metro

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New Israeli
Diplomat

S . .249s.

Consul for Midwest gives his take
on Gaza and peace process.

I

Don Cohen
Contributing
Writer

T

Earn Generous Life Income &
Support Israel's Bright Future

In these challenging economic times, some things never
change. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, founded
in 1918 by Albert Einstein, Chaim Weizmann and
Sigmund Freud, continues to be Israel's #1 institution for
comprehensive higher education and research, forging
vital advances in fields ranging from biomedicine to
environmental studies.

he Midwest
has a new
Israeli con-
sul general based in
Chicago, but the cen-
tral message remains
the same: Israel is
ready to make painful
compromises for peace
and seeks a Palestinian
partner who will, and
can, do the same.
The Hon. Roey
Gilad, who, in 23
years, has previously
Jewish
seen assignments in
Community
Relations
London, England,
Council
Amman, Jordan,
and Nairobi, Kenya,
met with the Jewish
Israel Consul General to the Midwest Roey Gilad
Community Relations
Council (JCRC) Board
now:' Gilad says. "[Now] things are
on Dec. 5 during a three-day visit
very fragile. There are groups linked to
here that included sessions with the
terror that cannot be ignored!'
American Jewish Committee, the
Hamas, the Palestinian branch of
Zionist Organization of America, the
the Moslem Brotherhood that controls
Michigan-Israel Business Bridge and a
the Gaza Strip, is no longer isolated.
JCRC-organized media luncheon with
Islamist forces are in charge in Egypt,
more than 50 local journalists.
and threaten Syria, Jordan and the
"It's just seven minutes between
Palestinian leadership in Ramallah,
Jerusalem and Ramallah:' Gilad told
which is very weak.
the JCRC board during his first visit to
"We are stuck between the unable
Detroit since assuming the post four
[Abbas and the Palestinian Authority]
months ago, "but the Palestinians went and the unwilling [Hamas]; Gilad
all the way down to the Second Avenue says.
of Manhattan to get the support of the
"We need to support Ramallah so
international community:'
they can be a model, and maybe we
It was no surprise they got that
need to do more Gilad says. "But
support, he said, noting the United
if it were not for the State of Israel,
Nations voted 138-4, with 41 absten-
Palestine would be bankrupt. They
tions to recognize Palestine as a non-
will not take their destiny in their own
member observer. "But it brought
hands:'
them more distant from a state. You
For these reasons, he says Israel
cannot get a state in New York; it has
"needs to move from conflict resolu-
to be built in Ramallah, in Jenin, in
tion to conflict management:' part of
which means protecting Israel from
Hebron and in Bethlehem. It made
the Israeli electorate very nervous and
rockets and missiles from Gaza. He
frustrated:'
says last month's military response to
While Israel remains committed to
the rockets was successful because it
peace, he says things have changed
ended in a cease-fire that halted the
because of the upheavals often referred rockets. He says Hamas' medium-
to as the Arab Spring.
range and long-range missiles were
"Three years ago, there was a lot
either destroyed in Israel's initial
of stability compared to what we see
bombings or were fired at Tel Aviv or

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December 13 • 2012

Media Relations