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Israeli, Georgian officials meet on antisemitism, public diplomacy at business chamber anniversary

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Israeli and Georgian officials met to mark 30 years of the Israel-Georgia Business Chamber, also celebrating 35 years of public diplomacy work by Itsik Moshe.
  • Moshe proposed establishing 100 public diplomacy offices globally at no cost to the state, using a model built on bilateral relationships.
  • The initiative aims to combat antisemitism and leverage cooperation in tourism, culture, and economy to strengthen Israel's public diplomacy efforts.

A unique model for public diplomacy, forged over decades between Israel and Georgia through business, tourism, culture, and personal relationships, is being proposed for global replication. Itsik Moshe, founder of Israel House and head of the Israel-Georgia Business Chamber, believes this approach can establish 100 public diplomacy offices worldwide without state funding.

I want to tell them that it is possible to establish 100 public diplomacy offices around the world at no cost to the State of Israel.

— Itsik MosheItsik Moshe, head of the Israel-Georgia Business Chamber, outlining his ambitious proposal for global public diplomacy.

Officials, civic leaders, and business figures from both nations gathered at Jerusalem's Begin Center to commemorate 30 years of the Israel-Georgia Business Chamber. The event also highlighted Moshe's 35 years of connecting the two countries and 15 years of his public diplomacy initiative, Israel House.

All our success comes from the fact that we work bilaterally, in both directions. In every country, they want us to operate there, and that is essentially what is new about this approach.

— Itsik MosheMoshe explaining the core principle of his relationship-based public diplomacy strategy.

Moshe described his strategy as grounded in locally built, bilateral relationships. "All our success comes from the fact that we work bilaterally, in both directions," he told The Media Line. "In every country, they want us to operate there, and that is essentially what is new about this approach."

Cooperation between countries in tourism, culture, and the economy is extremely important for building relations. Once those relationships exist, it becomes much easier to conduct public diplomacy on behalf of the State of Israel.

— Itsik MosheMoshe highlighting the importance of economic and cultural ties in facilitating public diplomacy.

The initiative aims to combat antisemitism with a practical program and leverage the "Georgian model" of cooperation in tourism, culture, and the economy. Moshe stated that this work is best done by "local people or with Israelis who are active on the ground," emphasizing its effectiveness in building connections and promoting Israeli interests.

In my opinion, this is work that government officials cannot do, and it is also work that local Jews cannot do.

— Itsik MosheMoshe differentiating his public diplomacy approach from traditional government or community efforts.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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