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27th April commemorates the day in 1994 when the first democratic election was held in South Africa. South Africa celebrates Freedom Day to mark the liberation of the country and its people from a long period of colonialism and White minority domination (apartheid).

 

In Israel Freedom Day was celebrated on 29th April, like every year at the beautiful gardens of the South Africa Ambassador H.E Sisa Ngombane and Mrs. Thatanyana in Ramat Gan.

 

Ambassadors and other members of the diplomatic corps in Israel, members of culture, industry, art, science, and many other honored guests from Israeli society and South Africa enjoy the colorful and happy atmosphere with typical food : Boerewors, Pap with Gravy,Bobotie, Cape Chicken curry, Sambuza with chatney , wines and South African spirits.

 

The evening opened with the national anthems of South Africa and Israel .

 

Ambassador Ngombane welcome the guests: " We have gathered for the last 21 years all over to celebrate good over evil. In this simple act we also pay tribute to those who have made this day possible. We salute the courage of the leaders and the people of South Africa who stood up against all odds so that we can say we free. In the same breath we honor and remember the members of the international community who not only accompanied us but occupied trenches with us. This is especially so for our African brothers and sisters who some of them paid with their lives.


Allow me to address two issues that have been making headlines for some time now. One is the xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals especially targeting Africans and the second is power outages.


The South African Government has condemned the attacks on foreign nationals in the strongest possible terms and offered deep condolences to the families. The government and many South Africans has been appalled by these acts of unwarranted violence and has taken action to arrest those responsible ".

 

" President Zuma received an open letter from Mia Couto, a Mozambican writer and poet on 24 April 2015. In his reply he stated :

 

“I remember you from our days in Mozambique, when you worked at the Mozambique Information Agency and when you were editor of Tempo magazine and later of Noticias.

 

I cannot forget the friendship that Mozambique accorded my comrades and to me personally. In fact Mozambique became my second home and it remains my home.

 

You are in pain as your letter indicates, because of the deaths of Mozambicans and the general attacks on foreign nationals in parts of our country. South Africans are also in pain because of the tragic and senseless killings of all seven persons in the past weeks. These are three South Africans and four foreign nationals. May their souls rest in peace and may their tragic deaths unite us all in the quest for peace and an end to violence.

 

The reports we have received indicate that the attacks last week in Durban were sparked off by the conduct of an employer who fired South African workers who had gone on strike and employed workers from outside the country. Even in the South African context, the employment of scab labour usually triggers an angry reaction from workers who are on strike. We join the country’s trade unions in appealing to employers to avoid such behaviour of pitting workers against one another. The Soweto attacks in January were triggered by the fatal shooting of a young man by a non-South African shopkeeper.

 

This is a difficult period for our country and its people. Millions of peace loving South Africans are in pain because they are being accused of being xenophobic which is not true. South Africans are definitely not xenophobic. The actions of a small minority should not be used to wrongfully label and stereotype more than 50 million people.

 

You reminded me of the hospitality and generosity that was accorded to me by Mozambicans during my stay in your beautiful country in exile. We agree that we benefited immensely from international solidarity and friendship during our struggle against apartheid. Our brothers and sisters in the African continent in particular shared their meagre resources with us. Many were killed for supporting our struggle for freedom. The Matola raid in your beautiful country is an example. It is for this reason that we embrace our African brothers and sisters who migrate to South Africa legally. In fact our migration policy is advanced because we integrate refugees and asylum seekers within our communities. They live among our citizens, they are part of us. We are one people as President Samora Machel said after the tragic Matola raid in which many Mozambicans were killed by apartheid security forces.

 

South Africa has not changed and has not forgotten such comradeship and solidarity. But like most countries that have emerged from conflict, we have deep-seated challenges.

 

We appreciate the contribution of foreign nationals in South Africa. They contribute to our economic development by investing in the economy, bringing critical skills and through adding to the diversity that we pride ourselves in. But there are also some complaints or problems that citizens have raised which need to be addressed. These include the increasing number of illegal and undocumented immigrants in the country, the displacement of many local small traders by foreign nationals and that some of the migrant traders operate illegally. There are also accusations that foreign nationals commit crimes such as drug peddling and human trafficking, that they take the jobs of locals as employers prefer them as they are prepared to take lower wages and also complaints about free government housing that is secured by foreign nationals. We have emphasised that none of these grievances justify any form of violence against foreign nationals and that it will never be tolerated by government. We are also pointing out that not all migrants are in the country illegally and not all are involved in criminal activities.

 

The grievances of the South African population have to be balanced with the plight of many refugees, asylum seekers and economic migrants from the continent and beyond. We therefore have a lot of work to do to find long-term solutions.

 

In the short-term we will improve the implementation of the existing migration policy including tightening controls at the ports of entry and borders and also ensuring adherence to the laws of the country, while protecting migrants and the local population from criminal elements who are taking advantage of the tensions caused by socio-economic challenges. Work has also begun to review the country’s migration policy based on the current and recent experiences.

 

Our government will rely on the cooperation of sister countries in the continent from where most of the migrants come, as we search for solutions”.

 

" South has also made headlines news for power outages that have been occurring more frequently of late. The South African government developed a strategy to address this problem based on Independent Power Producers ( IPP’s ) playing a bigger role in power generation. In line with this the government has awarded contracts to IPP’s to produce an additional 13 469 MW from a combination of sources such as Bio-Mass, On-Shore Wind, Solar PV and Hydro worth of twenty three billion rands [ R 23 bn] starting on 2016.

 

Mr Andrzej Golebiowski of Scater Solar which won three bids has this to say :

 

"The renewable IPPs programme is inspiration and visionary," he said. "It's really big on a global scale. It's over 4 000MW they are planning to reward this year. It's going to make it by far one of the biggest markets globally for renewables. That's pretty impressive."

 

Golebiowski said that the Norwegian company moved its headquarters from Germany to South Africa when they saw the potential of renewable IPPs in Africa.


"Today is one of the biggest days in the history for our company," he said. "For us, it reconfirms that SA is the heart of our company. It's a small example of how the programme is building a long-term sustainable industry," he said. "We have decided to make this place our global hubs. With the new wins, it reconfirms our strategy.


"Companies will devise long-term strategies on the continent due to this move," he said. "Things will happen on the back of this. We can now look at other projects in Africa because of South Africa's leadership.


This view was echoed by Co-founder of G7 Renewable Energies Dr Killian Hagemann whose 140 MW On-Shore Roggeveld Wind Farm was one of the 13 preferred bidders saying “ It reaffirms our expertise and ability to develop competitive and efficient wind farm projects in South Africa.”


The South African government is responding to the power generation needs of country and will by year 2021 add 25 000MW to the national grid which is more than halve of the current generation capacity of South Africa ".

 

" South Africa congratulates the people for the election in Israel on 17th March 2015 and looks forward to working with the new government and address the issues that challenge the two countries in their bilateral cooperation.

 

Finally we celebrate the 21 anniversary with a lot of reflection but strong, knowing that South Africans can stand up to adversary and be victorious. We will overcome.

 

On behalf of the State of Israel , Ambassador Avi Granot , Deputy Director General for Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, thanked the Ambassador and congratulated him and the SouthAfrican government and people on this event and said :

 

" Israel and South Africa both share democratic values and principles. We are both countries that are in the midst of nation building. Israel, as a start-up nation is willing to share its experience in Africa in general and with South Africa in particular.

 

I would like to highlight the fact that South Africa is Israel's largest trading partner in Africa. Yet there is much potential for future growth in trade as well as in cooperation in areas such as agriculture, water management, advanced technologies, public health, clean energy, food security and homeland security.

 

Homeland security is indeed a potential field of cooperation, taking into consideration the growing strength of radical Islamic groups as demonstrated by numerous acts of terror that have plagued Africa in recent months ".

 

" Nation building as well as the realization of the full potential of independence takes time. Indeed, thousands of years ago, it took the people of Israel forty years of wandering in the desert before a new generation, liberated from the shackles of slavery in ancient Egypt, could emerge ready to take on the task of construction of nationhood.

 

Thus, the time has come for South Africa, after twenty one years of freedom, to disassociate itself from various conceptions of the past which are redundant today and focus more on the future rather than be attached to the past. Specifically, I am referring to the South African approach towards the situation in the Middle East; it is high time for South Africa to zoom out from its one sided pro-Palestinian stance that constrain the development of relations with Israel, which can surely be beneficial to both countries.

 

It is no secret that we in Israel are disappointed by the lack of progress in our bilateral relations as well as the unbalanced official position and statements of South Africa that ignore the complexities, changes and new challenges in the Middle East and make it more difficult for South Africa to play a significant role in this part of the world. Let us set aside our differences and explore, in the spirit of the late President Nelson Mandela, father of the South African Nation, constructive ways to expand and deepen our bilateral relations and build bridges between our two nations.

 

Last but not least, we in Israel are very proud of the Jewish community of South Africa which is a part of the beautiful mosaic which is South Africa. It played a role in your struggle for freedom and we believe it can be useful in helping further our bilateral relations.

 

Your Excellency, please convey the best wishes of the government of Israel to the government and people of South Africa. May South Africa enjoy, peace, stability and prosperity and may the relations between the State of Israel and the Republic of South Africa develop and grow.

 

 Photo Silvia Golan

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the 27th of April, His Excellency the Ambassador of the Netherlands and Mrs. Anne Veldkamp, held a reception at his Residence in Herzliya Pituach, in honor of the National Day of the Netherlands. Amongst those at the event were key Ministry of Foreign Affairs persons, members of the diplomatic and consular corps, and of course many dignitaries.

 

On the pool side grass, at the Ambassador’s Residence, a carriage containing Dutch cheeses, sweet summer fruits, Heineken beer and Herring from Holland, served the guests who came to celebrate the King’s day. The national color of Holland, orange, was the theme that embellished the sunflowers and the house. At the entrance and living room there were Van Gogh paintings (the Ambassador lives in the same village Vincent Van Gogh lived and painted).

 

While the guests were mingling at the poolside, The Ambassador read his address to the king of Holland:


"To His Majesty the King


Equally on behalf of representatives of the Dutch community in Israel, of Dutch military forces serving in missions in and bordering Israel, and our many Israeli guests gathered here today, I extend you heartfelt and respectful congratulations.


The next year of your Reign will once more see intensive contacts between the Netherlands and Israel, including visits by government ministers, members of parliament, business leaders as well as representatives of knowledge institutions and civil society organizations. The ties are strong and diverse, to which you have contributed since the beginning of your Reign.


Your Embassy will continue to work actively for the enhancement of these ties, with a focus on innovation and new generations. In accordance with your Government’s policy and our position within the European Union, we continue to endeavor to reach a durable peace between Israel and the Palestinians and security for the State of Israel in this turbulent region.


We wish you, Queen Maxima and your daughters happiness and prosperity, for your family, your Reign and your Kingdom.


Caspar Veldkamp


Your Ambassador to Israel"

 

The Ambassador also said that this is his last time in Israel. In the summer he is moving to become the Ambassador of Holland in Greece. He surly will miss Israel and his many Israeli friends.

 

About The King's official birthday…

 

The King’s official birthday (King’s Day, Koningsdag) in the Netherlands, is celebrated each year on April 27 with parties, street markets, concerts and special events for the royal family. In many towns and cities, particularly Amsterdam, Arnhem, Utrecht and The Hague, the King’s Day celebrations begin on the evening before the day. Some people set up stalls to sell second-hand goods and King’s Day themed products in many city and town centers.

 

The day features official musical performances on King’s Day. Many people spontaneously sing "Het Wilhelmus". This is a poem written in 1574 and describes the life of William of Orange (William the Silent) and his fight for the Dutch people. It is written as if William of Orange is introducing himself to the Dutch people. Versions are also played by bands performing at King’s Day events and on radio stations.

 

Each year, the royal family visits one or a few places on King’s Day. They are entertained with displays and performances around local historic events. Royal family members generally join in with the games in a good natured way and greet thousands of people who turn out to see them.

 

The two national anthems were played and the Ambassador raised a toast and wished that God will bless Holland and Israel.

 

 Photo by Silvia G Golan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Annual reception (2015) of the global Baha’i community

 

On Tuesday evening, March 24, 2015, I was privileged to be invited to the annual international Baha’i community reception; an impressive festive event, held at the David Citadel in Jerusalem, to celebrate the Baha’i New Year (Nowruz).

 

The event was attended by government representatives, ministers and Knesset members, religious leaders in Israel, members of the diplomatic corps, the president of the Hebrew University and other academics, members of the international community who volunteer at the Haifa and Acre Baha’i centers, all of whom came to honor and salute the Baha’i community.

 

It was amazing to see “transplanted” parts of famous Baha’i gardens at the event’s entrance. Beds of flowers and colorful plants, laid out symmetrically and aesthetically, were admired by all the guests.

 

 

We were greeted by Dr. Joshua Lincoln, Secretary-General of the World Baha’i community, and his wife. Six volunteer musicians and singers from the US, England, Ghana and South Africa entertained the guests with delightful singing and music. Sumptuous refreshments and drinks were served. Every detail of the event was meticulous and elaborate, as in the Baha’i gardens.

 

Dr. Joshua Lincoln opened with the blessing of welcome in Hebrew, English and Arabic. He then read a letter from President Rivlin in which the President congratulated the Baha'i community, the guests and the people of Israel with joy, success, peace and health. Dr. Lincoln expressed the hope that the coming year will be better than the last, and invited the audience to visit the Baha’i chapel, which is open to everyone.

 

 

Professor Moshe Sharon, founder of the world's first Chair in Baha’i Studies, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, addressed the assembly:


“Dear Friends and Colleagues, Head of the Church, Members of the Diplomatic Corp, and President of the Hebrew University. Dear members of the Baha’I community in Israel.


A happy new year to all of you.


Naw Ruz-i-Mobarak from Jerusalem to the Baha’I community in the world at large, Ladies and Gentelmen.


Some 40 years ago I was approached by a student who wanted to write Ph.D. theses on the Baha’I religion. My answer was that I do not know anything about the Baha’Is and advised her to look for a more interesting subject. Yet here I am standing in front of you today as the Head of the Chair in Baha’I studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, having established it 15 years ago. It was a mere coincidence which brought me to get interested in the Baha’is and without it I would not be here today.


In 1996 I was searching in the vicinity of Akko for Arabic inscriptions for my major research work on the Arabic inscriptions of the Holy Land. I came across a group of tombs with tombstones that looked rather unusual. The terminology, though Arabic and Persian, was not familiar to me and some dates were rather strange. I had never met in modern times dates like 80 or 90 or even less. I was intrigued until an old man living in the vicinity told me that the graves belonged to Baha’is. This is how my long journey into this fascinating world religion began. It led me to write the first book in Hebrew about the Baha’i faith and to prepare an annotated translation into Hebrew of the most Holy Book, the Holy writ that guides the life of millions of faithful all over the glob.


What attracts these millions from east and west from the great continents to the smallest islands of the Pacific ocean to a faith born out of the Shi’ah in Iran, whose original holy texts are mostly written in Persian and Arabic?


The answer to this question was already supplied by Edward Grenville Browne, the Cambridge scholar who was the first to recognize, more than 125 years ago, the importance and viability of this modern faith. He met Baha’ullah in his residence near Akko in 1890 and this is how he describes the meeting:

 

“No need to ask in whose presence I stood, as I lowed myself before one who is the object of devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain!


A mild dignified voce bake me to be seated and then continued: ‘… thou hast come to see a prisoner and an exile… We desire but the good of the world and happiness of the nations; yet they deem us for a stirrer of strife and sedition worthy of bondage and banishment… That all nations should become on in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; that the diversity of religion should cease and differences of race be annulled – what harm is there in this?... Yet so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away and the “Most Great Peace” shall come. ...Do not you in Europe need this also? …Yet do we see your kings and rulers lavishing their treasures more freely on means for the destruction of the human race than on that which would conduce to the happiness of mankind… These strifes and this bloodshed and discord must cease… Let not a man glory in this that he loves his country, let him rather glory in this that he loves his kind.’


Commenting on these words Browne concludes: “let those who read these words consider …whether such doctrines merit death and bonds and whether the world is more likely to gain or lose from their diffusion.”

 

We have only to look around us to realize that today as then these words are relevant and topical. Let me finish with another saying of Baha’ullah cherished by 6,000,000 people around the world “Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.” Thank you and have a very enjoyable evening”.

 

And something about the Baha’i religion:


It is a monotheistic religion, independent and relatively new. Its source was in Iran in 1844, created by the Báb Ali Mohamed. The source is Shiite Islam, but it is not defined as a stream within it. The Baha’i center is in Acre and Haifa. Most of the holy writings were written by the prophet Baha’u’llah, who claimed that he continues the message of the Bab. It is estimated that there are about six million faithful around the world, in a very large number of countries. The religious texts have been translated into hundreds of languages. Despite the Muslim origins, there are almost no Arabs among its adherents, and in Iran the followers are severely persecuted. Most of the success was achieved in the West and in India, due to the universal teachings.

 

The message of the Báb and Baha’u’llah is that there is one God revealed to mankind over the years and who reveals His will. All religions have a common divine origin, and the prophets are messengers of God, including Moses, Buddha, Mohammed, Krishna, Jesus, Zarathustra and the Báb. They represent successive stages in the spiritual development of mankind. The last messenger, Baha’u’llah, emphasizes global peace, scientific progress and ethical behavior.

 

Baha’is believe in the unity of God; unity of the human race; in the search for truth; strengthening the common elements of all religions; faith in fundamental harmony between religion and science; volunteering; equality between men and women; monogamy; denial of prejudices and superstitions; strict obedience to the laws of the local government, non-violence, not bearing arms and no warfare and a ban on the participation in the military forces of any country, except for a U.N. force; compulsory education throughout the world; the search for a solution to the problems of the global economy, the use of a common world language (in the past Esperanto, now Lojban) and striving for world peace under international government that derives some of the powers of the countries.

 

At the Baha’i community reception I experienced the friendly and respectful approach of the hosts in the spirit of Baha’u’llah. His Word is given to people as "food for the soul". The hosts went a step further and added "wonderful food for the body". With that winning combination, plus a real mutual respect, the brave friendship between Israel and the Baha’i Community is not surprising.

  

 

 

Translated from the hebrew by Jonathan Danilowitz

 

Photos Silvia G Golan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President Rivlin receives diplomatic credentials of new ambassadors from China, New Zealand, & Burkina Faso

 

Newly appointed ambassadors from China, New Zealand, and Burkina Faso this morning (Thursday) presented their diplomatic credentials to President of Israel Reuven Rivlin, during an official ceremony at the President's Residence. In their meetings, the President expressed to each of them his desire for Israel to deepen and strengthen cooperation and mutually beneficial bilateral relationships with each of the states, and in turn the ambassadors noted their high expectations for their time as their countries' official representatives to Israel.

 

The incoming Ambassador of China, H.E. Mr. Zhan Yongxin said to the President upon presenting his credentials, "I bring with me the greetings of the Chinese President, and wish to express my appreciation of the warm welcome I have received in Israel."

 

The President expressed his thanks for China's efforts to assist in the rescue of Israelis caught in the Nepalese earthquake disaster. He said, "I want to thank you for your government's involvement in assisting Israeli tourists in Nepal after the terrible earthquake – for this I thank you and your country, from the bottom of my heart."

 

The Ambassador of China said, "The Chinese and Jewish peoples have enjoyed a long standing friendship and this serves as a solid foundation for furthering our cooperation. We have, since the establishment of diplomatic relations, made considerable progress in our cooperation in various fields, and frequent political interchanges and mutual visits have taken place, especially in the fields of innovation and technology. It is time for us to turn plans into action and transform expectation into reality. I believe we can double the trade volume between Israel and China over the next decade. It is my hope that will be able to embolden our fruitful cooperation in many fields."

  

 

Non-Resident Ambassador of New Zealand, H.E. Jonathan Andrew Curr, presented his credentials and said, "The relationship between Israel and New Zealand is very important to me personally as newly appointed ambassador, but also to the people of New Zealand as a whole. There is a very deep relationship between our two peoples, and a great amount of cooperation. We don't always see things exactly the same way in this region, but our approach has always been to listen to our friends and learn and understand their concerns. This visit is an opportunity to understand and learn more of Israel's outlook on developments in the region."

 

The President welcome the Ambassador and said, "I have been to New Zealand just once in my life but I will never forget the wonderful people I met there. New Zealand is a model of multiculturalism. We enjoy very strong relations between our countries, and though there are differences of opinions, as friends, we can agree to disagree."

 

The President added, "I would ask you to express to the government in New Zealand, the message that a solution to the conflict will be possible only through direct negotiations, and not through unilateral moves on the part of our neighbors the Palestinians."

  

 

Non-Resident Ambassador of Burkina Faso H.E. Mr. Gnama Henri Bacye, presented his credentials to the President and said, "I want to thank you and the State of Israel for your warm welcome. For me, arriving in the eternal city of Jerusalem is a dream come true. I visited the Old City, and at the Western Wall I prayed for peace for your region and the whole world."

 

The President responded, "I am very pleased to receive your credentials and welcome you to the President's Residence. Our relations with you are of high importance, we are cooperating in a range of subjects. I know that even as we speak, the director general of your Ministry of Agriculture is visiting Israel. The mutual exchange of information is beneficial to both our countries, and we will be happy to continue and deepen our relationship."

 

The Ambassador added, "I would like that my submitting of credentials today, will be moment of renewal and increasing our relationship." He raised with the President a proposal to encorage Israelis who have retired from full time work, to come to Burkina Faso to aid with their experience and knowledge in their respective fields. The Ambassador also extended an invitation to the President to visit Burkina Faso. The President thanked him for his invitation and stated, "Israeli pensioners certainly represent a wealth of experience and knowledge."

 

 Photos by Mark Neumann GPO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President Rivlin hosts New Year's reception for leaders of Israel's Christian communities

 

President Reuven Rivlin this morning (Tuesday), hosted the traditional, annual reception for leaders of Israel's Christian community leaders to mark the civil New Year. The event was attended by nine heads of various churches in Israel, and senior members of the community.

 

The President welcomed those attending and said, "Over the past months, we have been greatly concerned, by the on-going religious persecution and restrictions on freedom of worship for minorities in the Middle East. Because of their faith hundreds of thousands are being exiled, forcibly converted, attacked, and brutally murdered. This is a war against extremism. A war, being waged against those who want to spread a message of freedom of worship and coexistence, by those who carry the flag of destruction and hatred.

 

"This is a cause of great worry and pain for all us. We share the Psalms of King David, the words of the Prophets, and a love for Jerusalem, and the Holy Land. As we know, we are all created in the image of God. As the prophet Malachi wrote, "Do we not, all have one Father? Did not one God create us?" We will continue to live together, and build bridges of peace, here, in the land of our fathers.

 

"May we all, Christians, Muslims, Jews, children of Abraham, together with all those of different faiths, see the fulfillment of the vision of the prophet Isaiah, that "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and no longer learn war." Let 2015 be a year of partnership and friendship. Let it be a year of understanding and mutual respect. I wish you all a peaceful and happy New Year."

 

Also speaking at the event was Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Theophilos III, he said, "In this season in particular, the world, caught up in the darkness of violence, poverty, persecution and war, looks to us, the communities of the Holy Land for renewed hope and inspiration. Our precise paths as political and religious leaders may be different, but first and foremost, our concern is always our people. In this region, we recognize the diversity of the peoples and understand that the harmonious coexistence of the Abrahamic faiths is essential to the integrity of the Holy Land."

 

Photo  Kobi Gideon GPO