Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid Thanks Central American Nations for Longstanding Ties With Jewish State

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid addressed the Central America Forum for Israel last month, and spoke warmly of the region’s longstanding backing of the Jewish state.

“Today is an opportunity to thank the peoples and nations of Central America for their support,” Lapid said.

“We are grateful for the recognition of Jerusalem as our eternal capital,” he added, referring the embassies opened by Guatemala and Honduras in the city in recent years.

“We stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight against global terrorism,” Foreign Minister Lapid noted. “One key step is banning Hezbollah, all of Hezbollah, and I am thankful for those who have taken the step and call on every country to follow suit.”

He also spoke of the agricultural, water, healthcare, and education expertise Israel has shared with Central American countries over the decades, and highlighted the Foreign Ministry’s MASHAV program.

“We want to deepen those relations,” Foreign Minister Lapid declared. “We want to strengthen those relations, to increase trade, to sign more economic agreements, to cooperate more closely on healthcare.”

Watch Foreign Minister Lapid’s full remarks here:

The Central America Forum for Israel — hosted by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and Center for Jewish Impact, in partnership with the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala, the Guatemala-Israel Friendship League, and the Jewish Community of Guatemala — brought together top regional leaders, including Guatemalan President Dr. Alejandro Giammattei, to reject Jew-hatred and unite in a powerful show of support for the State of Israel.

The full event can be viewed here: