Israeli President Arrives at COP27

On Monday, the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog set off for Egypt for leading the delegation from Israel to the COP27 Climate Change conference of the United Nations.

It is taking place in the town of Sharm el-Sheikh and the president said that he would share a vision of regional cooperation with the attendees when it comes to climate change and environmental issues.

The plans

According to the president’s office, he would first address the delegates and also inaugurate the Israeli pavilion, which is the first of its kind at a COP summit.

During his time at the conference, Herzog will also hold diplomatic meetings. Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, the President of Egypt, welcomed him upon his arrival.

His office disclosed that he had then had meetings with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Finland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Chad, Norway, Czechia and Morocco.

Once he is done addressing the summit later, the president would then have a meeting with Rishi Sunak, the new Prime Minister of Britain, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

Herzog is accompanied on the trip by Yifat Shasha-Biton, the Education Minister, Esawi Frej, the Regional Cooperation Minister, Orit Farkash-Hacohen, the Innovation, Science and Technology Minister and Tamar Zandberg, the Environmental Protection Minister.

Other details

Prime Minister Yair Lapid had also intended to attend the event, but he decided to cancel after the results of the elections in the previous week, which saw opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu win.

Between November 6^th and 18^th, about 90 heads of government and state will attend the event, including the President of the United States, Joe Biden.

Before leaving for the conference, the Israeli president said that he would present the ‘renewable Middle East’ vision to the attendees.

As per this vision, Israel would cooperate with regional states for providing effective solutions for the climate crisis.

He stated that one of the top priorities of the country was climate because it is connected to the future of their children and other generations to come.

He also added that they must do everything they can for saving humankind.

The climate

Herzog said that the conference was a historic event that would play a key role in the battle for saving the climate of the planet.

He also shed some light on his vision in terms of regional cooperation for handling the climate crisis. He will also talk to Brad Smith, the vice chair of Microsoft, and Colombia’s President, Gustavo Petro.

The Israeli president will also attend a reception hosted for attendees of the COP27 by Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Sissi.

While Herzog declared that climate issues are a top concern for the State of Israel, the delegation arriving at the conference does not have the backing for achieving bringing down carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

Last month, the Environmental Protection Ministry accepted its failure of anchoring a verbal pledge made a year ago by then-Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, for reaching the said goal.