In his speech, FM Cohen summarized the ministry’s achievements over the past year and wished incoming FM Katz luck in his new position.
Since the beginning of the war, an unprecedented succession of dozens of international leaders has come to identify with Israel, and provided Israel international support for the war against the Hamas terrorist organization. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is striving to raise awareness of the abduction issue and has handled dozens of delegations of abducted family members to many countries around the world.
FM Cohen: Over the past year, it has been my privilege to head the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel. Since the outbreak of war on October 7, MFA personnel have been working around the clock and around the world on the political front, which is no less important than the military front. The results of the intensive work over the past year have been reflected in the form of unprecedented succession of dozens of leaders and foreign ministers arriving in Israel, and the fact that even three months into the fighting, the number of Western countries calling for a ceasefire can be counted on one hand. Over the course of the year, we have worked to promote the State of Israel’s international status, to strengthen diplomatic relations and promote Israel’s economic and security interests. At the beginning of the Swords of Iron War, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a situation assessment immediately following the massacre and acted to raise the issue of the abductees on the global agenda by initiating media campaigns, exhibits in city centers, on billboards and by hosting dozens of family members of abductees who met with heads of state, members of parliament and opinion leaders.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen took his leave today (Tuesday, 2 January 2024) from MFA personnel during a short ceremony with incoming foreign minister Israel Katz.
During the ceremony, FM Cohen reviewed the list of MFA achievements for 2023.
Main activity 2023
- Bilateral meetings have been held with foreign ministers or heads of state of 65 countries.
- Visits and strengthening of ties with 36 countries.
- Leaders and foreign ministers of 30 countries have arrived in Israel since the outbreak of the war, toured the southern communities and met with abductees families.
- Business delegations that have strengthened economic relationships with nine countries.
- Five delegations of abductees’ families accompanied the Foreign Minister in his meetings in the Security Council, the European Union, with the Red Cross president and more.
- Four foreign embassies agreed to open embassies in Jerusalem, one of which has already done so.
- Four new foreign embassies have been established in Israel.
- Two Muslim countries have established embassies in Israel: Azerbaijan and Chad. Azerbaijan is the fist Shi’ite Muslim country to establish an embassy in Israel.
- The political crises with Poland and Serbia have been resolved.
- Establishing a flight path over Oman for planes from Israel.
- Establishing a new embassy in Turkmenistan, 10 kilometers from the Iranian border.
- Passing of a law of obliging diplomats to declare allegiance to the Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.
- Signing od a free trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates.
- An historic visit to Sudan.
- Establishing a young ambassadors program- to integrate young people from outlying geographical regions into Israel's foreign service.
- Promotion of the US visa exemption program.
- A new era in Israel-European Union relations.
- Record MFA budget.