President receives medal of honour in Israel

President Nicos Anastasiades received Israel’s presidential medal of honour on Wednesday in Jerusalem during a ceremony hosted by President Isaac Herzog – after which bilateral issues were discussed.

He also met with Benjamin Netanyahu, who is expected to return as prime minister, where they discussed matters ranging from the Eurasia Interconnector and settling the Ishai-Aphrodite gas field matter to transferring natural gas between the two.

Anastasiades heard that he received the medal for being an ally and a true friend to the state of Israel, for his contribution to the great friendship between Cyprus and Israel and for his key role in the establishment and development of the trilateral relationship between Israel, Cyprus and Greece.

For his part, Anastasiades said that: “Being bestowed the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour evokes intense feelings and emotions.”

He emphasised that his first official visit to a third country after assuming office was to Jerusalem in May 2013 and ever since “I have personally invested significant political capital in cultivating our ties”.

He also recalled Herzog’s trip to Cyprus last March where the Israeli president was awarded the Grand Collar of the Order of Makarios III.

Anastasiades has been making frequent trips abroad during the twilight of his two-term presidency, most recently having received the Order of Pope Pius IX during his visit to the Vatican last month.