The day I met Raphael Singer

2 years ago whilst sitting on my bed I decided to stop writing in different platforms that weren’t mine and open my own blog. Randomana is my little paradise where I write whatever my random – hence the name – brain decides to. A year ago I decided to do some interviews, and a few months back I took the big leap and emailed the Israel ambassador’s secretary and did all the nice lobby aka stalking to get an interview.

After realising I was interviewing the ambassador I made my list of questions and got ready for the process of visiting an embassy – not an easy process I must say. My interview with the ambassador, in my opinion, can be summed up in three main points which I will tell you about now.

He is holding a mug with my logo – I’m a happy woman

Policies that involve common interests and very progressive goals

One of the things I like the most about Israel is how even though they are a little Jewish nation amongst such a big Arabic population, they are the only country looking forward to empower women and defend minorities. And for me, coming from a chauvinistic country, it is a huge +1.

When the ambassador mentioned the progressive goals – related to my favourite subject: women – he said it involves “treating women in the most equitable way”. How many countries around the Middle East do really have public policies entirely dedicated to empower women? Just one. In Israel, women can have important jobs in the army, they can lead high tech companies and have a say in the State rules. Israel holds one of the biggest gay parades in the world.

A surviving policy

Put a Jew anywhere in the world, and they will succeed, that has always been my impression, and the ambassador gave me the secret, “a surviving policy”.

It is clear to Israel that they have no other choice that than to keep moving forward. They are leaders in fields such as education, national security, technology. They have the whole thing figured out, they have the entrepreneurship culture as an insight in each one of their citizens.

When I asked the ambassador if despite the exponential growth, he considers there are fields where Israel still needs to improve, he agrees saying “no country is perfect, we still have great challenges ahead of us”. I believe a sign of greatness is being capable of accepting you still have room for improvement, just like Israel does.

He adds to his comment that part of the population doesn’t yet enjoy the perks of high tech, Israel needs to keep improving their health and school system, basically, “we are not perfect”.

A vision of living in peace with the Palestine people

Shimon Peres – former Israeli president, who recently passed away – had a vision, to strengthen Israel and then develop strategies to reach peace agreements. The ambassador comments about this telling me that “it is not easy taking into account how bad the situation is in the Middle East, the civil war in Syria, the suffering because of the Islamic State, the Iranian nuclear program and its support of terrorism… the division of the Palestinian people between Hamas and Fatah”

All the above mentioned, plus the lack of genuine will of the Palestinian people to negotiate, makes peace a very complicated process. But Israel, just like I do – and even much more – want peace, and will always be willing to sit in the negotiation table work on it. Palestinians, what are you waiting for?

If you want to read the full interview, you can find it in Spanish in this link.