Diplomatic Events

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Published: 26 October 2011

A traditional reception commemorating Columbus Day, HISPANIDAD DAY, was held at the residence gardens of Hon. Alvaro Iranzo, Ambassador of Spain to Israel and his wife, in Herzliya Pituach.

The Honorary guests were former President of Israel Yitzhak Navon and his wife.

During the party we received the notice of Shalit's release and the ambassador expressed his hope in his speech. Shalit's release and Columbus Day both symbolize the dawn of new eras... Gilad's freedom was returned to him so that he could embark on a new chapter in his life. Columbus' discovery of the New World began a sea change in world history.

Below is the Ambassador's speech, during which he welcomed the attendees and expressed hope for the future and summed up the activity between Israel and Spain during this last year:

I am most honoured to welcome you on the occasion of our National Day. This year, like many others, the celebration comes close to the Rosh Hashaná Festivities. It is therefore easy to pause and consider the achievements of the past year, as well as to express our commitment to further bilateral cooperation for the year 5772.

In 1986, Spain and Israel put an end to a historic anomaly, through the establishment of diplomatic relations. We then decided to open a new page in our History, drawing from the millenary Jewish presence in the Iberian Peninsula. During 2011 we are actively commemorating the 25th Anniversary of that milestone, to which President Navon much contributed.

It is rewarding to look back at last year and see how our relations have grown wider and deeper, even if we just consider the number and the level of the exchanges which have taken place, beginning with the visit paid to Spain by President Shimon Peres in February.

During his stay in Madrid, President Peres inaugurated the new headquarters of Casa Sefarad-Israel, the public diplomacy institution which plays a major role in the Spanish government's fight against anti-Semitism and to spread Jewish culture among the Spanish public.



Among other high level Israeli authorities, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and –last but not least- Minister of Education Gideon Sa'ar have officially visited Spain and moved our common agenda forward.

On the other hand, the echoes of the visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia still reverberate across Israel, as much as the deep impressions left on them by your country and by your warm reception. Their long-awaited visit bears witness to the fraternal links between Sefarad and Israel. We much appreciated the role, once again played by Minister Sa'ar during that visit.

As for the Spanish Foreign Minister, Ms. Trinidad Jiménez, she has already visited Israel twice during her term, which began only about a year ago.

In our political contacts, the Spanish side has shown its firm commitment towards a successful resolution of all pending conflicts in the Middle East.

My country has invested more than words joining the international undertaking to attain peace. Twenty years ago the Madrid Peace Conference set the basic principles of a peaceful settlement. We contribute as a major donor to the social, economic and institutional stability of Israel's main partner. Furthermore, around twelve hundred Spanish troops under UNIFIL command fulfil a key role in maintaining the calm along Israel's northern border.



As stated by Minister Jiménez since she first came to Israel, Spain has consistently advocated for the resumption of the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Authority as the privileged way to reach peace under the two-State formula.

Based upon that premise, the Spanish commitment to peace implies both support to the legitimate Palestinian aspiration to statehood and support for effective security guarantees for your country. In her recent speech before the General Assembly in New York, my Minister defined Israel as the embodiment of the project to create a homeland for the Jewish people.

Returning to the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, I wish to express to the Israeli Governement –represented tonight by Minister Gideon Sa'ar, always an active and loyal friend of Spain- the Spanish satisfaction about the success of the numerous cultural events through which we have been sharing with all of you the joy derived from this Anniversary.

We tried to cover the main fields of interest to the Israeli public: classical, modern and flamenco music, cinema, literature, dance, Spanish studies and Jewish heritage. The year is not yet over: I encourage you to go and admire the portrait of "St. John, the Evangelist" by El Greco, a masterpiece loaned by El Prado and exhibited at the Israel Museum.

Next month, we will open a magnificent exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum of one hundred artworks by Pablo Picasso, on the theme of bullfighting. The Maestro José Mercé, arguably the best Flamenco singer alive –Cantaor, as we say- will perform at the end of the month in Jerusalem.

In the economic field, our relations are growing stronger, with active participation of many Israeli companies in the Spanish market and a growing presence of Spanish firms in Israel, often to engage in technological developments. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry recently awarded to Prof. Schejtman attests to the way your country nurtures excellence in science and technology, the very same fields in which we have decided to increase our bilateral cooperation, as it is the best collective investment we can make to ensure continued social and economic well-being.

Every year, scores of Israelis and Spaniards fly across the Mediterranean Sea to enjoy our respective cultural heritage, our landscapes and our busy cities.

Minister Sa'ar will certainly not deny that, for Israelis, there is an additional motive: watching live football matches. This year there was no World Cup, but Barcelona retained its Champions League title and Spain did the same with the European Basketball Championship.

I fervently hope that closer contact between our peoples will bring about a better understanding of our common past and of each other's perspective in the interdependent world we live in.

Before ending my words, I would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support to this event. Together with its partner Minrav, Valoriza Agua is building an important desalination plant in Ashdod. Iberia, the main Spanish airline, is steadily increasing its connections between Tel Aviv, Madrid and Barcelona.

I now have the pleasure to invite you to join Minister Sa'ar and myself in a toast to the long life and well being of our Heads of State, President Shimon Peres and King Juan Carlos of Spain, and to our mutual friendship.

The guests were very pleased with the excellent cuisine who was served at the event.

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Written by Silvia G. Golan

Published: 07 December 2010

On Thursday, December 2nd, the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv hosted a gala honoring the King of Thailand on his 83rd birthday.  The extravagant celebration coincided with the country's National Day.

 

 

The event, celebrated simultaneously throughout many countries, brought together ambassadors and an array of representatives from the diplomatic community as they took part in the festivities, which also recognized the healthy relationship between Israel and Thailand themselves.

Ambassador of Thailand to Israel, H.E Chatchawed Chartsuwan commenced the evening with a brief speech in which he expressed his gratitude to the government of Israel, poignantly describing the strong ties that have united both countries over several years. Ambassador Chartsuwan said he was proud in acknowledging the fact that Thailand was one of the first Asiatic countries to recognize the State of Israel.

Chartsuwanmade it clear that Israeli tourism to Thailand has had and continues to have a huge economic impact on his nation. According to the Thai Ministry of Tourism, roughly 140,000 Israelis visited the Southeast Asian nation thus far as 2010 comes to an end.

Another key point Ambassador Chartsuwan touched upon was the mutual benefit that both nations have been afforded from their scientific and technological cooperation as well as the artistic and cultural events presented by the Thai community in Israel, such as the Thai Festival in Haifa. These events, as explained by Chartsuwan have "consolidated a strong sense of pride and a future filled with unity between the two countries".

In culminating his speech, Ambassador Chartsuwan discussed his intentions in deepening the cohesiveness between both countries, expressing that "in these times, one can neither ignore nor reject globalization." He also expressed his admiration for Israeli President Shimon Peres and the contributions that he has made to both the State of Israel and the global diplomatic community.

Following the Thai Ambassador, Israeli Minister of Infrastructure and Development, Dr. Uzi Landau, expressed his warm regards for both Thailand's diplomatic mission to Tel Aviv as well as the entire Thai nation.

"I came to speak as a representative of the people of Israel, wishing the best to your Majesty, the King of Thailand and all of his people."

Dr. Landau also focused on the vast cultural and economic ties, most notably referring to the strong links over the past couple of years specifically.

The majority of Landau's speech was dedicated to the impact that Thai immigrants and workers have had on the Israeli state itself. Referring to the agricultural contribution and influence, Landau made clear that "Thai immigrants in Israel have made enormous strides in furthering Israel's Agricultural landscape, and we cannot thank them enough."

Not only did Landau express his desire for maintaining the strong commercial ties between the two nations; rather, he expressed the need for further cooperation in building a common agenda with mutual goals across many sectors – an agenda that will carry both nations towards future successes.

Above all else, the evening was a great way to celebrate the strong achievements between Israel and Thailand while also honoring the rich traditions of the Thai Kingdom and its nation's history.

 

 

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Written by Jonathan Danilowitz

Published: 13 March 2011

By Jonathan Danilowitz

On the 9th March, His Excellency Mr. Yuri Sterk, the Bulgarian Ambassador to Israel, opened an exhibition at Tel Aviv's Enav Cultural Center. Amongst those at the event were key Ministry of Foreign Affairs persons, members of the diplomatic and consular corps and of course, many present and former Bulgarian citizens.

 

 

The exhibition – “The Power of Civil Society during the Holocaust: the Bulgarian Story, 1940 – 1944” – reflects some of the historic parallels between Bulgaria’s and Israel’s struggles for independence, and some of the similarities between the two countries, explaining the close ties that exist between them at all levels, to this day. (The exhibition is open to the public until 19^th March.)

 

Although many individual Jews and several Jewish communities in Europe were saved from the Nazi death machine in WWII in various countries, Bulgaria was perhaps unique in that, thanks to the united civilian efforts (led by the Bulgarian Royal Family and other intellectual, spiritual and political leaders), almost the entire Jewish community there was saved. Neighbors would not stand by and allow the Jews to be deported to death camps.

 

In his address to the assembled guests, Ambassador Yuri Sterk spoke of the coincidence that the 9^th March, the 133^rd anniversary of Bulgaria’s liberation, was also the date of the start of the civil actions protesting against and resisting the “final solution” of the Third Reich, thus saving Bulgaria’s Jewish community.

 

Analyzing whether there is a link (separated in time by almost 65 years) between the two events, and the source of the close ties, the Ambassador continued: “I believe both represent crucial junctures in the development of the Bulgarian nation; both attest significantly to important features of Bulgarian national spirit and character which substantiated the historically critical choices Bulgarians had to make on those two occasions: once in the 1870s in favor of their freedom, to exercise their right to an independent national being. And a second time – in the dark years of WWII – in favor of human dignity, in support of universal human virtues and values as opposed to the probably easier way to dishonor and complicity in the most abominable crime against humanity in the history of Mankind.

 

“These are actually also the choices made, and the values and principles shared, by the people of Israel. These are the values and principles that are shared by both our peoples and which are the foundation of our peoples’ affinity for each other, of the friendship between our two nations”.

 

Ambassador Mr. Sterk concluded by graciously acknowledging the assistance of those who had helped make the exhibition possible, including Tel Aviv Municipality and the Bulgarian Institute of Culture. This is the very first time this exhibition has been shown in Israel.

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Published: 27 September 2010

 

Many of the Israeli media was invited to the press conference at the residence of the People's Republic of China Ambassador in Sunday, September the 15^th, 2010.

The Ambassador his Excellency Mr. Zhao Jun hosted the Journalists to mark 18 years of the Diplomatic relations between Israel and China.

 

Ambassador Zhao welcomed all the guests to his home and blessed them in Hebrew. Ambassador Zhao spoke in English of the special relations between The People's Republic of China and Israel.

Ambassador Zhao spoke of the signing of the agreement that founded the Diplomatic relations between both states as he mentioned that the document was important equally to the sides.

 

 

Mr. Zhao announced the coming of famous Chinese singer Ha Hui to Israel, to the ancient city of Beit-Shean. Mr. Zhao said that the performance will be a memorable one and it will start her world tour.

After the words of Ambassador Zhao, the guests saw a short clip of the singer Ha Hui in China as she was singing a traditional Chinese song.

 

Following the short clip, spokesman of the Chinese embassy, Counsellor Mr. Miao Deyu, presented Mr. David Levy, Israel's minister of foreign affairs and vice prime minister at the time of the signing the protocol, January 24^th, 1992.

Mr. Levy thanked the Ambassador for his hospitality and marked that he was happy to see mezuzah in the front of the Ambassador's home.

 

Mr. Levy then Spoke of his memories from the times before the signing of the protocol and said that it was hard work to achieve an agreement such as this one but they have never stopped dreaming.

Mr. Levy complimented China for their fast growth, economically and in terms of status. At the end of his words, Mr. Levy thanked the Ambassador for choosing Beit-Shean as the venue for the performance of the Chinese singer Ha Hui.

 

After Mr. Levy's Speech, Ms. Ruth Kahanoff, former deputy director general of Asia and the pacific department in the ministry of foreign affairs, took the stage.

Ms. Kahanoff's speech focused especially on the day of January 24, 1994, the day that the relations between Israel and China became formal.

 

After the speeches, Counsellor Mr. Miao invited all the guests to a delicious, traditional Chinese lunch.

The Ambassador Mr. Zhao made sure to greet every guest as they were leaving.