Isaac Herzog meets with 'Make-A-Wish' child who wished to know the feeling of being president

After the visit, Arbel Rot was given a tour of the Knesset, followed by a family vacation in Jerusalem, according to Make-A-Wish Israel.

President Isaac Herzog met with a critically ill "Wish Kid" at the President's Residence on Tuesday for a visit organized by Make-A-Wish Israel, an organization that grants life-changing wishes to such children.

"I was excited to host 14-year-old Arbel Rot, who bravely fought his illness, as part of a special Make-A-Wish Israel day, and to fulfill his wish of being the king of the world and to feel what it's like to be the president of the country for a day," Herzog said in an X/Twitter post.

"I was privileged to meet the intelligent, curious, and exciting Arbel, and to answer his questions," Herzog continued. "I wish him health, and may he continue to fulfill wishes!"

According to a statement by Make-A-Wish Israel, the president shook Rot's hand and warmly welcomed him to the residence, describing the moment as "deeply moving" for Rot and his family.

Make-A-Wish Israel founders Denise and Avi Bar-Aharon accompanied the Nahariya resident during the visit, the third such event for the founders, who had accompanied children during meetings with former presidents Shimon Peres and Reuven Rivlin during their terms.

Herzog thanked the founders and their organization for arranging the visit, describing the group's volunteers as people who "give the children and their families moments of joy, strength and hope."

An 'enormous privilege' for the organization's founders

The founders noted the visit as "an enormous privilege and a deeply moving experience."

“Seeing Arbel walk into the President’s Residence and have the opportunity to feel, even for just a few moments, what it is like to be President for a day is the kind of moment that is impossible not to be moved by," they said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful to President Herzog for his warm welcome, his sensitivity, and the time he dedicated to Arbel and his family."

"Moments like these remind us, time and again, why we are here," they added. "We hope to continue granting many more wishes and creating moments for our children that will stay with them for a lifetime."

After the visit, Rot was given a tour of the Knesset, followed by a family vacation in Jerusalem, according to the organization.