President Isaac Herzog received the credentials of six newly appointed ambassadors during a series of official ceremonies at the President's Residence on Monday, marking the return of the ambassadors of Chile and Honduras to Israel for the first time since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
The ambassadors presenting their credentials were Sri Lanka's Saman Kumar Chandrasiri, Georgia's Beka Dvali, Nigeria's Nkechi Linda Opuochu, Germany's Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, Chile's Gabriel Alejandro Zaliasnik Schilkrut, and Honduras's Jose Luis Nunez Bent.
Upon their arrival, the ambassadors were welcomed with their national anthems performed by the IDF Orchestra before reviewing the honor guard. Each envoy then formally presented credentials to Herzog, held a private meeting with the president, and signed the guest book at the President's Residence.
During his meeting with Chile's ambassador, Herzog addressed ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding the Gaza conflict and referred to Trump's Board of Peace initiative.
"You rightly mentioned the pogrom and the horrific atrocities of October 7, and where we find ourselves three years later," Herzog said. "We are still coping with the pain and the trauma, but we are also rebuilding every single day."
Diplomatic efforts create opportunities for dialogue
The president said he believed current diplomatic efforts could create new opportunities for dialogue throughout the region.
"I believe that now, together with the many efforts of Trump's BoP, we can find ways to engage in dialogue with our neighbors on all fronts," he said. "There are many positive steps in the BoP's efforts under the sponsorship and leadership of President Trump."
Herzog also welcomed what he described as the council's "20-point plan," saying it represented "a very positive step" after its adoption by the UN Security Council.
He stressed, however, that any progress depended on Hamas giving up its weapons.
"I think the 20-point plan, adopted by the UN Security Council, is a very positive step, under the clear commitment that Hamas must be disarmed, and I hope Hamas will be completely disarmed," Herzog said. "That is clearly the basis for moving to the next stage through the establishment of a technocratic government."
He added that, with the support of US President Donald Trump, the BoP, and BoP CEO Nikolay Mladenov, such a framework "can bring a vision of hope, both for the residents of Gaza and for the people of Israel."