August 28/2015

International Scientific Conference Held in the Land of Innovation and Honey

Last week, Israel was host to over 400 young, emerging scientists from 71 countries and 15 Nobel Laureates, from around the world, who came together to participate in WorldScience Conference (WSCI).  In the words of Nobel Laureate Professor Roger Kronberg, chairman of WSCI’s Academic committee, conference provides “a platform for inspiration, dialogue and discussion between promising young talents and the attending Nobel Laureates and eminent scientists” in areas ranging from physics, chemistry, life sciences and math.

Meeting inspirational Israeli researchers, working on a scientific poster in multi-national groups and presenting to Nobel laureates, watching multicultural presentations from all over the world - these are only part of the things theparticipants experienced at the WSCI.

Alongside the activities for the young scientists, the WSCI included special sessions that brought together the Nobel laureates and eminent members of the academia together with leading figures of the industry from Israel and abroad, discussing mutual connections between fundamental science and its applications.

The WSCI in Israel was designed to emphasize the strengths and advantages of the "Israeli spirit” that applies creativity and groundbreaking thinking to successfully combine basic and applied science.

The initiative to hold this unique international event in Israel goes hand-in-hand with Israel's leading global role in areas of science and it’s commitment to channel its innovative energy towards making the world a better place. 

Shabbat Shalom,

  

Yaron Sideman
Consul General Of Israel,
Mid-Atlantic Region

August 21/2015

Saying Goodbye and Hello

This week a dear friend and colleague, that I had the distinct pleasure of working with for the past three years, is returning to Israel upon termination of his diplomatic posting as Deputy Consul General Of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic region. I feel extremely fortunate to have had a such a great partner for our work at the Consulate. Elad Strohmayer is professional, knowledgeable, experienced and above all - staunchly committed to fostering Israel's relations with the U.S.

For the past three years, Elad carried out Israel’s mission tirelessly and as I and all of you can attest, with a great deal of talent, devotion and passion. Elad is a true Mensch and a dear friend. For his partnership, friendship and invaluable work here at the Consulate, I deeply thank Elad, and wish him and his husband, Oren, a bright and sunny future as they return home to Israel.

I am equally delighted to welcome the incoming Deputy Consul General, Moran Birman, and his wife, Dana, who arrived at Philadelphia this week. I am confident that Moran, a smart and gifted diplomat with a unique skill set and an engaging personality, will be highly successful in carrying out our core mission - fostering deep and meaningful relations between Israel and the United States.

As we depart from Elad and welcome Moran, I look forward to continue working with all of you to jointly fulfill the highly important mission. 

Shabbat Shalom,

  

Yaron Sideman
Consul General Of Israel,
Mid-Atlantic Region

August 14/2015

Israel’s committed to a safer and better world - Our Love and Care for Flood Victims of Myanmar 

For all the right reasons, Israel’s diplomatic efforts at this critical point in time are focused on preventing Iran from embarking on a nuclear path that ends with a bomb, a path clearly paved in the agreement signed with Iran last month. These efforts reflect Israel’s deep commitment to making the world a safer and better place. A crucial aspect of making the world safer is preventing dangerous actors on the world stage, like Iran, from putting the world in danger through their acts of aggression.

A key aspect of Israel’s commitment to making the world better is lending a helping hand to countries and communities in need, in the face of natural or manmade disasters. A majority of the time these activities occur behind the scenes and go unnoticed by the general public. An example of such a disaster that by and large went unnoticed is the severe flooding that occurred this week in the country of Myanmar, devastating many villages and impacting countless people. It didn’t go unnoticed in Israel as we provided assistance and emergency aid to the floods many victims. Trucks were loaded with food, medicines, and mosquito nets as a robust Israeli delegation headed to the hard hit Thayarwaddy delta area. Israel plans to continue the work of helping the flood victims, including supplying additional resources, including much needed water purification tablets. Local residents and the Myanmar government received the Israeli assistance with open arms and a great deal of appreciation. This is one of the many regions in need where Israel is engaged and living up to its commitment to make the world safer place for all of us.

Shabbat Shalom,

  

Yaron Sideman
Consul General Of Israel,
Mid-Atlantic Region

August 07/2015

Playing for Peace

This week I had the pleasure of participating in an amazing event in Philadelphia.  It was an event that I believe gives us all hope for a possible co-existence in the Middle East.  A group of 6 Israeli teenagers came to play tennis with American teens.  That sounds exciting, right?  Well, the story is much more than that.  The Israeli teenagers were compiled of 3 Jewish teens and 3 Arab teens.  They came here through the Israel Tennis Center Foundation, an organization helping to build bridges in Israel between communities and provide recreational activities for teenagers and children from underprivileged areas.  Here, in Philadelphia, they play tennis, not with Jewish teenagers, but with teenagers from the Legacy Center, an organization that serves all ethnic groups.  Last month the Israelis hosted the Americans in Israel, and now the Israelis are hosted here.

This is a true example that if engaged in a positive activity, you can help build bridges for understanding and peace.  On the T-shirts the players wore it was written: “Playing for Peace.”  They found a common language despite many disagreements and cultural gaps.  These teenagers are our future.

I wanted to share this is because of the ongoing debate regarding the Iranian Nuclear Deal.  Many things have been written and said about the deal.  I want to refer to one of the many reasons I oppose this deal.  While the teenagers playing tennis for co-existence here in Philadelphia are the future, Iran’s regime and this nuclear deal are the past.  With this deal we give Iran the financial means to continue to sponsor terrorist organizations, and spread fear and instability in our region.  Iran will continue on the opposite path of what we stand for: freedom and liberty.

This has been a profound week: the more time goes by, more and more people, including our elected officials, oppose the nuclear deal with Iran.  The more we read and the more we hear differing opinions, and the more that details of the agreement come to our attention, it becomes clear that this is a bad deal.  More and more leaders, Democrats and Republicans, are speaking out against this deal.  It’s not a political issue.  It’s not a partisan issue.  Even in Israel, the head of the opposition, Yitzhak Hertzog, said that on this issue he is backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

I don’t trust Iran.  I don’t trust a country that helps export terrorism and doesn’t respect basic human rights.  I urge you to read what New York Senator Chuck Schumer (D) had to say about the deal. Opposing this deal is a must if we want to strengthen the moderate forces in the Middle East.  Opposing this deal is a must so Israeli Arabs and Jews can continue to play tennis together, and maybe one day it will be possible with other nations in the Middle East.  Giving Iran a prize like they are being given now makes this day farther and farther away for us.

Shabbat Shalom,

  

Elad Strohmayer
Deputy Consul General Of Israel,
Mid-Atlantic Region

July 31/2015

No Place for Hate Crimes in Israel

 Every society has its negative elements, miscreants who seek to undermine its fundamental values and pollute it with their hateful agendas. Such criminal elements belong behind bars but unfortunately they will succeed, on occasion, in rearing up their ugly heads and spreading mayhem and destruction. No society, even the most democratic and enlightened, is free of such “bad weeds.” Israel is no exception.

This week we witnessed two hideous attacks in Israel. The first was an arson attack on a Palestinian family in which an 18-month old toddler was murdered. His parents and four-year old brother were seriously injured. There is evidence pointing to the attack having been carried out by Israeli extremists. The second was a stabbing spree at the Gay Pride parade in Jerusalem that injured six people, two of them seriously, carried out by an ultra-Orthodox man with an existing criminal record.

There are no other words to describe these attacks other than despicable acts of terror. They shocked the Israeli public and were condemned unequivocally by public figures from across the political spectrum. The murderous attack against the Palestinian family was condemned as well by the Yesha Council, the umbrella organization of municipal councils of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.

Such attacks are an assault on all who cherish human dignity. They are, in effect, an attack on Israel as a democratic society. In the words of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, released immediately after the attack on the Dawabsha family: "This is an act of terrorism in every respect. The State of Israel takes a strong line against terrorism regardless of who the perpetrators are… On behalf of the citizens of Israel, I would like to share in the sorrow of the family of Ali Dawabsha and wish a quick recovery to the family members who were injured." Similarly, in response to the attack at the Gay Pride parade, he declared: “A despicable hate crime was committed this evening in Jerusalem. In Israel everyone, including the gay community, has the right to live in peace, and we will defend that right. I welcome the Israeli religious leadership’s condemnation of this terrible crime, and I call on all those in positions of leadership to denounce this contemptible act.”

Our hearts and minds today are with the grieving Dawabsha family and with those injured at the parade attack in Jerusalem. We wish them healing and a speedy recovery. 

Shabbat Shalom,

  

Yaron Sideman
Consul General Of Israel,
Mid-Atlantic Region

July 24/2015

A License to Nuke

It has been two weeks since the signing of the agreement with Iran and we all have had an opportunity to read it closely. The issue at hand is too critical and serious to be debated solely through slogans and sound bites; one should read the agreement and absorb its details in order to thoughtfully discuss it, whether one supports it or opposes it.

We have read it. Carefully. Going over the details of the agreement only reinforced our notion that this agreement spells disaster. It is a notion no longer. Now we are convinced. Allow me to provide some examples that illustrate three crucial points:

First, the agreement is not enforceable – the critical leverage on Iran that allows effective enforcement of this deal is the threat of reactivation of sanctions, which has been referred to as the “Snap Back” mechanism. The specifics of that mechanism are available in the text of the agreement. There one finds that Iran is an equal partner in the decision making process, determining in the end if it violated the agreement. The most incongruous part of the agreement – should “Snap Back” sanctions be reintroduced, Iran has the right to renege and not be obligated by it, rendering the whole “Snap Back” mechanism irrelevant and entirely ineffective.

Secondly, the agreement is not verifiable – it is important to understand that a huge part of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, particularly in the area of enrichment, were attained over the years while it was under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supervision, in a clandestine manner, in several undeclared sites. Given that -even the strongest most stringent forms of IAEA inspections have inherent limitations. One can then understand how critically important it is that IAEA inspectors attain immediate access to any declared or suspected site in Iran. Indefensibly, that is clearly not the case in the agreement at hand, which stipulates bureaucratic and therefore ineffective processes for IAEA inspectors to physically inspect suspected and military sites. That is - if Iran adheres to the agreement. Alternatively, it can choose to go the North Korean route and simply block inspectors altogether.

Finally, the agreement lacks balance, Iran was on the receiving end of concession after concession and  it really only gave back a promise that it will adhere to the agreement for a few years until it naturally expires, and a promise to refrain from abusing its vast nuclear infrastructure after that expiration date for military use. Based on past promises that Iran has made – I wouldn’t put my money on them keeping this one either.

The devil is in the details, they say, and this agreement fails that test. It is flawed fundamentally and rotten from its very core. It is the clear antithesis of its intended goals - the dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. This agreement paves the way for Iran to be a legitimate military nuclear power on the world stage in a mere decade. It essentially gives Iran a license to nuke.

Shabbat Shalom,

  

Yaron Sideman
Consul General Of Israel,
Mid-Atlantic Region

July 17/2015

The World Just Became Way More Dangerous

This week the world became a much more dangerous place, as world powers signed a nuclear deal with Iran that practically paves Iran’s way to becoming a military nuclear power.

The intent of a nuclear agreement with Iran was meant to dismantle its nuclear infrastructure and maintain cohesive international pressure until it became certain that Iran will never develop a military nuclear capability.

The agreement announced this week does the exact opposite. The new agreement effectively dismantles the sanctions regime against Iran, which took years to put together, while leaving Iran’s existing nuclear infrastructure intact.

True. There are some temporary and limited restrictions on what Iran can do with that infrastructure for the duration of the agreement. If past behavior is any indicator of future behavior, Iran will ignore the temporary and limited restrictions. Iran previously ignored international limitations placed upon it in a series of Security Council resolutions, what makes the international community believe that Iran will honor its latest commitments?  

Even if Iran does honor the agreement, the stipulations of the agreement will reach their expiration date a mere 10 years from now, allowing Iran at that point to legitimately go ahead and spin centrifuges and reach nuclear capability. Given that Iran’s vast existing nuclear infrastructure will not be physically dismantled under the terms of the agreement intact, Iran is allowed to keep its nuclear capabilities resting on a shelf for future use. It would be like switching off a light switch, only to be able to turn it right back on at a more convenient time.  . Does the international community truly believe that Iran will not turn the switch back on when the agreement expires? That’s right – they will switch it all back on again and cruise leisurely towards a bomb.

In the meantime Iran will be rewarded with hundreds of millions of dollars is sanctions relief. That money will likely flow to the Shiite militias in Iraq, the Assad regime in Syria, the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Palestinian terror groups and a bunch of other bad actors in the region and across the globe whose sole business is to undermine regional and global stability by conducting terrorism.

I am sorry I am not a bearer of positive news this week, but the truth has to be said and it must be said clearly - the agreement signed with Iran this week is nothing short of a terrible historical mistake. If adopted, it is destined to equip Iran with a nuclear weapon, spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and place the entire world in great danger. 

Shabbat Shalom,

  

Yaron Sideman
Consul General Of Israel,
Mid-Atlantic Region