The Footsteps of the Abraham Accords' Delegation: Exploring the True Meaning of Peace

The Charlotte Jewish News August 2022

By Dani Naveh, President and CEO Israel Bonds

When Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion convened the Israel Bonds founding conference in September 1950 to discuss his visionary concept of investing in the Jewish state through the purchase of Israel bonds, Israel was a very different country than the dynamic nation of today.

The site of the conference, Jerusalem’s King David Hotel, was within easy walking distance of the Old City. Yet, doing so meant risking death, as hostile Jordanian soldiers patrolled its walls. In addition to a divided Jerusalem, Israel was surrounded by enemy nations intent on its destruction; the Jewish state, was flooded with Holocaust survivors and refugees from Arab countries, and its economy was in dire straits.

Over 70 years later, much has changed. Jerusalem is a vibrant, united capital; Israel’s economy, supported by more than $47 billion in worldwide Israel bond

sales, is strong and resilient; the IDF is the most powerful and sophisticated army in the Middle East, and cutting-edge technology has placed Israel at the forefront of global innovation.

Most especially, although unimaginable The first Arab country to make peace with Israel was, of course, Egypt. Upon receiving the Nobel Prize for negotiating the Camp David Accords leading to peace, the legendary Menachem Begin declared, “Reborn Israel always strove for peace, yearned for it, and made endless endeavors to achieve it.”

After Begin spoke those words, it would be another 16 years before Israel signed its second peace treaty, this time with Jordan. Nearly three more decades would pass before Israel signed the Abraham Accords.

As a former government negotiator tasked with reaching agreement with the Palestinians, it sometimes seemed as though real, tangible peace was an elusive dream. Yet, years later, just five months into my term as president and CEO, I was leading, together with Bonds National and International chairman of the board, Howard L. Goldstein, a delegation to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

May’s Footsteps of the Abraham Accords delegation, 80 members strong, was a 10-day exploration of the true meaning of peace. The warmth with which we were greeted in the UAE and Bahrain was emotionally overwhelming. The sight of guest speakers standing behind an Israel Bonds podium, and taking selfies with delegates, were highlights we will always cherish.

Especially gratifying was the impressive new leadership representation on the trip. Witnessing the delegation through the eyes of a young generation was among my most memorable moments thus far as president and CEO.

At each meeting, I underscored the legacy of Israel Bonds, emphasizing the fact that the organization has been at the forefront of strengthening ties between the Jewish state and the Jewish people everywhere. Our guests were deeply impressed to learn worldwide Israel bond sales have surpassed $47 billion for Israel’s economic development.

So, in addition to strengthening Israel’s economy, the delegation demonstrated to our hosts that Israel Bonds can also help strengthen the bonds of peace.

Appropriately, the delegation ended in Jerusalem, the biblical City of Peace. When meeting with President Herzog, Finance Minister Lieberman and Defense Minister Gantz, together with Israelis from across the spectrum, we felt a profound connection with the nation and people of Israel. Every delegate has returned home proud, inspired, and honored to be brand ambassadors for Israel Bonds. As we look to the future, we take pride in positioning the Bonds enterprise as a foundation on which to build for the limitless possibilities of peace.

For additional information on Israel Bonds and opportunities to participate in Bonds delegations, conferences and regional activities, contact Jackie.Miron@israelbonds.com, 404.333.2615, or visit israelbonds.com

Photo Caption: Bonds President & CEO Dani Naveh with New Leadership delegates at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi (Shareef Ali)