Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wished a “refuah sheleyma” — in Hebrew, a blessing of health and recovery — to his Japanese counterpart, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday night following the latter’s announcement Friday that he is stepping down due to ill health. Abe is Japan’s longest-serving prime minister in the history of the “Land of the Rising Sun.”
Abe apologized during his announcement for stepping down during a global pandemic but explained that he was forced to do so due to his own poor health.
YouTube video: courtesy, The Telegraph
The announcement came as a shock despite the fact that the 65-year-old Abe had been to the hospital for visits twice in the past two weeks to address issues related to a flareup in the chronic ulcerative colitis with which he has suffered since adolescence. The Japanese prime minister previously ended a one-year term in office back in 2007 for similar reasons.
“For stepping down in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic I offer the people my heartfelt apology,” he said. “That I was not able to resolve the abduction issue is my utmost regret. To leave my goals of constitutional reform and a peace treaty with Russia unfinished is gut-wrenching. Until the next prime minister is appointed, I hope to seek the treatment necessary to return to good health, and offer my support as a lawmaker, to the new administration.”
Israel’s Netanyahu said on Saturday night in response to the news that he was “sorry to hear of the illness of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who announced his resignation. I would like to express my appreciation for the friendship forged between our two countries, during which Japanese investments in Israel grew tenfold, and cooperation between both countries flourished in many areas.
“My good friend Shinzo Abe, I wish you good health and success,” Netanyahu added.
“You will always be welcome here.”