Israel’s new leaders, President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, held their first working meeting on Monday less than a week after Herzog took office and a month after Bennett was sworn in.
The meeting was held at the President’s Residence, although Herzog will not officially move in until next week. Bennett has no intention of moving into the nearby Prime Minister’s Residence, which he will use only for meetings and to host official guests from abroad.
The initial foci of their discussion were the security and economic challenges facing the country, as well as social rifts that threaten national stability. They agreed that a large part of the latter stems from the coronavirus pandemic, which claimed numerous lives and affected many families and individuals economically and psychologically.
Herzog told Bennett he was at his and the government’s disposal in any way that may be of help.
They called on the public to heed all Health Ministry requests and guidelines and urged all people who have not yet been vaccinated to do so. This is a personal responsibility incumbent on every citizen, they emphasized.
The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation between each other personally and through their offices and to remain in close and frequent contact.