Israeli President Isaac Herzog awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Sunday.
Rama was awarded the medal in recognition of his support for Israel following the October 7 massacre, as well as for his stance against antisemitism.
“You refused to yield to international pressure and demonstrated deep friendship and vital support for Israel,” Herzog said.
Rama and his wife were hosted by Herzog at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, where the leaders discussed regional developments and the urgent need to release the hostages held in Gaza.
“Hamas is not a resistance movement. Hamas are the Nazis of the new century, and as history has taught us - there is no compromise with Nazis,” Rama said.
The Presidential Medal of Honor is the highest civilian decoration in Israel, awarded to those who “illuminate the world with exceptional leadership, moral clarity, democratic values, and an unbreakable friendship with the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” Herzog explained.
Rising to the challenge
“When the time came to turn words into action, you rose to the challenge with courage. In our darkest hour, after the horrific Hamas attack on Israel – the most devastating assault on the Jewish people since the Holocaust – you refused to succumb to international pressure. You held fast to your moral compass and expressed deep friendship and vital support for Israel,” Herzog continued.
Rama said that he was accepting the award on behalf of all Albanians and mentioned the country’s history of protecting its Jews: Albania was the only European country to end the Second World War with more Jews than it started with.
“We do everything we can to be vocal on antisemitism. We have passed legislation and promoted Holocaust education in our schools. Because, for us, this is not just about the Jews - it is about humanity,” he added.