Excellency, "A Legacy of Innovation" is the motto for this year’s celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the State of Israel. What can people expect?
First of all it will be a celebration of relations between Israel and Germany which are over 50 years old. It is amazing how these relationships have developed in many different areas. For us, 2018 is a special year because it symbolises the growing cooperation between Israel and Germany, two countries that, let us say, have a complicated past behind them. But I realise that this past becomes part of a very enriching present and a great future. I see this, for example, in cooperation in the area of innovation and technology, where we can further develop our relations.
What kind of events are planned?
We have many events and receptions to celebrate our 70th anniversary. We are hoping for high-ranking guests from the German government, representatives of other ministries, other diplomatic colleagues, members of the new government, as well as members of the Jewish community and business. Arriving here, it got quite clear to me that Germany is not only Berlin. I have travelled a lot and met amazing people who I hope will be there. There are a number of different activities, receptions and events taking place in the individual federal states. In addition, many organisations celebrate the anniversary with their own festivals. Well, I think we’re going to have a very busy and festive year.
In these 70 years it seems like your country has not yet been able to find rest in the region. How can you assess the current developments in Syria and the military tensions with Iran?
Over the last 70 years we have been confronted with many different challenges, from many different directions, in many different scenarios. There have been confrontations with Lebanon, in former times with the Fatah, also Hezbollah, and Syria is a major challenge for our national security. In the past we had wars with Jordan and Egypt, with which we later signed peace treaties. We continue to face such challenges – with Hamas in the Gaza Strip or the recent Iranian drone raid. Despite these security challenges, we have managed to offer our citizens a very high level of security. In a very short time Israel has developed the strength to defend its national security. As a young country in a very arid region, Israel has managed to develop its economy and agriculture, feed itself, quadruple its food production every few years and ensure food security. We are also a country with limited resources, but we have nevertheless managed to develop into a very advanced knowledge-based economy. We are able to be very creative and to find many different niches for economic cooperation, for example in the area of mobility.
A good cue. The automative industry in Germany works together with software companies in Israel. What makes your country so good in software development?
The automotive industry is a perfect example for the fact that a high production of heavy industrial goods is unnecessary. Israel can supply Germany with very advanced technology that can support the worldwide success of German cars. But Israel’s success lies not only in addressing security issues, not only in providing the means to ensure its survival and security. Our society is democratic, equal and pluralistic: highly qualified women and men in the IT sector contribute to our innovation potential.
Israel is often referring to itself as the Start-up-Nation. Many international and German companies like Siemens, Deutsche Telekom or SAP are settling down to get in touch with Israeli start-up companies. How do you explain this pull effect?
What we see in the start-up scene between Israel and Germany is the result of many years of bilateral relations. Despite the difficult past, we are always in dialogue with Germany, especially when it comes to strategic issues. This relationship distinguishes two partners with strong skills in different areas. Since my arrival in Germany I have participated in several workshops organised by German and Israeli companies. Recently, I have also met a team of scientists from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Fraunhofer Institute who are working on a cyber-security project. And although there are different ways of thinking, the productivity of these combined forces is remarkably higher. For me it was nice to see that the young Germans and Israelis did not look at each other with guilt, anger or fear, but rather being more fascinated by the new. So much has changed over the last 50 years. The automotive industry is a perfect example of this, because business interests are gradually corresponding. For Germany, the wakeup call came when the computing giant Intel acquired Mobileye, an Israeli tech company, a leader in computer vision for autonomous self-driving technology for 15.3 billion US dollar. Let me add that Israel is probably never going to produce cars so Germany can relax (laughs). But the German hardware and the Israeli software create a partnership and in the end a solid product.
How do you get involved a long with Germany in other countries?
There is another important area which might be rather unknown to the broader public – our joined economic commitment alongside Germany in African countries. The Africa Initiative was developed by MASHAV and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to contribute to the development of Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon, Burundi, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia where we focus on food supply, agriculture, irrigation, entrepreneurship, gender equality and women’s empowerment and so on.
How does this economic cooperation help to reduce political tensions?
Our security standards serve as an incentive for Arab countries to work closely with Israel. We are trying to be a reliable and responsible partner to these countries, and I think that our relations with Egypt and Jordan have become very close and unprecedentedly good in recent years. It also helps to remain human despite all the tensions. This morning I read a story in the press. It was about how the Assad regime continued its relentless bombing of the eastern Ghouta. We were able to help a Syrian woman with a high-risk pregnancy at the Rambam hospital in Haifa. The doctors managed to save her and the baby’s life. More than 4000 people with serious injuries have already been medically treated in Israel. Every week, about 50 people are treated. We also assist them in crossing the border, supplying them with electricity and so on. That is how the role of Israel has changed today. We are constantly demonstrating our neighbours that we are a reliable and supportive partner for their stability and security – because in many ways it is a mutual one. We take this very seriously.
We just had ITB here – how important is tourism as an economic factor in the Middle East?
Tourism is a very important factor for us – the Middle East as a whole is a treasure as a tourist attraction. My dream is that there will be continued stability in the region. Tourism in Israel would increase and Muslims from all over the world visited Jerusalem’s sacred sites. This would lead to trade, normality and prosperity which is what everyone in the region ultimately wants . We are also cooperating with our neighbours in the field of tourism.
Talking of being a reliable neighbour – the international media often focuses on the controversial construction of Israeli settlements on Palestinian soil. To look at the Middle East conflict in a different light: can you give us examples of Israelis and Palestinians are working together
We are working closely with the Jordanians, Egyptians also on the Syrian border. But we are also working continuously with the Palestinian authorities on security which serves not only Israeli but also Palestinian interests. This is a very important factor to consider. We also cooperate in the fields of energy and water. Our discovery of natural gas in the Mediterranean could also be a factor in relations with our neighbours. Here too, we are talking about mutual benefit for all.
I do not really like going to hospitals, but when you visit hospitals in Jerusalem you can see models of quiet and peaceful coexistence, people living together: Arab doctors treating Jewish patients, Jewish doctors teaching Arab students. You do not know who is an Arab or Jew anymore. There is no news because nothing bad happened. I have been living in Jerusalem for many decades and I have Arab friends – there is much more living together than you can see. As Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I had visited a MASHAV – Hebrew short for Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation – centre in Haifa once, and suddenly I entered a room and saw a group of Israeli and Palestinian physiotherapists taking part in a joint seminar. They came from cities like Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus or Hebron, people from the deep West Bank. Can you imagine seeing these people massaging each other in a room?
What kind of impression did you have?
At first I stood there and was so moved by this picture: two people, in one room, putting everything aside, showing how we can learn from each other, how we help each other. It was like a symbol for what we could achieve. Those stories and deeds happen, but they will not make it into the news immediately. They take place quietly and imperceptibly, but they mean a great deal.
What is your personal approach towards Palestine?
We have to move towards the Palestinians, find a political solution and not run away from it. But for that we need both sides. The answer to the political question is not in New York, not in Geneva, not in Paris – the answer is much closer to home, because it is on the ten minute journey from Ramallah to Jerusalem. It is there where we must sit and talk.
Recently, Israel has discovered natural gas deposits in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, known as Field 9. What does that mean for Israel’s role as an energy policy player?
We are a knowledge-based economy, thus the discovery of natural gas reserves will first and foremost contribute to our own needs. The future will show if Israel can actually export natural gas. One of the advantages though could be that this discovery creates a broader interest in cooperation between Jordan, Egypt and Palestine. Over the last years, Israel has become closer to its immediate neighbours, for example to Cyprus and Greece. Our relationships with both countries somehow increased and evolved into a new network. In this context, natural gas could play an interesting part in further cooperation in the Mediterranean. Of course, there are also some disputes with Lebanon about drawing the demarcation line of the gas field. But those are things we have to work on.
You are a very commited person posting on Twitter. What are the advantages and risks of social media in an Ambassador’s day-to-day business?
Twitter is an immediate medium delivering a wealth of information, accessible quickly. As a diplomat, however, you are dependent on confidential cables. Every day I read this and sometimes I say: “Huh, I read that on Twitter a few days ago”. As another example, I recently met Heiko Maas, your former Minister of Justice. And I suspected he might change jobs, but I didn’t want to tweet this. So when it was officially announced that he would become the new Foreign Minister, I posted a tweet to wish him every success. Twitter is revolutionary when it comes to the stream of information: you can forward messages and exchange ideas.
Has Twitter changed the profession of an Ambassador nowadays? Formerly most of the diplomatic work happened behind closed doors.
I agree. The role of Ambassadors might have changed, but it really depends on the responsibility of an Ambassador. I remember when as a Deputy Director General of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I dealt with ultra sensitive strategic issues. Believe me, there is still a dimension in my work that takes place behind the curtains and under the radar. But for the success of a diplomat, it is important to have one foot in the public sphere, for example via Twitter, and the other in the quiet, discreet field of diplomacy. Finally, I believe that the public will be better served if it does not necessarily know everything and relies on the public servants who work for the common good.
You have been working for the Foreign Ministry for more than 30 years. Is there a story in your career that you will remember in a special way?
38 years to be precise (laughs). Needless to say, there is a ton of stories to remember, but one is particularly striking. When I was a diplomat in Washington, I went to the National Air and Space Museum with my eldest son. At some point we were faced with exhibited astronauts, there was a Soviet astronaut, a Ukrainian astronaut and all of a sudden, my son asked: ‘Dad, why is there no Israeli astronaut?’ In this moment a light bulb went on over my head. I called the Ambassador in Washington at the time, knowing that the Prime Minister Shimon Peres was visiting the US. I suggested sending an Israeli astronaut into space with one of the next space shuttles. To cut a long story short – the Prime Minister thought about it, and two weeks later he announced with US President Bill Clinton that there would be an Israeli astronaut for the very first time in history.
How has this story been judged historically?
Ultimately, it was seen as an additional element of Israeli-American scientific cooperation. It is an important story because it showed me at a young age that you have to think outside the box and look for new horizons. As a diplomat, I would like to make a difference, not only waving the flag and giving speeches, but also making peace more real, further removing the likelihood of war, creating new relations between us and the Arab world. For me, this is the essence of diplomacy: to change the reality we see, rather than just accepting it. That is one of the reasons why I chose Germany, an incredibly important country in the world. I am sure that relations between our two countries can go even deeper in order to take advantage of the burden of our history and turn it into a special link – I see that every day.
INTERVIEW Enrico Blasnik