Iranian threat now at Europe's doorstep, Israel's Herzog tells NATO chief

• Published date: 27 January 2023

After meeting Stoltenberg, Herzog was received at the North Atlantic Council, which is the principal political decision-making body within NATO. It was the first time that an Israeli president met with NATO ambassadors at the NATO headquarters

Greeting Herzog, Stoltenberg said that ''This is a historic visit marking the first time the president of Israel addresses NATO allies, it's a sign of deepening partnership. For almost 30 years, Israel and NATO worked closely together in many different areas, including science and technology, counter-terrorism, civil preparedness, counter-weapons of mass destruction and security and many more areas. I look forward to discussing ways of strengthening our cooperation, including on climate change, innovation and new technologies, and also to discuss our support for Ukraine.''

Stoltenberg then said that ''this is also about defending our values. Iran is delivering support to Russia, including drones that are used to attack civilians, infrastructure, homes and hospitals in Ukraine. In return, Russia is stepping up its support of Iran. And at the same time, it is stepping up its cooperation with other authoritarian states such as China and North Korea. As we see growing cooperation among authoritarian states, it is more important than ever to stand up for freedom, and democracy.''

What did Herzog say?

Herzog commended the increasingly deep ties between Israel and NATO, ''through frequent visits and consultations, concrete strides like stationing an Israeli liaison to MARCOM, and through joint training and projects that bring us closer and position us to act more effectively.''

Israel's president referred to the emerging threats and challenges Israel and NATO allies are confronted with in recent years, ''from space and cybersecurity, you mentioned the climate correctly, to armed drones, energy resilience, and so many other fields. In all of these areas, the deepening Israel-NATO partnership is a precious asset. Our collaboration is strengthening the security of the citizens of NATO member countries, of Israel, and of like-minded, peace-loving nations around the world.''

On the issue of the Tehran regime, Herzog repeated the same message he had delivered earlier in his visit to the Belgian King Philippe, the President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, that the Iranian threat is now at Europe's doorstep. ''In Israel, the danger is clear, present, and real...