“Welcome to Israel, and to Jerusalem our capital,” said the president. “The relations between our two countries are excellent, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for Moldova’s support for the American resolution condemning Hamas terrorism at the UN. We appreciate it very much.”
 
President Rivlin noted that there is a large community of former Moldovans in Israel, “who are a ‘living bridge’ between our two peoples.” Speaking about the Iranian nuclear threat, he said “we face a growing threat. It is very important that we do not allow Iran to destabilize the region. The Iranian nuclear project is a threat to the whole world, and I hope we can count on your support to limit their influence.”
 
President Dodon of Moldova thanked the president for his warm welcome and said that this was his first visit to Israel. He noted the close relations with the Jewish community in Moldova and that they enjoy the full support of the government. The president also said that “In 2015, Moldova passed a law to recognize and condemn the Holocaust. We support the people of Israel and strongly condemn the acts of terror in the region around you.” He added “I hope to be able to strengthen the trade and tourism relations between our countries. There is great potential and we should do more.”
 
At the end of his remarks, the president said "It is a great honor for any Christian to visit the Holy Land, myself included.”