AJC Lauds Czech Republic's Friendship with Israel

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May 18, 2012, 11:23 ET

NEW YORK, May 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC saluted the further deepening of Czech-Israeli relations during Prime Minister Netanyahu's two-day visit to Prague. The Israeli delegation was warmly received by Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas.

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"The close and mutually beneficial relationship between the Czech Republic and Israel is particularly noteworthy," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "Prague is one of Israel's staunchest EU allies, drawing on the historical support for a Jewish state that dates back to such venerable Czechoslovak leaders as Thomas Masaryk."

Necas said his government shares Israel's concerns about Iran's nuclear program, opposes any unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood, and "fundamentally rejects delegitimization and any boycott of the State of Israel."

"The long-term Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be solved only through direct negotiations of the two parties," Necas said.

Israel has "no better friend in Europe than the Czech Republic," said Netanyahu. "The Czech people understand what it's like to be a believer in democracy in a hostile region."

In an interview with the Jerusalem Post before his meeting with Netanyahu, the Czech prime minister said, "We've got a special feeling for Israel's situation – that of a small nation surrounded by enemies. We remember our situation in the 1930s, when the small democratic Czechoslovakia had neighbors that wanted to destroy it or take part of our territory."

SOURCE American Jewish Committee