In Cyprus, President Herzog Calls for Diplomatic End to Ukraine War

President Yitzchak Herzog arrived in the Republic of Cyprus on Wednesday for an official visit at the invitation of President Nicos Anastasiades.

Upon landing, Herzog traveled to the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, where he was received by President Nicos Anastasiades at a state ceremony. The two Presidents then held a diplomatic tête-à-tête, after which they held an expanded bilateral meeting with the participation of both delegations. Following the meeting, President Herzog and President Anastasiades delivered statements. Later in the day, President Anastasiades awarded President Herzog Cyprus’s highest honor, the Grand Collar of the Order of Makarios III, as an expression of the strong friendship between Cyprus and Israel.

President Herzog said, “Thank you, my dear friend, President Anastasiades. It is wonderful to see you again.

“Before I delve into the bilateral issues, I want to address the situation in Ukraine. I would like to say a word about an event that occurred yesterday. One of the greatest tragedies that befell the Jewish people was at Babi Yar, on the outskirts of Kyiv. In 1941, for three days, the Jewish community of Kyiv and its outskirts were deported by foot to the site and shot dead. 33,000 Jews are buried under that site.

“Last October, in a very historic event, together with President Zelensky of Ukraine and President Steinmeier of Germany, I inaugurated a special memorial site where people learn about the human tragedy and atrocious, horrific circumstances of Babi Yar.

“All of a sudden, that site was attacked by missiles. It epitomizes the terrible tragedy that we are witnessing unfolding in front of our eyes. We express great pain and suffering over what is happening there.

“The war in Ukraine is an affront to the international order. I am deeply concerned for the citizens of Ukraine and members of the Jewish community in peril. I hope, and we all hope and pray, this war ends quickly. The Israeli government reaffirmed its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and joined the international community in supporting the resolution at the United Nations General Assembly. Israel is working to advance a diplomatic solution in Ukraine and has offered its services in this regard. We are also sending an unprecedented amount of humanitarian aid: 100 tons. We see this as a moral obligation.

“As for my visit here, over the last decade, you have played such a key role in building the deep bonds of friendship between our nations, and in developing our strategic three-way alliance with Greece.

“Together with our ally Greece, Israel and Cyprus are anchors of stability in the Mediterranean. Our nations and our peoples will continue to benefit from these bonds of friendship for many years. The Cyprus-Israel relationship is a pillar of Mediterranean stability in the present, and a key to a sustainable, healthy and prosperous region in the future.

“I am very happy to see our cooperation continue to grow in many fields, from tourism to energy, to homeland security, emergency response and technology and innovation. This cooperation is creating new economic opportunities for our citizens, while making our borders and cities more secure.

“True friends are those who come to your assistance at your hour of need. Our mutual assistance in combating wildfires is one expression of the deep trust between our countries. I believe we should work to deepen our ties even more, in the cultural and people-to-people spheres as well, so that young leaders from both our countries can shape the next generation of Cyprus-Israel cooperation.

“I would also like to thank you for your leadership in regional forums, particularly in the fields of climate and energy. We strongly support developing such forums through strategic action plans, and expanding them to include additional partners, especially the United States.

“There are new winds of peace blowing through our region. The historic Abraham Accords are creating new possibilities for joint initiatives, as we saw at the Paphos Forum with the UAE.

“Mr. President, the conflict that is currently unfolding in front of our eyes is a tragic reminder of the necessity of working together to protect our dearest values, principles and interests. This is exactly my message in Turkey, as I believe in cooperation between people and all faiths for the well-being of humanity.

“It is during times of hardship and turmoil that we must stand together and reaffirm our long-standing and historic alliances.

“President Anastasiades, thank you again for all that you have done for the bonds between our peoples and for your personal friendship.

“I look forward to continuing to work together for a peaceful and prosperous future for our nations and our region. Thank you very much.”