and that our citizens have returned to their peaceful daily lives.”
Herzog had high praise for Egypt and Qatar, “which demonstrated the requisite leadership for regional stability,” but said that Israel hopes and prays “our sons in Gaza will return home quickly,” in a reference to the two living and two deceased Israeli hostages still being held captive by Gaza’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization.
“The Middle East is at a critical crossroads,” Herzog commented. “While the Abraham Accords have created new avenues for transforming the region into a hub of stability, peace and prosperity, at the same time Iran and its proxies continue to spread terror and undermine moderate actors.”
Herzog called on “all governments and of course the Swiss government,” to oppose the Iranian nuclear program.
“Iran has sworn itself to Israel’s destruction and is working tirelessly to destabilize our region and the entire world,” he emphasized.
“The international community, and the nations that so proudly push for international peace, should not accept calls and efforts to eradicate a sovereign member state of the United Nations.
“Iran’s behavior cannot be met with silence. Iran’s activities cannot go unpunished. And most critically, such a state must not be allowed to possess nuclear capabilities. Iran must be denied such capabilities by all means necessary,” Herzog said.
“Switzerland, as a member of the United Nations and as an incoming member of the Security Council, a candidacy which Israel was happy to endorse, and as a member of the IAEA Board of Governors, is strategically positioned,” he noted.
“The IAEA’s independence is critical. It should be strictly adhered to, including its ability to investigate violations of nuclear developments in Iran,” Herzog said. “Whether in international efforts to oppose Iran’s nuclear weapons capability, or in seizing the new spirit of peace in the Middle East — Switzerland’s vantage point is unique, as is your potential influence.”
