Herzog Addresses Azerbaijan Summit as Iran, Turkey Delegates Walk Out

Israeli President Isaac Herzog attended the CICA summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Thursday, where delegates from Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Kuwait, and the Palestinian Authority walked out during his speech. The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, along with representatives from the UAE, Bahrain, and Central Asian Muslim nations, remained in the hall and listened to Herzog's address. Earlier on Thursday, Herzog visited the Israeli embassy in Baku to mark the opening of polling stations for the upcoming 26th Knesset elections, with Israeli missions abroad being among the first to vote. He was accompanied by Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ronen Kraus. A statement from the President's office indicated that Herzog's visit aimed to "emphasize the resilience of Israeli democracy and the importance of exercising the right to vote by the country's representatives and envoys abroad." At the embassy, Herzog stated, "This is a very important moment in my diplomatic visit here in Azerbaijan. I am witnessing the start of the election campaign and how elections are actually held at Israeli missions abroad, here at the embassy in Baku." He added, "These elections are a celebration of democracy in Israel and its embassies abroad. I call on all citizens of the country to exercise their right to vote and, of course, to influence Israel's future. These are very important elections after a not-so-simple period for the State of Israel, and the main thing I want to say to all citizens of Israel is, elections are not a civil war. On the contrary, this is our true process for influencing our lives and determining the direction the country is heading."

Ambassador Kraus welcomed President Herzog to the embassy, calling it an honor to host him and to be among the first to vote in the Knesset elections, emphasizing it as an important democratic right and a joyous occasion for the embassy staff and envoys.