President Isaac Herzog will depart Wednesday for a four-day official visit to Panama and Costa Rica, close allies of Israel. The visit to Panama will be the first ever by an Israeli president.
Herzog will travel to Central America on a chartered El Al flight rather than on the Wing of Zion, the state aircraft designated for the country’s leaders. The President’s Residence said the decision not to use the Wing of Zion was based on a response from the Prime Minister’s Office indicating the plane has a potential planned trip that could conflict with the president’s flight.
It is unclear what trip is being referred to. One possibility is that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is awaiting an invitation from United States President Donald Trump to travel to Washington for a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, an option Trump himself raised last month when he announced a three week extension of the temporary ceasefire in Lebanon.
Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office said there are currently no plans for an overseas trip, and it is possible the aircraft was reserved as a precaution in case of a last minute invitation, though nothing concrete is planned at this time.
Herzog’s visit comes on the occasion of the inauguration of Costa Rica’s incoming president, Laura Fernandez Delgado, following an official invitation from outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves Robles. Both Delgado and Robles are considered strong supporters of Israel. The state visit will begin in Panama, also a close friend of Israel in Central America and currently a member of the United Nations Security Council.
During his visit there, Herzog will hold a diplomatic meeting with President Jose Raul Mulino and his team to discuss strengthening ties and advancing cooperation between the two countries, following their meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year. Herzog will also meet with members of the local Jewish community, known for its strong support for Israel.
From there, Herzog will travel to Costa Rica, where he will represent Israel at Delgado’s inauguration ceremony. During the visit, he will meet with the incoming president for a diplomatic meeting and attend a state dinner for heads of state hosted by outgoing President Robles. Herzog is also expected to hold meetings with presidents and leaders from Central and South America, as well as other world leaders attending the event. He will later meet with leaders and members of Costa Rica’s historic Jewish community.
The President’s Residence said: “This visit reflects the importance of Israel’s ties with Latin American countries and the renewed momentum in relations with Central and South America. The visit is intended to deepen and strengthen the strategic partnership between the countries and their peoples.”