Showing posts with label Yossi Aloni. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yossi Aloni. Show all posts

Monday, August 13, 2018

Documenting the Six Day War for Future Generations - Yossi Aloni ISRAEL TODAY

Documenting the Six Day War for Future Generations

Monday, August 13, 2018 |  Yossi Aloni  ISRAEL TODAY
Israel's Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, in cooperation with the World Zionist Organization, has embarked on a mission to thoroughly document every possible angle of the 1967 Six Day War.
The goal is to help current and future generations better understand what earlier generations did and endured in order to settle, work and defend the State of Israel.
The project involved professional production teams visiting the homes of soldiers and others caught up in the fighting of the Six Day War to record their fascinating and moving stories. All of the audio and video files produced will later be uploaded to a special website for use by all Israelis.
Officials involved with the project emphasized that all stories, touching on every angle of the conflict, will be told.
A year ago, a similar project was carried out to document the War of Independence. Over 1,000 of those involved in the events of 1948 provided testimony.
Reuven Pinsky from the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage said: "The Six Day War took place on all fronts and forced the Jewish people to cope with a difficult reality. There were many stories of heroism, sacrifice and humanity - we want to document these stories for future generations. Documentation of the personal stories of this generation is the documentation of the history of the State of Israel, and will help shape the consciousness of Israeli society and educate the younger generation. As [famed Israeli general and politician] Yigal Allon once said, 'A nation that doesn't respect its past will have a dull present and an uncertain future.'"
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Sunday, April 2, 2017

Spanish Foreign Minister blasts BDS - Yossi Aloni ISRAEL TODAY

Spanish Foreign Minister blasts BDS

Sunday, April 02, 2017 |  Yossi Aloni  ISRAEL TODAY
During a meeting with a delegation of Knesset members, who visited the country to mark 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Israel, Alfonso Dastis, Spain's Foreign Minister, came out firmly against the BDS movement's activities.
"The government of Spain is entirely opposed to BDS and has already taken a variety of steps to fight the movement. I ask that you update me on every new extreme initiative in real time, so we can prevent it in real time," said Dastis.
This despite some 40 cities in Spain adopting boycott resolutions with some 10 cities cancelling their decisions, either voluntarily or by court order.
The Spanish-Israeli Parliamentary Friendship League was launched at a ceremony attended by Spanish senators, congressman, the Israeli ambassador to Spain, the delegation of Knesset members and other Israeli embassy staff.
"The Knesset places great importance to strengthening relations between the two countries and parliaments. Fortunately, the Spanish foreign minister agreed to my invitation to visit Israel and declared that his government is strongly opposed to BDS," said MK Revital Swid.
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Friday, March 31, 2017

A Billion Chinese Can Not Be Wrong - Yossi Aloni ISRAEL TODAY


A Billion Chinese Can Not Be Wrong

Friday, March 31, 2017 |  Yossi Aloni  ISRAEL TODAY
The website of the Israeli Embassy in China on the Chinese social network (Wibu) is the most popular of all foreign embassies with 1.9 million followers. The US Embassy has only 1 million followers.
Foreign embassies in China do not understand how the Israeli embassy achieved this popularity.
The Wibu social media network has 600 million registered users of which around 300 million are active.
The Israeli Embassy in China has 1.9 million followers, in second place and very far behind the Israeli Embassy is the Canadian Embassy with 1.13 million followers with the US Embassy in China in third place with 1.035 million followers, almost half those of Israel. In fourth place is the Brazilian embassy with half a million followers, in fifth place is the Japanese embassy with less than half a million followers, followed by South Korea with 396,000, Cuba with 289,000, France was in ninth spot with 255,000, and the Russian embassy was in 10th place 167,000.
An article entitled "What's new in Wibu" tried to analyze what makes the Israeli embassy in China so popular. The answer given is that in general Chinese citizens have a very positive attitude towards Israel. In addition, activities of the Embassy in Beijing and the Consulate General in Shanghai were widely appreciated. One of them was when the Shanghai Consulate published a video clip of hundreds of Israelis (including Prime Minister Netanyahu) holding up signs in Chinese thanking the Chinese people for the shelter they gave the Jews during World War II. After past Israeli president Shimon Peres passed away, half a million followers visited the embassy site and recorded their condolences hailing Peres as a great friend of China.
Several articles about the Israeli Embassy were published in the Chinese media and by several leading Chinese bloggers.
Among other things, the Israeli Embassy website offers, pictures of the Golan Heights, pictures of Tel Aviv at night, pictures of the Old City of Jerusalem, historical information about Israel, a list of the most popular names in Israel, an explanation of Chanukah and donuts, photos of extinguishing the fires that recently ravaged Israel, many posts on Israeli innovation, explanations regarding the operation of Shabbat elevators, explanations why Israeli cows produce the most milk per cow in the world, posts about the Israeli culinary scene, posts about Chinese bloggers visiting the country and more.
The site is meticulous in maintaining contact with its followers and also conducts award-winning campaigns, advertises sets of Dead Sea products, Israeli wine, magnets, tickets for Israeli cultural events and even airline tickets to Israel. Among other things, the site ran a quiz with questions such as how many Israeli cities the Chinese followers know, their favorite Israeli dishes, etc.
As part of the launch of the 10-year visa agreement between Israel and China last November, a number of participants were flown to Israel in an online campaign, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, El Al, Hainan and Dan Hotels. The embassy asked visitors to send videos explaining Israel. In response, hundreds of videos were received, from which four winners were chosen and provided with an air ticket and a stay in an Israeli hotel.
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Friday, March 24, 2017

For the first time, the Palestinians have more diplomatic missions than Israel - Yossi Aloni ISRAEL TODAY

For the first time, the Palestinians have more diplomatic missions than Israel

Thursday, March 23, 2017 |  Yossi Aloni   ISRAEL TODAY
In light of the damage to the Israeli Foreign Service and the closing of embassies - for the first time since the establishment of the State, the Palestinian Authority has more diplomatic missions from Israel around the world.
The Palestinian Authority has 98 embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions in 95 countries. In addition, they have 5 missions to international organizations, a total of 103 active diplomatic missions.
Israel closed four representative offices last year (the embassy in El Salvador, the Consulate General in Marseilles, the Consulate General in Philadelphia and the Israeli Embassy to the Caribbean) and now has 98 embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions in 78 countries.
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This means that the State of Israel is lagging behind the Palestinians in the number of countries in which it is represented: the Palestinians are deployed in 95 countries while Israel is deployed in only 78 countries. And they lead Israel in the number of missions: 103 to the Palestinians versus 102 to Israel.
And if that is not enough: Turkey has 223 representative offices in the world; Egypt has 166 representations; Iran, 142; To Morocco; Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia 108. The Arab League and Iran have 1941 representative offices compared with Israel's 102.
Hanan Goder, chairman of the Foreign Ministry's workers' committee, said in response: "I say that the time has come for the State of Israel to understand: every embassy is facing challenges at foreign relations. The more positions there are - the stronger the line of defense. The State of Israel needs to reach every possible place in the world."
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Thursday, March 23, 2017

Is it time for the US to resign from the Human Rights Council? - Yossi Aloni ISRAEL TODAY

Is it time for the US to resign from the Human Rights Council?

Wednesday, March 22, 2017 |  Yossi Aloni  ISRAEL TODAY
Israel is working to persuade the Trump government to withdraw from the UN Human Rights Council, and Deputy Prime Minister Michael Oren has begun a campaign to persuade the US to quit the council he calls an "anti-Semitic body."
Oren spoke yesterday with Deputy Secretary of State Erin Berkley, who earlier this month addressed the council in Geneva and called on them to stop their obsession with Israel. The United States is one of 47 council members and their three-year membership is due to end in 2019. "The US government headed by Donald Trump is examining his participation in the UN human rights body in order to promote a reform that will lead to a more balanced agenda that will end the organization's obsession with Israel. In order for the Council to have any credibility, and especially in order to succeed in its role, it must abandon its unbalanced and ineffective positions. When we look at our continued conduct, my administration will consider the Council's actions with a view to reform - in order to achieve the Council's goals of protecting and promoting human rights, "Berkeley said.
Berkeley added: "The United States continues to be very concerned about its consistent, unfair and unbalanced focus on one democratic state, Israel. At present, North Korea and Iran are denying millions of people the right to freedom of religion, belief, assembly, freedom of association and freedom of expression. "The obsession with Israel is the greatest threat to the credibility of the Council. It limits the good we can achieve by making this council a mockery. The United States will oppose any effort to delegitimize or isolate Israel. Not only in the Human Rights Council, but everywhere it happens. When it comes to human rights, no country should be free from criticism, but there should not be a situation in which a democratic state is always judged unfairly, unbalanced or based on unfounded prejudices."
"I very much hope that some of the changes in foreign policy and policy toward Israel in particular will be one of the changes that the US will stop legitimizing for a body that is not only anti-Israel but also anti-Semitic," said Oren. Berkeley replied to Oren that the administration was considering exiting the body. Oren said, "I certainly enjoyed a sympathetic ear."
In addition, Oren held a number of discussions on the subject with members of Congress. US Secretary of State Tillerson also published an article on the subject in which he said that the US demands reforms from the Council otherwise the US will leave.
The Bush administration withdrew its ambassador from the council in 2006 partly because of the anti-Israel nature of the council. Obama returned the ambassador and refused Israeli demands to withdraw him on the grounds that the American presence on the council could change the council from within.
Michael Oren believes that it is precisely the American presence that legitimizes a body that is fundamentally anti-Israeli. "The Americans did not succeed during the Obama administration in bringing about any change for us in the council, and our situation has only deteriorated," he added.
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Saturday, February 25, 2017

Top Oscar Nominees All Turned Down Trip to Israel - Yossi Aloni ISRAEL TODAY

Top Oscar Nominees All Turned Down Trip to Israel

Friday, February 24, 2017 |  Yossi Aloni  ISRAEL TODAY
Of the 25 leading candidates to win an Academy Award last year, none chose to exercise the offer by the Ministry of Tourism to enjoy a free upscale vacation in Israel.
According to the company that gives the special gift bags to Oscar nominees, the only Hollywood star to make any use of the Israeli gift card was Jennifer Lawrence, who gave it to her parents.
Some, like British actor Mark Rylance, star of the movie “Bridge of Spies,” openly rejected the Israeli offer.
With the 2017 Oscars just around the corner, pro-Palestinian groups told AFP that the failure of the Israeli gift card last year was due to their pressure on Hollywood stars to boycott the Jewish state.   The Oscar gift bags contain about $200,000 worth of gifts. Valued at $55,000, the Israeli officer of first class airfare, 5-star accommodations and culinary experiences for two is one of the more expensive offerings.
Pro-Palestinian activists have accused Israel of using the expensive gifts to trick Hollywood stars into photo-ops that would benefit the Jewish state. They have urged the celebrities to shun Israel, just as they refused to visit apartheid South Africa in the 1980s.
Among the groups pressuring celebrities to NOT visit Israel are liberal Jewish organizations like “Jews for Peace,” which warned Hollywood stars that by visiting Israel they would be identifying with the “occupation of Palestine.”
That seems to have been enough to scare off every single one of last year’s top Oscar nominees. We’ll wait and see if the pressure works again this year.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Ministry of Tourism said that while the 25 Oscar nominees didn’t visit, a great many other Hollywood stars did come to Israel over the past year, and returned home as newly-minted goodwill ambassadors for the Jewish state.
PHOTO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen with movie star Keanu Reeves at an event held at the home of producer Arnon Milchan (not seen), featuring Hollywood movie stars and other film industry personalities. March 06, 2014. Photo by Avi Ohayon/GPO/FLASH90
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