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President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin hosted a reception today, Thursday 9 May / 4 Iyyar, for the diplomatic and consular corps in honor of Israel’s 71st Independence Day. Acting Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz also participated in the event.
“Distinguished members of the diplomatic corps, dear friends. It is a pleasure to welcome you to this celebration of our seventy-first Independence Day, in our three-thousand-year-old capital of Jerusalem,” said the president at the beginning of his remarks, noting that in his meetings with world leaders they comment admiringly on Israel’s achievements, and said that Israel is indeed a miracle, particularly in the vibrancy of its democracy.
“From the day Israel was born until today, we have faced enemies. Yet despite the severe security threats, we have built a thriving democracy with an independent judiciary, a free press, and religious freedom for all. This is a modern miracle,” he said.
“Israel is a small country, but we have big dreams. In fact, we are already becoming a world superpower. Not a superpower of military might -though we will always do what is necessary to defend ourselves - but a superpower of hope. Hope for a better future for all humanity.”
“Israeli technologies are already improving the lives of people around the world in the fields of clean water, sustainable farming, green energy, and medical aid. Now imagine how these technologies could improve lives throughout the Middle East,” he continued.
“Peaceful relations between Israel and its neighbors, especially our Palestinian neighbors, could bring such tremendous development and prosperity to the region. We continue to dream of peace with all our neighbors because I deeply believe that we are not doomed to live together, we are destined to live together. Together we can build a better future for all the peoples of the region,” he concluded.
Acting Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz: “I congratulate the US administration for the sanctions, which they renewed against Iran, in order to bring an end to Iran's evil activity. I call upon the international community to support the American policy and to join the enforcing of the sanctions.”
During the day, Beit HaNasi received messages of congratulations for world leaders on Yom Haatzmaut. Among those sending messages was President of the United States of America Donald J Trump, who noted: "shared values are the cornerstone of relations between our two great nations”. President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin congratulated Israel on its 71stanniversary and noted that today is also Victory Day, marking the end of the war against Nazi Germany and that the sacrifices for the sake victory were enormous. Messages were received from Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeir and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who sent her best wishes for the good fortune and happiness of the people of Israel. King Felipe VI of Spain, President of Italy Sergio Mattarella and many others also sent wishes.
Photo credit: Haim Zach (GPO)
Tanzania’s Union Day and first anniversary of the inauguration of Tanzania's first Embassy in Israel
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- Written by Silvia G Golan
For the first time in Israel, Tanzania will hold a special event marking the 55th anniversary, on April 30 at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv
In Tanzania, every 26 April is Union Day to commemorate the creation of Tanzania through the union of Tanganyika and the archipelago nation of Zanzibar on 26 April 1964
Tanzania will also mark the first anniversary of the inauguration of Tanzania's first Embassy in Israel
The event will be attended by diplomats, businessmen, and the Media. Tanzania's Ambassador to Israel, Mr. Job Masima, noted that the two countries share many common values and that he intends to further strengthen cooperation with Israel in tourism, technology, agriculture and more. According to Ambassador Masima: "Though Tanzania and Israel are separated by great distances in geographical terms, our strong bonds of affection, mutual confidence, common interests, and similar outlooks remains inextricably linked".
Ambassador Masima is the first Tanzanian ambassador to Israel. He received the diplomatic credential from President Reuven Rivlin at a moving ceremony last June. Ambassador Masima took his place as Tanzania's first ambassador to Israel a year ago. Until the arrival of Ambassador Masima, the Tanzanian delegation was headed by the Honorary Consul of Tanzania in Israel, Kasbian Nuriel Chirich, who worked intensively to increase cooperation between the two countries in all fields.
The secret of Tanzania’s magic lies in the fact that it is a paradise for nature lovers. The country features a breathtaking array of landscapes, including volcanoes and snow-capped mountains, lakes, savannahs, marshlands, rain forests, and more. Some of the world’s largest lakes are located within Tanzania’s 945,087 square kilometers. It is not a coincidence that Tanzania has become one of the most popular destinations for Israelis traveling to Africa. It has a unique culture, natural riches, beautiful and exciting nature reserves, and the islands of Zanzibar. More than 4 million wild animals representing over 430 different species make Tanzania their home so that Tanzania has the highest concentration of animals per square kilometer on earth. Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, soaring to a height of 5,895 meters, is located in northern Tanzania.
Israelis who want to visit must be issued a visa. There is a new option of getting Visa by E Visa through the internet. The E - Passport of Tanzania has been voted the best passport in the world. There are daily flights from Israel to both mainland Tanzania and the island of Zanzibar, and chartered flights during holidays.
Pictures Courtesy: Ministry for Natural Resources and Tourism of Tanzania and the Embassy in Israel.
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- Written by Silvia
Photo: President Rivlin with Ambassador of Vietnam, Do Minh Hung.
President Rivlin today accepted diplomatic credentials from new ambassadors to Israel from Vietnam, Nepal, Kenya, and Montenegro
New ambassadors from Vietnam, Nepal, Kenya, and Montenegro presented their credentials today, Thursday 14 February / 9 Adar I, to President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin at the beginning of their term as ambassadors of their countries to the State of Israel, in an official ceremony at Beit HaNasi. As each ambassador arrived, the Israel Police band played the national anthem of their country and the ambassador then reviewed an IDF honor guard. After presenting their diplomatic credentials to the president, the ambassadors signed the guest book and Hatikva, Israel’s national anthem, was played at the end of the ceremony.
The first to present his credentials to the president was the incoming Ambassador of Vietnam, Do Minh Hung. President Rivlin asked the ambassador to send his best wishes to the President of Vietnam, who he met on his state visit to the country two years ago and invited his counterpart to visit Israel. “Relations between our country have grown stronger in the fields of education, agriculture, and defense since my visit to Vietnam,” said the president. “Many Israelis enjoy visiting Vietnam and I am sure that opening up direct flights and signing the free trade agreement can create further opportunities for deepening our relations.”
The Ambassador of Vietnam thanked the president for his warm welcome and said “thank you for your warm words. I will send your best wishes to the President of Vietnam. It is a great honor for me to serve as my country’s ambassador to the State of Israel and I will do all I can to deepen and widen the relations between our two countries.”
Photo: President Rivlin with Ambassador of Nepal Anjan Shakya
Following this, Ambassador Anjan Shakya of Nepal presented her credentials to the president. President Rivlin thanked her and noted that next year we will mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. “We appreciate your contributions to regional security through UNIFIL and UNDOF. It gives you a perspective of the threats we face.” He added, “we see Nepal as a true friend who stands by us, just as we were at your side when you dealt with the terrible earthquake in 2015.”
The Ambassador of Nepal presented her credentials to the president and noted the long friendship between the two countries. “On behalf of the president and the prime minister, I would like to invite you on a state visit to Nepal and send their warmest best wishes. Despite only arriving here a week ago, I can already see that there are many possibilities to widen the cooperation between us in a number of fields, including agriculture, education, health and IT.” The ambassador ended her remarks by saying ‘Shalom v’Toda Raba’ (goodbye and thank you) in Hebrew.
Photo: President Rivlin with Ambassador of Kenya, Samuel Ng'ang'a Thuita
Kenya’s new ambassador to Israel, Samuel Ng'ang'a Thuita, was the next to present his credentials to the president, who began by sending his condolences to the people of Kenya on the recent terrorist attack in Nairobi. He then spoke about the growing trade relations between the two countries, saying “we recently opened a trade delegation at the Israeli Embassy in Kenya and we hope to see direct flights between the countries soon. These are good signs and I believe we can do even more to improve relations.”
The ambassador thanked the president, saying “since 1963 when Golda Meir visited Kenya, we have worked together on a range of issues. Once, the focus was agriculture, and now we cooperate on security and counter-terrorism. Israel has a true friend in Kenya.”
Photo: President Rivlin with Ambassador of Montenegro, Ivan Lekovic
The last ambassador to present his credentials was Ivan Lekovic of Montenegro. “Montenegro is a country with a growing economy, and we are proud to support you as friends and allies,” said the president, and wished the country well on joining NATO and its future membership of the European Union. The president thanked the ambassador for his country’s decision to recognize International Holocaust Remembrance Day and for supporting its Jewish community.
The Ambassador of Montenegro to Israel thanked President Rivlin for his cordial welcome and said, “we are preparing for the exciting and important visit of the President of Montenegro to Israel, who sends his warmest regards. Montenegro, like Israel, has many different cultures and religions. Like you, we believe that the best way to live together is open and respectful dialog. The relations between our two countries are excellent and we cooperate in tourism and cultural and academic exchanges, as well as in the security sphere, and we would be happy to extend this cooperation.”
Photo credits: Kobi Gideon (GPO)
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- Written by Jonathan Danilowitz
At the David Citadel Hotel, it was a special surprise in this Jerusalem winter to see a replica of part of the beautiful gardens at the Bahá’í Center in Akko. The colorful “welcome mat” set the tone of the annual reception of the community to celebrate the Bahá’í New Year, Naw-Ruz. This New Year celebration is especially important, as October 2019 will mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the forerunner and herald of the Bahá’í Faith. 2019 is also the 176th year of the religion’s founding.
Bahá’í’s from around the world were among the extraordinary guests. (Israel – and Haifa in particular – is the center of the world Bahá’í movement. All faithful must come to Israel at least once in their lifetime to live and volunteer to serve). Among the luminaries were Carmel Irandoust (Bahá’í Deputy Secretary-General), David Freeman (representative, Bahá’í International Community), Amir Halevi (Director-General, Israel Tourism Ministry), Ambassador Meron Reuben, (Protocol chief of state, Israel Foreign Ministry), Noga Sher-Greco (Director of Religious Tourism, Israel Tourism Ministry), Shmuel Elgrabi (Israel Government Bahá’í Advisor/Coordinator), patriarchs and leaders of other religious orders, ambassadors and other members of the diplomatic corps, politicians, VIPs and media personalities.
It was impossible not to enjoy the exquisite buffet dinner offered to the guest as they mingled, renewing old acquaintances and making new friends. A five-piece orchestra provided live musical accompaniment, adding to the ambiance of the hotel’s grand ballroom. The formal part of the evening began with a short presentation by Ms. Irandoust, who read the greeting from Israel’s State President to the Bahá’í community on the occasion of the Naw-Ruz. President Rivlin’s charming message ended with wishes of “peace and joy” for all Bahá’í members, worldwide.
Dr. Joshua Lincoln, Secretary General of the World Bahá’í community, then welcomed and addressed the guests. He offered thanks to everyone for attending to help celebrate the New Year, then spoke of the significance of the centennial year; the history of the Bahá’í religion; the joyous transition from winter to spring which coincides with the New Year celebrations; and of Bahá’í successes and expansions around the world, including openings of new temples and the spread of harmony and peace.
Dr. Lincoln’s address did not ignore the suffering and persecution of Bahá’í faithful in many parts of the world, still to this day, especially in Iran. (Persia/Iran being the birthplace of the Prophet, and the Persian language is an important factor in the religion).
Responding on behalf of the State of Israel, Amir Halevi of the Ministry of Tourism opened his remarks by wishing the community “Shana Tova” – a happy new year. “The Bahá’ís are a community - a young community by Jewish standards - with a deep history and rich social relations with other communities here in Israel. … I am pleased to say that since the creation of the State of Israel, we have positive, friendly and mutually respectful relations.” He added: “The Bahá’ís have contributed not just to the physical beauty of our country, but also to its social fabric.” He mentioned that thanks to the injunction to visit Israel, Bahá’í tourists from some unusual countries visit, including from Tonga, Tuvalu, St. Kits and Nevis, Kiribas, Lesotho, the Seychelles and many more.
Some information that might add interest: Bahá’í is a relatively new, independent monotheistic religion. There are about six million faithful, all around the globe, with religious texts translated into hundreds of languages. Bahá’í beliefs include, among many others, the unity of God; faith in fundamental harmony between religion and science; volunteering; equality between men and women; monogamy; non-violence, compulsory education; using a common world language (like Esperanto) and world peace.
The Director and staff of www.diplomacy.co.il send warmest greetings to the world Bahá’í community on this auspicious occasion.
Photos by Silvia G. Golan
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- Written by President’s Spokesperson’s Office
Photo: President Rivlin welcoming H.E Mr. Ghassan Majali Ambassador of Jordan to Israel
President Rivlin Today Accepts Diplomatic Credentials from New Ambassadors of Croatia, Jordan, the Czech Republic, Egypt, and Mongolia
President Rivlin to the incoming Jordanian Ambassador:
“Next year we will mark the 25th anniversary of our peace treaty. We are determined to live in peace with our neighbors and we are hopeful and optimistic that others will do as you have done.”
Photo: President Rivlin welcoming H.E Mr.Khaled Azmi Ambassador of Egypt to Israel
President Rivlin to the incoming Egyptian Ambassador:
“We face similar challenges and our military and intelligence cooperation is of strategic importance. Together, we can face the challenges of terrorism and ISIS in Sinai and Gaza better. Under the leadership of your president, Egypt plays a key role in the Arab world as a voice of reason and moderation. We appreciate your efforts towards stability in the region, and particularly with the Palestinians in Gaza.”
President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin this morning, 8 November / 30 Cheshvan, received diplomatic credentials from the new Ambassadors of Croatia, Jordan, the Czech Republic, Egypt and Mongolia to the State of Israel at a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. As each ambassador arrived, their country’s flag was raised and the Israel Police Band played their national anthem. The ambassadors inspected a IDF guard of honor and presented their credentials to the president. After an audience with the president, the new ambassadors signed the guest book and Hatikvah, the Israeli national anthem, was played at the end of the ceremony.
Photo: President Rivlin welcoming H.E Mrs.Vesela Mrđen Korać, Ambassador of Croatia to Israel
The first to present her credentials was the new ambassador of Croatia, Vesela Mrđen Korać. The president welcomed her and said, “I visited Croatia this year and was received warmly. Please send my warm regards to the president and prime minister of your country.” He also said, “as a member of the European Union, Croatia plays a key role in blocking Iranian influence. We must ensure that Iran does not continue to destabilize our region.”
The Croatian ambassador thanked the president for his warm and kind welcome and said, “I had the pleasure of meeting you on your visit to Croatia in July, and we are looking forward to our president’s reciprocal state visit to Israel next year. Our countries have close and strong relations, and we are interested in deepening them even further into a regular dialog. Croatia is a strong friend and ally of Israel at the UN, in NATO and in the European Union.”
The next to present his credentials was the incoming ambassador of Jordan, Ghassan Majali. President Rivlin welcomed him and noted that next year we will mark the 25th anniversary of the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty. “We are determined to live in peace with our neighbors, and we are hopeful and optimistic that others will do as you have done. The good relations between our two countries are a legacy of the leadership of the late King Hussein. Please send my warmest wishes to His Majesty King Abdullah II.”
The president continued: “We appreciate the key role that Jordan plays as an island of stability in our region. But we can still do more to broaden cooperation in areas that impact on both our peoples. We breath the same air and live on the same piece of land. When you lack water, we lack water. We must do more to find ways of confronting these challenges together. Another important project is the ‘Jordan Gateway’ that could link the port of Haifa to Irbid, Amman and Aqaba, and from there to the Arab world, creating thousands of jobs.”
The Jordanian ambassador presented his credentials and he, too, noted the important anniversary of the peace treaty that will be celebrated next year: “We remember the huge efforts made by great leaders, the late King Hussein and the late Yizhak Rabin, who stood firm in the face of all odds,” he added. “King Abdullah believes that the peace treaty is a cornerstone for peace in the region and in the world and that a breakthrough in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is a top priority for the Hashemite Kingdom. Thank you for your warm welcome, Mr. President.”
The president added, “We do not only live in the same neighborhood, we are really neighbors. We drink the same water and we breathe the same air. It is time that our two peoples get to know each other better.”
Photo: President Rivlin welcoming H.E Mr. Martin Stropnick, Ambassador of Czech to Israel
Following this, the president received the credentials of Martin Stropnick, the new Czech ambassador. “I am so happy you are here. You left a very important position in government to be your country’s ambassador to Israel. That says something about the good relations between our two countries,” he continued and emphasized the excellent bilateral relations between Israel and the Czech Republic and that Israel would be delighted to continue to develop and deepen areas of cooperation. President Rivlin thanked the Czech people for its assistance to the young State of Israel in the war of independence and recalled that the first rifle he handled as a recruit to the IDF was Czech-manufactured. At the end of their conversation, the president stressed the importance of the Czech Republic’s position on Iran. “Israel is a true friend of Israel, supporting us on every issue and in every forum.” The president sent his warmest wishes to President Zeman, who will be visiting Israel soon, to the Czech government and the Czech people.
The Czech ambassador thanked the president and said, “our two peoples have so many areas of cooperation, but I’d like to mention our work together on cyber, on water management and innovation. Lots of Czech tourists already come to Israel, but since my appointment as ambassador to Israel was announced I have found I have lots of new friends, and so I can assure you that the ambassador’s residence will be full, adding even more visitors to Israel,” said the ambassador, smiling.
The next to present his credentials to the president was the incoming Egyptian ambassador, Khaled Azmi. The president began by noting that in a few months time we will mark the 40th anniversary of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty. He said he hoped that a way could be found to celebrate the event and to pass on the values of peace and partnership to the next generations. “Since the peace treaty was signed nearly 40 years ago, we have welcomed six Egyptian ambassadors. Now you are the seventh. I wish you success during your time here.”
The president also said, “We face similar challenges and our military and intelligence cooperation is of strategic importance. Together, we can face the challenges of terrorism and ISIS in Sinai and Gaza better. Under the leadership of your president, Egypt plays a key role in the Arab world as a voice of reason and moderation. We appreciate your efforts towards stability in the region, and particularly with the Palestinians in Gaza.”
The Egyptian ambassador thanked the president for his warm welcome and spoke about the anniversary of the peace treaty: “it was an important step and the vision of great statesmen, and it remains a pillar of stability and an example that should be followed around the region. Egypt remains committed to the peace treaty and to bringing peace to the whole region. We are proud of our history, which is a model of tolerance, co-existence, and acceptance.”
The president added: “The Egyptian people play an important role in our region. There are advantages to peace, and ‘no more war’ is not just a phrase. It is important that the two peoples get to know each other.”
Photo: President Rivlin welcoming H.E Mr. Bold Ravdan, Ambassador of Mongolia to Israel. Photo credit: Tomer Reichman (courtesy)
Finally, the president received the credentials of the Mongolian ambassador, Bold Ravdan. “I am pleased that such a distinguished and experienced diplomat is representing Mongolia in Israel,” said the president. “Our two countries cooperate on education and I’m pleased that we have recently extended the cooperation in the fields of culture, education, and science.”
“It’s a great honor to represent my government and my people as the Mongolian ambassador to Israel,” said the ambassador. “Israel is a proud and spirited country, and there is great potential for the expansion of our relations. We would be happy to do so,” he said.
Photo credit: Haim Zach, GPO
