Israeli President Reuven Rivlin who met Monday in Jerusalem with visiting Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel spoke with him about the importance of Belgium’s policies toward anti-Semitism and the adoption of the wider definition of the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) which includes condemnation of anti-Israel sentiment and of the denial of Israel’s right to exist.

He said, “I want to thank the Prime Minister for dedicating time to the subject of defining anti-Semitism an issue we discussed on my visit to Belgium.’’

’’Holocaust remembrance is not exclusive to the Jewish people, ‘Never Again’ is a lesson for the entire world,” Rivlin said.

The two en also discussed the threat of global terrorism. Rivlin stated : “ISIS has become a phenomenon, and does not only drive random events. We are duty-bound to fight global terrorism together. ISIS graduates are flooding Europe, there are hundreds of them in Belgium, and we also must bear the burden of security – cooperating with Europe and many other countries to locate any potential terrorists. Our proficiency and familiarity with the matter are a product of our constant need for security; we are available to share our knowledge with the free world, just as you are."

The Belgian Prime Minister said ‘’we are convinced that the fight for security is a fight to strengthen freedom and democracy. In Europe we are dealing with the threat of terrorism and fully committed to fight it. We intend to strengthen the relationship between our security services. We believe that peace and stability are essential for the development of democracy. Cooperation is the key to reach a world ruled by peace.”

On Tuesday, Charles Michel, who was accompanied by a delegation of Belgian MPs, met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who praised the bilateral relations between the two countries.

‘’Israel today has a car industry. A few years ago we had no car industry. But we had 3 billion dollar investment last year in our driverless car technology. We have 500 startups. A few years ago, a decade ago, we had maybe one, at most two. So this is expanding and creating new opportunities and my point is that small countries can have powerful economies. Israel is such an example and in Belgium you have your own strength. I think that if we cooperate we can increase the prosperity of our peoples for our common benefit.’’

Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he blamed the lack of peace on ''the persistent Palestinian refusal for the last 70 years, 68 years since Israel was established, to recognize a Jewish state in any boundaries.''

''This is the core of our particular conflict. I look forward to the day when we have Palestinians who are willing to recognize, finally, the Jewish state. That will be the beginning of peace and a great step forward to achieving it,'' Netanyahu said.