Austrian Federal Chancellery (12/15/08)

Federal President Fischer pays visit to Israel and Palestinian territories

Federal President Heinz Fischer and his wife Margit started their four-day state visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories on 14 December 2008. Among the members of the delegation accompanying them are Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger, Minister of Defence Norbert Darabos, Minister of Education Claudia Schmied and the Vice-President of the Economic Chamber Austria, Richard Schenz. The subjects for debate are the Middle East peace efforts and intensified cooperation between Israel and Austria.

The programme includes meetings with leading politicians in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ramallah, including Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Other items on the agenda are a visit to the Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem, the Wailing Wall as well as the Austrian hospice in Jerusalem. Besides, an honorary doctorate of the University of Tel Aviv will be conferred on Fischer. In Tel Aviv the Federal President will open an economic forum.