Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met today in Brussels with his peers in the European Union at the invitation of the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell.

Borrell had extended Lapid the invitation to participate at the July 12 monthly Foreign Affairs Council shortly after the Israeli minister took office. On June 14, Borrell called Lapid, tweeting afterward, "Spoke to Yair Lapid to warmly congratulate him for his appointment as new alternate prime minister and foreign minister. Discussed the importance of strengthening the bilateral partnership and promoting security and peace in the region. Looking forward to working together and welcoming you soon in Brussels." Since then, diplomats in Brussels and Jerusalem have been busy setting up a visit, the first time in over a decade for an Israeli foreign minister to participate in this forum. The last Israeli foreign minister to address their European counterparts in this forum was Tzipi Livn in in 2008.

He wrote, "I addressed today at the official Foreign Affairs Council event 27 EU foreign ministers. It has been far too long since an Israeli minister attended this event. Now there is a new government, a new energy. It is time for a new beginning. I want to base our relationship on something that is not usually talked about in international diplomacy: Optimism. Optimism is a political force."

Lapid’s own optimism and energy were visible from the moment he set foot on Belgian soil. Shortly upon arrival to Brussels yesterday afternoon, he met with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry. The two ministers met for an hour, discussing Israel-Palestinian relations and a variety of other security and diplomatic issues. They explored possibilities for a mechanism to rehabilitate the Gaza Strip following the May conflict between Israel and Hamas and means of cooperation against terrorism in the region. Lapid also brought up the Israeli civilians and the bodies of two IDF soldiers held by Hamas.