Ivanić with BiH delegation on official visit to Israel

Chairman of the BiH Presidency Mladen Ivanić, who is on an official visit to Israel with a BiH delegation, met today in Jerusalem with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to discuss the current political situation in the two countries, the Balkan region, and the Middle East.

Chairman Ivanić and President Rivlin agreed that the relations between BiH and Israel are excellent, with room for further improvement that would be beneficial for both countries.

This is the first official visit of the Chairman of the BiH Presidency to Israel, and Chairman Ivanić assessed the visit as one of the most important in this mandate.

Chairman Ivanić and President Rivlin noted that there are many similarities between BiH and Israel, due to a number of historical specificities and ways of resolving conflicts.

The interlocutors emphasized that in modern society, it is a particular challenge for both countries to maintain stability in multi-ethnic communities, but that both BiH and Israel have shown that this is possible.

Chairman Ivanić also met today with the Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine, Theophilos III.

Chairman Ivanić and the Patriarch discussed current topics at the Jerusalem Patriarchate, and the Patriarch, who managed to remain the guardian of holy sites in Israel under extremely difficult circumstances, conveyed an optimistic message for the future to the Chairman of the BiH Presidency.

Chairman Ivanić is the 94th head of state to plant an olive tree in the Grove of Nations in Jerusalem, symbolizing peace and life, which has special symbolism in Jerusalem as it is located near the "Yad Vashem" Memorial Center. The olive tree will remain in Israel on behalf of BiH as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.

The BiH delegation, led by the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Dr. Mladen Ivanić, is on an official visit to the State of Israel and the State of Palestine.

During the visit to Israel, the BiH delegation will also meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the President of the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, Yuli Edelstein, and the Minister of Defense, Avigdor Lieberman.

The program includes a meeting of the BiH delegation with representatives of the World Jewish Congress, a visit to the "Yad Vashem" Memorial Center, and a wreath-laying ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance.

During their stay in the State of Palestine, the BiH delegation will meet with the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Negotiations Affairs Committee.

The visit also includes a meeting with Palestinian religious officials and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat.

The delegation includes, in addition to the Chairman of the BiH Presidency Ivanić, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH Igor Crnadak, and the representative of the Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Elvir Čamdžić.