Kobakhidze Meets with Israeli Ambassador Amid War in Middle East

2026-03-11 - 11:46

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze met with Israel’s Ambassador Walid Abu Haya on March 11 amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. Kobakhidze “expressed concern over the developments in the Middle East and extended condolences to Israel over the loss of lives,” the government administration said in a press release. He also “expressed hope that peace will soon be restored in the region and emphasized the importance of stability for the well-being of countries and their peoples.” According to the press release, the meeting also touched upon the “centuries-long friendly relations between Georgia and Israel.” Israel’s embassy has not yet reported on the meeting. The meeting took place a day after Irakli Kobakhidze congratulated Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on his “election” as the new Supreme Leader of Iran, succeeding his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes at the outset of the war. Hours after Kobakhidze’s congratulatory message was published, Israel’s Embassy in Georgia posted on Facebook about Mojtaba Khamenei, describing who he is and pointedly commenting on the context, even though