Israel Awards Muslim Nation Leader Highest Civilian Medal of Honor for Post-October 7 Support

Monday, 7 April 2025 | Israel on Sunday awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, the leader of the predominantly Muslim European nation, in a noteworthy event that comes in the face of dangerous anti-Israel sentiment globally and particularly in Europe. Rama was celebrated with Israel’s highest civilian honor for his “steadfast support for Israel following the October 7 massacre, his courageous stance against antisemitism, and his enduring friendship with the Jewish people,” according to an Israeli press release.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog presented the award to Rama in person in Jerusalem, telling the Albanian leader, “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.”

Despite the population balance in Albania tilting toward a Muslim majority, Rama was outspoken in support of Israel’s right to defend itself and in his explicit condemnation of Hamas after the October 7 terror massacre in which the Gaza terror group murdered around 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds more. In a statement a month after the attack, for example, Rama said his nation “stands firmly with Israel against Hamas” and that “Israel has an undisputed right to defend itself.”

While he also called for a ceasefire at the time in exchange for Hamas releasing all hostages taken from Israel, Rama made it clear Hamas could not retain control of Gaza. “Following the horrific crimes committed on 7 October, there can be no political future for Hamas,” said Rama in the 2023 statement, which was published to the Albanian Prime Minister’s website.

Rama hasn’t changed his message since then. In his comments on Sunday when he accepted the award from Herzog, Rama said pointed to the plight of the remaining hostages while also pointing the finger at Hamas: “In this particularly difficult moment, there are innocent people held in the dungeons of Hamas. I want to repeat—Albania has always supported a two-state solution, but it is our view that there is no solution while Hamas is around. 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 has also blamed Hamas for the condition of Gazans. In comments made in September 2024 at a Combat Antisemitism Movement event and published by the B’nai B’rith International organization on their website, Rama said, “No one who cherishes freedom and democracy should forget that Hamas represents the worst of the anti-democratic faces of this world. So those who call Gaza an open-air prison have to be told that the guards of the prison are Hamas, not Israel.”

On Sunday, Rama also noted the significance of battling antisemitism. “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.”

Rama further underscored that support of the Jewish people is nothing new for Albania, highlighting his nation’s actions during the Holocaust.

“I am honored to accept this award on behalf of the Albanian people, and first and foremost, on behalf of all Albanians—Muslims and Christians—who put themselves and their lives on the line during the darkest hour of modern history, and turned our country into the only one in Europe that ended the Second World War with more Jews than it started with,” Rama was quoted as saying in the press release.

In addition to the important actions in the past, the Israeli award also offers hope for the future, noted Herzog. Said the Israeli president to the Albanian leader on Sunday, “Jewish tradition teaches that the world stands on three pillars: justice, truth, and peace. I believe these values—and the balance between them—define your leadership, and the special bond between our nations.

“May the friendship between Albania and Israel remain a beacon of goodwill in these dark times, reminding us all that integrity and courage are always a choice—and that a safer and more peaceful future is possible.”