Herzog welcomes five ambassadors in Jerusalem

President Isaac Herzog on Monday received the diplomatic credentials of the new ambassadors to Israel of Austria, France, Ghana, the Netherlands and Rwanda, in a series of ceremonies at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.

In turn, the president received the credentials of Rwanda’s Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Bayingana, France’s Christophe Parisot, Austria’s Arad Benkö, the Netherlands’ Stella Ronner-Grubačić and Ghana’s Evelyn Korantemaa Ofosu-Amable as they took up their posts, according to the presidency.

Sitting next to the Rwandan diplomat, Herzog highlighted the warm friendship and growing cooperation between the African nation and the Jewish state in many fields, including innovation, agriculture, development and education.

Herzog and Parisot discussed the significant historical ties between Israel and France, the presidency said. The head of state affirmed the “importance of overcoming the challenges in these relations, reinvigorating bilateral ties across a range of fields, and building a new path forward.”

Speaking with the Austrian envoy, Herzog expressed appreciation for the warm friendship between the two countries, as well as their close cooperation in innovation, science, technology, trade, tourism and security. He commended Austria’s ongoing commitment to the fight against antisemitism and to Holocaust remembrance, the presidency noted.

Herzog then greeted the Dutch diplomat and addressed the tensions between the two nations.

“These are trying times in the relations between Israel and the Netherlands. We are worried about what we see and hear from public opinion and from the government in the Netherlands. There is an onslaught on Israel without understanding our role in defending Europe and the fact that Israel is a vibrant democracy,” Herzog said, according to the presidency.

He recounted, “I had the pleasure of meeting with His Majesty King Willem-Alexander a few years ago, and he has expressed throughout a clear moral voice against antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiments.”

In addition, the president received the diplomatic credentials of Ghana’s new ambassador, during which he highlighted the potential to deepen their countries’ ties, including in the fields of agriculture, technology, healthcare and water management, as well as the importance of deepening Israel’s relations with countries across Africa.

France would consider sanctioning Israeli goods

Israeli-French ties have been strained ever since the Hamas-led attacks in the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7, 2023.

On Sept. 8, France led 11 other countries in an announcing that they would sanction, or consider sanctioning, goods from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria in response to what they said is the Israeli government’s actions that undermine a “two-state solution.”

The countries singled out the marketing tenders for the E1 housing development project in Ma’ale Admuim, a city outside Jerusalem.

“Today, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom confirm their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements which are illegal under international law, or that they are actively considering these and other measures,” the group stated.

On Sept. 5, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that France “has done more for the Palestinian cause than any other country since Oct. 7.” That prompted harsh-worded criticism from Israelis and French Jews.