Reflections of an Envoy
By Yossi Amrani,
Consul General of Israel in San Francisco

August 7, 2004

The realities facing a diplomatic envoy, perhaps more so when representing Israel, are more complex than one may perceive. Despite its small size, Israel consistently finds itself challenged and in the limelight. The role of an Israeli diplomat involves, besides delivering a clear message to a diverse group of community members, elected officials, business leaders, and media, an effort to build support for his country through an understanding of the realities it faces. As Consul General I have tried to meet this challenge and many others over my four-year tenure representing Israel to the Pacific Northwest in San Francisco.

I have always been of the opinion that the role of an Israeli diplomat is more demanding than diplomats representing any other country. This is even more so for Israeli officials serving in the United States. Representing Israel at various mansions in the Pacific Heights or in the Presidio, at galas and opening nights has its importance. However, it is through the grass roots activists that you can make a real difference while bringing a worthy message that builds long-term support for the country and cause you represent. The role of a consul general I believe is beyond leading your constituency, it’s about molding your constituency into a group of leaders and activists that will make a difference on their own.

For me, representing Israel is a sacred mission; it’s an assignment that involves commitment and motivation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In carrying out my government’s direction, I have seen as my major role reaching out to new communities and building support for Israel beyond our immediate reach. Therefore, learning the ground rules, studying the community, and figuring out its composition has been central to our effort to build bridges to the Russian Jewish community and Israelis living in the Bay Area among others.

A diplomat true to his mission must strive to build support not only through words, but also deeds and collective efforts. As I look back I bear witness to the mutual strength and support drawn through our engagement with these communities via their involvement in pro-Israel advocacy, which is now extending into other areas of communal life.

My term here has coincided with the four years of the ongoing Palestinian uprising. In carrying the message to the Bay Area constituency that the struggle in the Middle East is beyond a territorial dispute, that it involves historical, religious, and emotional dimensions which complicate any effort to resolve it, I have found the Russian and Israeli communities together with the vast majority of the Jewish community crucial in delivering our message. It is not easy, especially for people surrounded by the beauty of the Bay Area, to recognize that there are people who have not yet accepted or agreed to the notion of compromise on land. The absence of a partner in the backdrop of the Palestinian leadership’s inability to reach and accept compromise is a defining factor in this conflict. The major challenge that Israeli diplomats face is to derive and convey a simple message from such a difficult and multi-faceted situation.

Many people find it very odd to accept that Israelis, though diverse in origin, are normal people leading normal lives. I find it particularly challenging to share with people that aspect of normalcy, of scientific achievements, research breakthroughs, economic development, cultural life and creativity in Israel. In reaching out to various constituencies, we have aspired to bring the message that Israel has so much more to offer beyond the headlines of the ongoing conflict with the Palestinians.

I am proud of the efforts made over the last few years to develop a dialogue with the gay and lesbian community based on these aspects through inspiring cultural events. These events have included bringing Israeli diva Dana International to the 2001 Gay Pride Parade, bringing Adi Nes’ provocative photo exhibit to the Palace of the Legion of Honor, screening “Yossi and Jagger” at Frame Line, and arranging the visit of Uzi Even, the first openly gay member of the Israeli parliament. These events brought a unique Israeli gay perspective to San Francisco, triggering a wide range of emotions essential to a continued exchange of ideas.

We have tried to reach out with a non-partisan message. People may have their own views, they may argue and disagree with certain Israeli policies, but they need to understand that as a nation and a people we struggle with issues beyond existence and survival. Yes, it makes it more difficult for us, but at the end of the day we desire the same things that people in San Francisco and elsewhere wish for: health, happiness, and a good life.

As I head back home, I take from San Francisco an appreciation for diversity, pluralism, and a new perspective of what life can offer besides the marvels of its landscape. At the same time I hope that during my term here I made a difference by sharing with people my Israel: its beauty, its richness, its successes and its shortcomings. But most importantly I hope that I have conveyed that we Israelis have a dream about our country, and though we have been fighting for so many years, we still yearn to be “a light unto the nations.” This is the Israel that my colleagues and I represent.

 

Printed in the San Francisco Chronicle, August 7, 2004.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/08/07/EDGC5841771.DTL