During his state visit to Austria, President Isaac Herzog was received today, (Tuesday,) by Austria’s President Alexander Van der Bellen in a state ceremony at the Hofburg Palace, ahead of a bilateral diplomatic meeting. The presidents stood for the national anthems before going on to review a guard of honor.
At their meeting, the presidents discussed the importance the countries attached to bilateral relations, and the expansion of cooperation between the countries.
In his remarks following the meeting, President Herzog thanked President Van der Bellen for his true friendship and personal commitment to promoting relations between the countries.
The President said, “The spirit of Theodor (Benjamin Ze'ev) Herzl hovers over my historic visit here, in Vienna, and this afternoon I will also unveil a plaque at the house where he lived in the city, where he wrote his famous book "The Jewish State", in which he conceived the idea of establishing a state for the Jewish people - the State of Israel.”
The President added, “The friendship between Israel and Austria has never been closer. The Austrian Government anchored its commitment to the State of Israel in a work plan, and a strategic partnership agreement signed between Israel and Austria, which creates new opportunities for our two countries that will bring enormous value not only to our countries, but to humanity as a whole. I'm sure of that.”
He continued, “Alongside all of this, along with the joy of the renewed, deepening alliance, which has a long-standing and cross-generational legacy, together with you, my friend Mr. President, we remember and recall here today, the darkest period in the history of mankind, the Holocaust, which also took place in Austria, and I ask that we carry the memory of the sons and daughters of my people, mothers and fathers, old and young, who were sent to their deaths, with unparalleled cruelty - simply because they were Jews.
“It was Viktor Frankl, a revered Austrian-Jewish physician and thinker, a Holocaust survivor, and a beacon of understanding and faith, who wrote that: “It is possible to take everything from a person except for one thing: the last of human freedoms - to choose one's position. To choose one's path”. Indeed, we clearly see that modern Austria has chosen its position and its path, as it deals in an honest, responsible, and instructive manner with the most terrible chapter in its history. It is committed to fighting all forms of antisemitism and preserving the memory of the Holocaust.
“We saw a great and inspiring example of this very recently - during the welcome restoration of the academic degrees that were denied to Jews who studied and researched in universities in Austria during that dark period. My friend Mr. President, I know that the challenges and scars of migration, seeking refuge and wandering are woven into your family's history, and I believe that these things are evident, among others, in the way in which you and your country are committed to the safety and future of my people - who are suffered hardships and pain. I emphasize again: the uncompromising war against antisemitism led by the Austrian government must serve as an example to many nations and countries, and we appreciate it very much.”
The President noted, “As we discussed in our conversation, Mr. President, we are in a time when the Middle East is seeing widespread change. The lines between the elements of darkness, hatred and terrorism, and the forces of light, progress, peace and friendship, are clearer today than ever before. Alongside the hope of reaching new alliances of friendship within the framework of the historic Abraham Accords, and other agreements that I hope will come, the existential threat to the State of Israel and the entire free world continues to deepen as Iran is bolstered in its pursuit of a nuclear weapon. We are confident that Austria will continue to stand firmly by our side, on the right side of this critical political equation, especially in the urgent and dramatic days which lie ahead.”
Noting the important cooperation between the countries, the President said, “It is no secret that the partnership between our people finds expression in many and diverse fields. We talked about that in our conversation and together, we are promoting groundbreaking collaborations in the fields of economy, trade, culture, science, technology and high-tech, alongside the joint development of the world of tourism. And yet, I believe that we should promote more and more layers of partnership between our peoples, such as youth exchange projects that will deepen the familiarity and friendship between our cultures among the future generations. We see you as partners in a promising path to a common future, and I am hopeful that my visit here will contribute to more and more collaborations, because as mentioned, I believe that the partnership between our countries holds enormous potential for our people and for humanity as a whole.”
President Van der Bellen welcomed the President and his delegation and said, “Israel is closer to us than many other countries. We have a shared history, and yes, a painful one too. Theodor Herzl, a great Austrian, is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.”
He stressed, “We cannot and do not want to forget the persecution, deportation, and murder of tens of thousands of Jews from Austria. Many - too many - people in my country were among the perpetrators.”
He added, “Austria was late in facing the darkest chapter in our history. Today Austria is committed to this responsibility, the meaning of which represents for us a key task – to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and preserve the honorable memory of the victims. Responsibility also means that we resolutely fight antisemitism. It's a personal matter for me. There must be zero tolerance for antisemitism.”
He continued, “In addition, we discussed the dynamic situation in the Middle East. President Herzog and his delegation shared with us Israel’s concerns about the security situation in the region, especially in relation to Iran and Hezbollah. We share a concern for Israel's security and share the goal of preventing Iran from developing and obtaining nuclear weapons. Austria supports international efforts to reach this goal through negotiations. The International Atomic Energy Agency based here in Vienna does important work as a control mechanism.”
“We also discussed the internal political situation in Israel. I know that President Herzog is committed to a broad consensus. I wish him success in his efforts to resolving the political and social tensions in the country through dialogue. Because reforms, especially in the very important area of the justice system, require dialogue and social consensus as wide as possible.”
