When US Ambassador Mike Huckabee presented his credentials to President Isaac Herzog in April, one of the subjects they discussed was Iran.
Huckabee said there were challenges that he shared with Israel that concern the Iranian regime and all its hostility that has been inflicted on the world for 45 years, and continues to threaten not just the peace of Israel but that of the United States as well.
“It has always been their desire that Israel would be an opening act, and then it would be America’s turn to face destruction.”
■ DESPITE MEDIA reports of a greatly weakened Iran following the carefully orchestrated strike by the Israel Air Force, no one really knows to what extent this is true, but the success of the IAF operation must have brought some satisfaction to Huckabee, who has been a longtime unofficial ambassador for Israel, prior to his official appointment as ambassador of the US.
In his conversation with Herzog, he also mentioned that he was in Jerusalem not just as a visitor, as he had been many times in the past, “but now, for the next few years, this will be my home.”
Canada's new ambassador stays behind
■ AMONG THE other ambassadors who presented their credentials in April was Canadian Ambassador Leslie Scanlon. She took up her new post during intensive diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the hostages being held by Hamas but had probably not anticipated the events of the past week.
Although several members of the Canadian Embassy left Israel to return home via Jordan, given that Ben-Gurion Airport is closed, Scanlon opted to stay. Until the return of those members of the embassy who have gone home, the activities of the Canadian Embassy will be scaled down, and only consular services will be provided.
Will events be delayed?
■ NO ONE knows how long the current security situation will last. The tentative date is the end of June when people can once again congregate in large numbers. But if the national voluntary curfew continues beyond that date, there are numerous conferences and competitions that may have to be moved to later dates or canceled, such as the RFA International Physical Fitness competition; the Jerusalem East-West Festival; the Jerusalem Film Festival; the summer concert by Avraham Fried at the Sultan’s Pool; and the annual Arts, Crafts, and Music fair at Hutzot Hayotzer.
It’s a wait and see situation. Beginning August 13, with different performers every night, the entertainment lineup for Hutzot Hayotzer includes Aviv Gefen, Mercedes, Rita and Rami, The Friends of Natasha, Sarit Hadad, Teapacks, Osher Cohen, Hodaya, Yehuda Poliker with Tislam, Shlomi Shabat, The Project of Revivo, Danny Sanderson, Hatikva 6, Itay Levy, Nasreen Kadri, and Ishay Ribo.
Several events scheduled for this past week were canceled, such as the concert at the Jerusalem Payis Arena by Eden Ben Zaken, who was scheduled to sing some of her biggest hits on June 19.
Milei visits Hebrew University
■ BEFORE LEAVING Israel last week, Argentinian President Javier Milei visited the Hebrew University and delivered an address to a packed hall of students and faculty members, to whom he outlined his economic doctrine, described how he brought about change in Argentina’s economy, and praised the relationship between his country and Israel.
A former professor of economics, Milei felt very comfortable in the Hebrew University’s academic milieu.
“My policy is one of peace and free trade, and I have defined my key allies – the United States and Israel,” he said. “During my election campaign, while touring one of the neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, a young boy came up to me and handed me a white cloth on which he had drawn the Israeli flag with a Star of David. I want to tell you, this is the most moving flag I have ever received.”
At the start of the event, HU President Prof. Asher Cohen presented Milei with the Jerusalem Crown Bible, the university’s official Bible. It is a codification (organization, compilation, and systematic editing) of the ancient Holy Scriptures carried out by university scholars. This Bible is the official edition used in the declaration of allegiance ceremonies of members of the Knesset and the president of the State of Israel.
It was a particularly appropriate gift for the president of Argentina, who has a deep interest in the Jewish teachings of the Bible, which he studied together with Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish, who is currently Argentina’s ambassador to Israel, and resides in Jerusalem, where Milei has indicated he intends to transfer the embassy.
During his visit to the university, Milei met with Daniel Lischinsky, the father of Israeli diplomat Yaron Lischinsky who was murdered in a terrorist attack in Washington last month together with Sarah Milgrim, whom he had planned to marry. Yaron was an alumnus of the Hebrew University. Milei expressed his condolences.
Ballistic missiles and high-rise buildings
■ ON MORE than one occasion, warnings of the dangers of high-rise residential buildings have been published in this column. Sadly, the veracity of such concerns has proven true since last Friday, when ballistic missiles have hit high-rise buildings with great force, causing enormous destruction but, worse still, loss of life – even for people in so-called safe rooms.
People living in 20-story towers and even taller edifices simply don’t have the time to get to a communal safe room in the basement of the building. Then there’s the frightening split-second choice of whether to take the elevator or the stairs, especially when the elevator has stopped on the ground floor or lower. Numerous people on a staircase slow everyone down. But an elevator can be a death trap if a building is hit by a missile.
There’s a popular Israeli slogan, Li zeh lo yikre (“It won’t happen to me”). The Grim Reaper doesn’t play favorites. Casualties of ballistic attacks have included children, adults, and senior citizens. There’s no guarantee that a ballistic missile won’t strike a low-rise building, but a high-rise is a much easier target. Mayor Moshe Lion should take note.
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