Tel Aviv [Israel], July 7 (ANI/TPS): President of Israel Isaac Herzog met Monday morning at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem with a delegation of Muslim leaders from across Europe and told them to, “Bring back to your communities a message of peace,” and that he hopes, “that peace will come with Syria, with Lebanon, inshallah (God willing in Arabic) even with Saudi Arabia, and that we will continue moving forward.”
The delegation was led by ELNET, which brings together leaders to foster close relations between Europe and Israel, based on shared democratic values and strategic interests, included Imams and Muslim community leaders from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, and the United Kingdom, who came to Israel to promote a message of peace, coexistence and partnership between Muslims and Jews, and between Israel and the Muslim world.
The President stressed to them the importance of the delegation, and Israel’s commitment and strong desire to advance to a new era of inclusion and peace in the Middle East, as well as the vital role of the Muslim population in Israel, which he noted was an integral part of Israeli society.
The group spoke with Herzog about the importance of their visit, their love and friendship for Israel and the Jewish people, and of the need to show an alternative to extremism. They ended with an emotional prayer for peace and singing of the lyrics of Israel’s national anthem the Hatikvah.
“We are all children of Abraham, and I believe the historic progress in our region is a progress of dialogue–between Muslims and Jews, and Jews and Muslims,” the President stated, adding that, their visit, and “courageous work, reflects the silent majority in the Middle East and around the world who yearn for this kind of shared life.” (ANI/TPS)
