The European Leadership Network (ELNET) brought a delegation of newly elected members of the French National Assembly on an experiential visit to Israel from the third to the sixth of January.
In an effort to strengthen Europe-Israel relations, ELNET facilitates key relationships between high-ranking policymakers, journalists, academics, and experts. This January 3rd delegation is the latest of ELNET’s 390 total delegations, visits, and events since its 2007 inception.
“ELNET’s delegations are carefully planned and aim to provide its participants with a powerful and motivating series of experiences that help them shape an independent and well-informed view of Israel,” according to ELNET's website.
“ELNET accomplishes this by developing an itinerary that includes meetings with top-level government officials and influential politicians, strategic tours and briefings with independent policy experts and IDF personnel, meetings with minority groups that embody Israel’s commitment to democracy, visits to leading NGOs, and trips to historical and religious sites.”
"We visited the Knesset and witnessed a vivid democracy in action."
MP Caroline Yadan
The French delegation, headed by MP Benjamin Haddad, the spokesperson for the Majority Renaissance group, is composed of 16 MPs from President Macron’s majority group, many of whom have never visited Israel before. The delegation includes several members of the foreign affairs committee and defense committee, groups that work closely with Israel on a regular basis.
“It was an incredible pleasure to be part of this delegation to Israel organized by ELNET. We visited the Knesset and witnessed a vivid democracy in action. We also had the chance to visit Israel’s southern border and learn about the strategic challenges Israel faces regularly,” MP for Paris, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and former deputy Minister of Public Services Caroline Yadan told the Jerusalem Post.
“We also met with leading innovative Israeli start-ups in the fields of climate change and water treatment that could benefit us all in the future. There is much more to be done between France and Israel in these fields of shared challenges and similar interests and this year started off great!"
"There is much more to be done between France and Israel in these fields of shared challenges and similar interests."
MP Caroline Yadan
CEO of ELNET-France Arié Bensemhoun also labeled the delegation’s trip a success.
“It has been an absolute honor to kick off this new year with this delegation to Israel of young and promising newly elected MPs of the French National Assembly who came to see Israel in these unprecedented times to build new bridges between the countries,” he told the Post. “At ELNET we look forward to a promising year of growing partnerships between Israel and France but also with Europe as a whole.”