(Communicated by the Knesset Spokesperson)
Speaking at a special session of the Knesset held in his honor on Monday, Czech President Milos Zeman said his speech is a “message of solidarity with Israel and the Jewish People" and said “Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu said the Czech Republic is Israel's best friend in Europe. I wonder, why only Europe?"
“Anyway, I am the best friend of Israel in my whole country," he said.
In his speech, President Zeman mentioned historic Czech support for Israel and the Jewish People, and said that recently “Palestinian terrorists" spoke in the European Parliament. This, he said, was a disgrace for all Europeans.
Addressing what he referred to as Islamic terror, President Zeman said sometimes it is important to be decisive. “We Europeans, and now I do not speak about America, I speak about the EU in fact, sometimes hesitate more. We sometimes are cowards. It is very impolite, isn’t it? But I am afraid it is frank. And that’s why it is necessary all the time [to stand in] solidarity with Israel. Because if we betray Israel, we betray ourselves,” he said.
President Zeman expressed hope that Tuesday's planned dedication of a Czech House in Jerusalem, dealing with Czech-Israel tourism, trade and other areas, will lead to the relocation of the Czech Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
“I am no dictator, unfortunately, but I promise I will do my best," he stated.
The special session was held in the presence of President Reuven Rivlin and included additional speeches by Speaker of the Knesset MK Yuli-Yoel Edelstein (Likud), Prime Minister MK Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) and opposition leader MK Tzipi Livni (Zionist Union).