President Isaac Herzog has received a congratulatory message from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressing hope that his election “will contribute to further strengthening the culture of peace.”
“I avail myself of this good opportunity to congratulate Your Excellency as you embark upon your new responsibilities, expressing my hope that your election will contribute to further strengthening the culture of peace,” Sisi’s letter read. “In this context I would like to affirm that Egypt believes in the importance of joint efforts to achieve a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause and I very much look forward to your contribution to this effect so that our region can eventually enjoy the peace that we all aspire to.”
It should be noted that Sisi did not refer to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as is the norm, but wrote “Palestinian cause”.
His faith in Herzog’s ability to contribute to “the culture of peace” is based not only on Herzog’s record of getting along well with all types of people. He is also aware of the fact that Herzog’s mother Aura, was born and raised in Egypt. Moreover, Sisi met with Herzog in Cairo in April 2017, when Herzog, as opposition leader, flew there as to be part of a regional endeavor to advance peace.
The two met again in New York in November of that year, and in February 2020, Herzog visited the Egyptian Embassy in Tel Aviv to sign the condolence book in memory of the late Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
