President Isaac Herzog landed in Panama today (Wednesday) for an official and historic visit—the first ever by an Israeli president to the country. Upon arrival, Herzog was greeted at the airport by Panama’s Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez, kicking off a series of meetings to strengthen ties between the two nations.
Herzog opened his visit with a tour of the Panama Canal, considered one of the world’s most important engineering sites and a critical maritime artery for global trade and commerce. During the tour, accompanied by the foreign minister, the president received a comprehensive briefing on the canal’s strategic importance and the potential for cooperation with Israel.
During his remarks at the canal, Herzog delivered a sharp message to Israel’s enemies: “The canal is a beautiful example of how Panama enables freedom of navigation and maritime freedom, in contrast to what we see in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf. We must all stand together firmly against any blockade of free shipping anywhere in the world.”
Herzog went on to emphasize the importance of the connection between the peoples: “It is a great honor to be here as the guest of President Mulino in Panama. This is a historic visit, connecting our two peoples and advancing cooperation between us. We have so much to share together—from water purification to technology, from science to agriculture, and yes, also a love of the Bible.”
Panama’s foreign minister welcomed the president, saying: “This is a very historic and symbolic visit. Here, in the heart of the continent, we want to show the president of Israel the friendship that exists between Israel and Panama. We share many common values, and your visit here symbolizes the deepening of relations and the development of cooperation in trade and innovation.”