By H.E. Mr. Aviv Shir-On, Ambassador of the State of Israel to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
This year we celebrate the 69th Independence Day of the state of Israel, however 2017 is a year in which we are celebrating a number of other important jubilees.
It is 120 years since the first Zionist Congress, that was convened in Basel, in 1897, and marked the foundation of Zionism, which is actually, the political national movement of the Jewish people.
Additionally it is 100 years since the “Balfour Declaration”, which is the statement of the British government from November 1917, supporting the creation of the national home for the Jewish people in its historic homeland. Another important step towards the creation of Israel was the UN General Assembly resolution 181 in November 1947 that called for the establishment of an independent Jewish state alongside with an Arab state.
This resolution, that was adapted with a clear majority, was the legal international basis for the establishment of the State of Israel in May 1948.
Another celebration this year is the 50th anniversary of the reunification of our capital city Jerusalem, during the “6 Day War” of June 1967. We also remember the first and bold step towards peace in our region, as the Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, took the initiative, visited Israel in 1977, and paved the road for the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab state.
However, we are not only marking important anniversaries, but also witnessing some positive developments. Last year was a good year for the Israeli economy, with a growth rate of 3.8%, among the highest in the OECD, and a low unemployment of 4.8%. The Israeli currency is strong, the exports went up and many Israeli startup companies made successful exits. One should not forget that those accomplishments were made despite relatively high expenditures for defense, as Israel is facing constant substantial security threats, and a complicated political and military situation in the Middle East. The whole region is in turmoil, is destabilized and looks with great uncertainty at its future. On the background of these problematic developments, Israel stands out in its ability to preserve a solid economy, keep a stable and functioning democracy, a pluralistic society, and achieve remarkable results in the areas of science and culture. In 2015, 20% of the world’s investments in cyber security were made in Israel and in 2016 – this amount grew even more. Israel has solved its water problem, as more of 3/4 of our drinking water comes today from sea water desalination plants that are based on Israeli technology and know how, which we are ready to share with our neighbors. Many Israeli scientific research projects, in cooperation with European partners, are being supported by the EU “Horizon 2020” program. Israeli developments and experts are helping to advance agriculture and food security in developing countries.
Israeli films are praised in international festivals, and Israeli wines are gaining top scores in international competitions. All that being said, we can not ignore the current difficult reality. The western world including Europe and Israel is facing common challenges, like terror, migration and extremism, with which Israel has been confronted for many years already, and was therefore, able to gain knowledge and experience, as well as to develop adequate technologies and best practices. Israel is now sharing it with its allies in Europe, North America and many other states and organizations all over the world.
The present complicated and dangerous situation in the Middle East is preventing advancement in the peace process, therefore, we are trying at this time to achieve progress in some concrete areas such as developing infrastructure and improving the economic situation of the Palestinians in the territories. We are doing that in cooperation with the UN, the EU, and governments of friendly countries, like the Netherlands. The successful economic and security cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, is also worth mentioning in this context.
Dear readers, as we all know – the media is usually concentrating on conflicts, tensions and political difficulties and this is what it does when reporting from and about Israel, but Israel is much more than that! It is a modern flourishing country, with wonderful and diverse landscapes, much sun and beautiful beaches, rich in history and high level culture, good restaurants and of-course, holy sites, sacred to billions around the world, who can enjoy freedom of warship, that did not exist there, before the creation of the state of Israel, the only democracy in the whole region.
After 2000 years of exile and persecutions, which reached its peak in the Holocaust, the Jewish people returned to its homeland and were able in relatively short time, to build an amazing country, which is undoubtedly one of the biggest success stories of the 20th and the 21st centuries. The pioneers, and the immigrants and refugees, who had followed them and started with almost nothing, with swamps, desert, and war – succeeded in creating a vibrant multi-cultural society in a high tech power house that exports today, food and medicines, computers and sophisticated technologies, to the whole world. We are proud about what we have achieved, and I hope that many of you will have the opportunity to visit Israel – the Holy land – this year, or the next, and be able to enjoy the “Israeli experience” from first hand.
Shalom!
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Photography by Opher Hod, Israeli MFA
