The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, has visited Albania for the first time.

In a joint press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama, he thanked Albania for its steadfast support in his country’s effort to bring peace to Palestine.

“It is very meaningful for me to be among friends at this painful time for Israel. It’s been 1 year since thousands of terrorists invaded our country, brutally killed thousands and kidnapped hundreds of Israelis and foreigners in Gaza. Since that dark day, Albania has been steadfastly on the right side of history.

Your country has shown that it stands by the Israeli people as we struggle to protect our people and our border and to bring peace between us and the Palestinians. You have stood by us in these difficult times. Unfortunately our work is not done, hostages are still being cruelly held in Gaza, in gross violation of humanitarian and international norms.

So everything must be done to bring them home. Unfortunately we are simultaneously fighting more than one terrorist enemy; it is Iran and its cruel anti-Semitic obsession with destroying the state of Israel.

But our relations do not begin and end there, Albanians and Jews have a great history, Jews found a place during the Holocaust in Albania. I am pleased that we are here and with a significant increase in our connection in many forms of life,” said the Israeli president.