Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Lieberman left on Tuesday morning (7 June) for New York, where he will meet with Israel’s ambassadors to the US and Canada. He will also meet with the heads of missions of the two countries and brief them on Israel’s position regarding recent events. FM Lieberman will update the consuls on the results of the investigation of the Gaza flotilla’s participants who were on board the ship Mavi Marmara, the people or groups that backed and financed them, and their connections to global jihad organizations.

FM Lieberman will also brief the consuls on the diplomatic situation since the resumption of indirect negotiations with the Palestinians. This and other subjects will be discussed with the consuls and also when FM Lieberman meets with Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Prof. Gabriela Shalev.

FM Lieberman will meet with members of the Presidents’ Conference (Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations) to discuss the strategic importance of Israeli-US relations and the role of the Jewish community in relation to the delegitimization campaign currently being conducted against Israel by Islamist extremists and other anti-Semitic bodies. FM Lieberman will also hold meetings with American leaders and public opinion shapers.

Deputy FM Daniel Ayalon also left for New York to conduct a public diplomacy campaign relating to the Gaza flotilla events. He will hold briefings for the major media outlets and meet with members of Congress and others. The deputy minister will join the foreign minister in his briefing to the consul generals and in his meeting with the members of the Presidents’ Conference.

Deputy FM Ayalon will also meet with Jewish community leaders to discuss the conversion law and other issues. He will be returning to Israel on Friday, June 11.

FM Lieberman will return to Israel Wednesday night.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem / Foreign Ministry)