Israel's Herzog receives new ambassadors' credentials
Ilana Seid makes history as Palau’s first ambassador to the State of Israel
Israel's President Isaac Herzog received the credentials on Monday of the new ambassadors of Moldova, Ghana, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Mongolia, and for the first time, Palau, in a series of official ceremonies at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.
The incoming ambassadors were honored by the Israeli military band playing the national anthems of the ambassadors' countries. After the ceremony, the ambassadors presented their letters of credence to Herzog.
Herzog held an audience with each ambassador, after which each ambassador signed the guest book. At the end of each ceremony, the Israeli national anthem was played.
The first ambassador was Alexandr Roitman, the Ambassador of Moldova. Herzog congratulated him on his promotion from serving as Moldova’s chargé d’affaires in Israel and noted that Israel and Moldova are marking thirty years of diplomatic relations.
Roitman extended personal regards from the Moldovan president to Herzog and an invitation to visit the country.
After was Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana, Lydia Ofosua Amartey, previously Ghana’s deputy ambassador to Egypt. The two discussed the potential for Ghanaian tourism and pilgrimages in Israel.
The third ambassador to present credence letters was the non-resident Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Shebba Shumbayawonda, who has served as Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Egypt since 2019.
Then, the non-resident Ambassador of New Zealand, Zoe Coulson-Sinclair - concurrently serving as New Zealand’s ambassador to Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Jordan - presented her letters. Coulson-Sinclair and Herzog discussed Māori history and culture. Herzog's father, Chaim Herzog, who served as Israel's sixth president - was the first Israeli head of state to visit New Zealand.
Herzog then discussed possibilities for Israeli-Mongolian cooperation on environmental issues, including forestation, with the non-resident Ambassador of the Republic of Mongolia, Munkhbayar Gombosuren.
Finally, was the non-resident Ambassador of the Republic of Palau, Ilana Seid.
Herzog congratulated Seid on making history as Palau’s first ambassador to the State of Israel. Seid told Herzog about her Jewish heritage, and Herzog thanked the country for its support for Israel. They discussed ways for Israel to help Palau further in agriculture, technology, and desalination.