President Herzog: “I cry out to all humanity — to act by every means and with all strength to bring about the urgent release of all the hostages, back home to Israel. Some for rehabilitation and return to their homes, and some to be laid to rest in dignity. Every last one of them.”
(Communicated by the President's Spokesperson)
President Isaac Herzog was welcomed today (Monday, 12 May 2025), at an official state ceremony at the Bellevue Presidential Palace in Berlin, Germany.
At the opening of the ceremony, the President was greeted by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The national anthems of both countries were played as the presidents reviewed the honor guard.
Following this, a political meeting was held between the two leaders. In their meeting, the presidents discussed the foremost effort to return the hostages held in captivity in Gaza. They also discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation and developing future joint initiatives, marking 60 years of diplomatic relations.
The President thanked President Steinmeier for his sincere friendship and for his personal commitment to the relationship between the two countries and to its deepening. After this meeting, an expanded bilateral meeting was held with the participation of both delegations.
Afterward, President Herzog and President Steinmeier delivered joint statements to the press.
President Herzog said: “My friend, President Steinmeier, even in these days, as Adenauer said to Ben-Gurion in 1960, Israel is still ‘the fortress of the West.’ Even though, as we say during Passover, ‘In every generation, they rise up to destroy us,’ Israel is a mighty wall — for the free world, for democracy, for humanity and humaneness. This is why the Iranian leadership and its proxies, filled with horrific antisemitic motivation, seek to destroy the State of Israel — the nation-state of the Jewish people — while simultaneously threatening the democratic world and the stability of all humanity.
"One of the tentacles of the Iranian octopus, the terrorist organization Hamas, burned, raped, murdered, and abducted on October 7 — murdering the largest number of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust. Hamas still holds dozens of Israeli hostages in disgraceful conditions, in the most difficult circumstances, in a horrific crime against humanity. I know well — with deep appreciation and gratitude — how much you, my friend, are working for the hostages and their families. Together with you, I cry out to all humanity — to act by every means and with all strength to bring about the urgent release of all the hostages, back home to Israel. Some for rehabilitation and return to their homes, and some to be laid to rest in dignity. Every last one of them.
"The announcement of the expected release of Edan Alexander from Gaza, and the return of the body of Tzvi Feldman — missing since the Lebanon War of 1982 — from Syria, are deeply moving moments that fill us with hope. They remind us that the people of Israel never give up and fight to bring every son and daughter home. It does not matter whether they hold one passport or two. It does not matter whether they are alive or have been murdered. The State of Israel is committed to deep mutual responsibility, and we are obligated to continue doing everything to bring all the hostages home. All of them. Urgently. They are all our sons and daughters.
"We welcome this with deep emotion and trembling hearts — the news that Edan Alexander will be released from Hamas captivity. I send a warm embrace to his dear parents, to his family, to his grandmother Verda Ben-Baruch, and to all his loved ones. We look forward to seeing him home. Their noble and brave steadfastness touched all our hearts. I send a great embrace of solidarity to all the families of the hostages. They are all engraved on our hearts.
"I emphasize again: the State of Israel makes no distinction between one citizen and another, and certainly not between those who hold a foreign passport and those who do not. We are all members of the same family. We are all equal. All the hostages are equal. The duty to return all the hostages is a sacred and holy Israeli moral obligation. I cry out from here, loudly, to the family of nations: bring them home — now — every last one of them.
"I remind you that another arm of Iran — the Houthis in Yemen — is not only firing missiles and making great efforts to harm innocent Israeli civilians throughout Israel; they have also attacked and continue to attack dozens of ships in the Red Sea, causing loss of life and property, and harming the global economy. All of these vile acts have one and only one address: Tehran. Iran provides these organizations with massive military and financial support — and without it, they could not commit these atrocities. Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. We must confront Iran — with resolve, with strength, and through international partnership. This is not just an Israeli interest. It is a human and global interest.
"Distinguished friends, we are in a period in which antisemitism and hatred are flourishing in Europe and across the world. Ancient murderous hatreds are rearing their heads again and joining with dark forces seeking to destroy the Jewish state. We must not assume that the horror of the Holocaust will be known to future generations. Therefore, we must act with all our might to pass on memory and to wage a determined battle against hatred, antisemitism, and racism.
"Thank you, my friend. And thank you to the entire German people — for your support and for your friendship. Here, on the soil of Germany, as the President of the Jewish and democratic State of Israel, I will conclude with the words I said when we visited, together, my friend, the President, the terrible death camp of Bergen-Belsen: The Eternal One of Israel does not lie. The people of Israel live. To the partnership between our peoples and between our nations.”