Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed his Estonian counterpart, Alar Karis, in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning for bilateral meetings on “key challenges facing the region,” the President’s Residence said.
The two leaders discussed the “vital need” to return the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as well as ways to advance cooperation between the Jewish state and the Baltic nation, according to Herzog’s office.
During their visit to Israel, Karis and members of his delegation placed yellow ribbon pins on their lapel in solidarity with the hostages who are still held captives after almost 500 days, the Israeli president noted.
“We are very touched by the fact you have the pin, remembering our hostages every moment of the day. We want to see them back home, and this touches our hearts,” he said in remarks shared by his office.
Ahead of their bilateral meeting in the capital, Herzog told Karis, “I’m very happy and glad that you initiated this visit. This is a visit that means a lot to the people of Israel in these dire and complicated times.
“I know that you strive for peace. You’re here in very complicated and challenging days because we are extremely anxious about our hostages who are in Gaza, in the worst of situations,” Israel’s head of state added.
“It is a stain on humanity, a stain on a family of nations, and the family of nations has to take a very clear and unequivocal position in bringing all of them back home—that can also be the key to a future change in our region, for a better future,” he said.
Herzog concluded, “I hope your visit will strengthen the relationship between our peoples. You have a beautiful country, and I hope to be visiting Tallinn as well to reciprocate. Thank you very much, dear president, and Shalom.”
Karis thanked the Jewish state for welcoming him, saying, “we look around us; there are countries and friends, and conflicts and wars everywhere, so you have to be there as well to discuss the matter, as you mentioned already, to find a peaceful solution also here in this region.
“There has been a long history, as we all know, but it can’t go on forever, so there should be a solution—and from our side, we’re already also trying to give some effort to make it happen,” he said.
“It’s not only military issues we’re going to discuss, but also we have very good relations in innovation and also education,” Karis added. “I’m going to meet a number of people and institutions, and also going to the Knesset.
“Again, you are welcome in Estonia,” the Estonian president said.
After Israel and Hamas reached the ceasefire-and-hostage agreement a month ago, Talinn expressed a desire for the deal to “pave the way to the release of all the hostages, delivering critical humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza and reaching a lasting peace in the region.”