President Isaac Herzog addressed the CICA summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Thursday, calling for broader peace across the Middle East while warning that terrorism and boycotts undermine regional cooperation.

“Peace cannot coexist with terror, and cooperation cannot flourish alongside boycotts,” Herzog told the gathering. “Every sovereign state participating in this framework has the right to live in freedom and peace, without its very existence being under constant threat.”

Herzog expressed hope that future peace efforts would reach Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and Israel’s other neighbors, alongside a shared commitment to fighting terrorism.

“I hope and pray that we can see a vision of peace in the Middle East, with Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and our neighbors, and that together we can fight terrorism in all its forms,” he said.

The president pointed to the Abraham Accords as evidence that cooperation can transform political realities. He also welcomed the announcement of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s planned visit to Uzbekistan in the coming days for meetings with Central Asian leaders.

Herzog noted that Israel’s involvement in the CICA framework dates back to Shimon Peres’s efforts in the 1990s. He stressed that international cooperation against shared threats, including terrorism, disease, and pollution, is a necessity in an interconnected world.

“Israel has much to contribute to Asia in the 21st century in technology, water, agriculture, energy, and artificial intelligence,” Herzog said, urging participants to choose dialogue over division.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)