Herzog voices concern over ties with Netherlands, France as 5 new ambassadors present credentials

President Isaac Herzog receives the diplomatic credentials of new ambassadors from France, the Netherlands, Austria, Rwanda and Ghana during a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, highlighting tense relations with Amsterdam and Paris.

The new envoys are Dutch ambassador Stella Ronner-Grubacic, French ambassador Christophe Parisot, Austrian ambassador Arad Benko, Rwandan ambassador Emmanuel Bayingana, and Ghanaian ambassador Evelyn Korantemaa Ofosu-Amable.

“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,” Herzog says in a statement from his office, adding: “There is an onslaught on Israel without understanding our role in defending Europe and the fact that Israel is a vibrant democracy.”

The remarks come amid a diplomatic rift over the Netherlands’ ban last month on goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank as well as from East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, which prompted Israel to revoke the diplomatic credentials of Dutch officials serving in Ramallah.

Herzog also recalls meeting Dutch King Willem-Alexander several years ago, saying the monarch has expressed “a clear moral voice against antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiments.”

Meeting Parisot, Herzog highlights France’s historical ties with Israel and calls for overcoming challenges in the relationship, reinvigorating bilateral cooperation and “building a new path forward.”

Relations between Jerusalem and Paris have been strained over France’s criticism and punitive measures over Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the West Bank and President Emmanuel Macron’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Herzog praises the “warm friendship” between Israel and Austria, citing cooperation in innovation, trade and security, alongside Vienna’s commitment to “combating antisemitism and preserving Holocaust remembrance.”

In meetings with the Rwandan and Ghanaian ambassadors, he highlights existing cooperation with Rwanda in agriculture, innovation and education and opportunities to deepen ties with Ghana in technology, healthcare and water management, as well as to boost Israel’s relations across Africa.