Support for Israel still strong, Czech president says
On state visit to Prague, Rivlin applauds European ally’s ‘clear, moral stance’ in defending Israel
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Czech President Milos Zeman assured his Israeli counterpart that his country’s support for Israel has not changed, after a top government officials criticized Jerusalem over its West Bank policies.
After a meeting in Prague on Wednesday with President Reuven Rivlin, Zeman said: “There’s no change in the Czech foreign policy toward Israel.”
Zeman, who has been siding with Israel in the conflict with the Palestinians, added: I’d like to express my full personal support for the state of Israel.”
Rivlin thanked him: “A clear stance of the Czech Republic, a moral stance, is a great support for us.”
The Czech Republic is a close Israeli ally in Europe. It was the only European country that voted in 2012 to reject the resolution upgrading the Palestinians’ United Nations status to a nonmember observer state.
But Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek recently criticized Israel’s settlement expansion.
“You have stood tall in your assistance of the defense of Israel by both your words and by your actions,” Rivlin said. “The State of Israel appreciates the good relations that exist between the Jewish community and the general public in the Czech Republic, and we are aware of the real actions taken against the new anti-Semitism.”
Rivlin also highlighted historic ties between the Jewish and Czech peoples during his visit to the Czech Republic.
“As we are marking 25 years since the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the Czech Republic and Israel, I would like to thank the Czech people for the support they have shown at critical times for Israel,” Rivlin told reporters after meeting with Zeman.
In their meeting, the Czech and Israeli presidents discussed economic cooperation, investment opportunities and tourism, as well as the recent wave of attacks against Israelis and the situation in the region.
“I believe it is the fate of Jews and Arabs to live together,” Rivlin said. “If they couldn’t live together in Jerusalem, they probably wouldn’t be able to live together anywhere else.”
Rivlin arrived in Prague on Tuesday for a four-day official visit, the first such trip by an Israeli head of state in six years. He is scheduled to launch a Czech-Israeli business forum and visit the former Nazi concentration camp in Terezin, some 40 miles northwest of Prague
The Times of Israel Community.