On Monday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog received the credentials of five new ambassadors in a formal ceremony held at the President’s Residence, set against the backdrop of ongoing efforts to form a national unity government ahead of the upcoming elections.
The newly accredited envoys include Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Bayingana of Rwanda, Christophe Parisot of France, Arad Benko of Austria, Stella Ronner Grubacic of the Netherlands, and Evelyn Korantemaa Ofosu-Amable of Ghana. All will continue to serve through Israel’s next government administration.
Israel’s diplomatic ties with Rwanda, initially established in the early 1960s, were interrupted in 1973 but restored in 1998. Relations have since remained cordial, marked by cooperation in various sectors including innovation, technology, agriculture, and security. High-level visits have reinforced this partnership, notably Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 2016 visit to Rwanda and President Paul Kagame’s reciprocal trip to Israel in 2017. Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe also signed several bilateral agreements with Israel earlier this year. Bayingana emphasized his commitment to further expanding collaboration between the two nations.
The ambassador from France, Christophe Parisot, acknowledged ongoing diplomatic challenges between France and Israel but highlighted the enduring strength of people-to-people connections and cultural exchanges. During his discussion with President Herzog, Parisot addressed recent unrest in France and reflected on the historical fluctuations in Franco-Israeli relations. Herzog recalled a period in 1988 when relations between the two countries were at a particularly positive juncture. Parisot pledged to dedicate his efforts to improving bilateral ties.
Arad Benko of Austria described his return to Israel as a “homecoming.” Born in Haifa and raised abroad, Benko had previously served as a spokesman for the Austrian embassy in Israel. He acknowledged some past tensions between the two countries, particularly concerning the treatment of activists detained in the West Bank, but affirmed a commitment to maintaining constructive diplomacy.
Diplomatic relations with the Netherlands were underscored by President Herzog’s brief private conversation with Ambassador Stella Ronner Grubacic following the credentialing ceremony, reflecting strong ongoing ties. Details of their discussion were not publicly disclosed.
Ghanaian Ambassador Evelyn Korantemaa Ofosu-Amable arrived at the event wearing traditional national attire, which Herzog remarked upon, noting the vibrant representation of Ghana’s cultural heritage. Israel and Ghana maintain a longstanding relationship dating back seven decades to former Prime Minister Golda Meir’s historic visit to Africa. Early collaboration included Israeli support in training Ghana’s military personnel. Ofosu-Amable, among Ghana’s women diplomats who hold significant posts, noted one area of divergence with Israel concerns differing views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s two-state solution.
The presentations of credentials come as Israel prepares for its upcoming elections, with the incoming government expected to inherit these established diplomatic relations and ongoing international partnerships.