Herzog urges EU to step up efforts against Iran

In his meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, President Isaac Herzog calls on the EU to ramp up measures against Tehran, warning that “Iran is in Europe.”

“Iran is fighting Ukrainian citizens by supplying drones and lethal weapons,” he says, “endangering the world by rushing toward nuclear capabilities, killing and torturing its own citizens, and we believe it is about time that Europe take a very firm stance on Iran as it is a challenge not only to Israel, the region, the Middle East, but also to Europe and the world.”

He also calls the EU “a potential strategic partner for Israel in so many ways.”

Von der Leyen avoids mentioning specific issues on the world stage — or any concerns over Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians — saying instead “the strongest expression of the friendship between Israel and the European Union are 15,000 Erasmus students who are coming from the European Union to Israel, but also from Israel to the European Union.”