Israelis in Ja celebrate 70th Independence anniversary
IN 1948, the League of Nations created the sovereign state of Israel, making it a homeland for the Jews in a region that the Palestinians are also claiming to be theirs. Since then, there have been many wars and rumours of war between the two Middle Eastern factions. There has been much bloodletting, and many lives have been lost.
The dispute stretches back to biblical times, centuries before 1948, and there seems to be no end in sight. The tension was heightened two weeks ago when the US Embassy was moved from Tel-Aviv Yafo to Jerusalem, one of the disputed regions. The Israeli army fired on Palestinian protestors in Gaza near the border with Israel. Scores of people were killed and over 2,000 more injured.
This happened right around the time when Israel was celebrating its 70th anniversary of independence. Here in Jamaica, the Israelis commemorated the milestone on Wednesday, May 18, with a reception at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel on Waterloo Road in St Andrew.
The guest of honour was the Dominican Republic-based Daniel Saban, the Israeli ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, St Lucia, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica.
In addressing the gathering, Ambassador Saban, who is nearing the end of his three-year tenure in the Caribbean, described his relation with Jamaica as “vibrant” and “successful”. He said bilateral relations between the countries are going well and that since the visit of Prime Minister Andrew Holness to Israel early last year, there has been much bilateral movement.
Also addressing the gathering were Ambassador Aubyn Hill and Minister of Finance Dr Nigel Clarke, who also spoke about Jamaica’s bilateral relationship with Israel.
When Hospitality Jamaica talked with Ambassador Saban two days after the reception, he beamed as he said Jamaica and the Jamaican people are “beautiful”, “friendly” and “hospitable”, and he hoped that Jamaica would continue to be friends with the state of Israel.