Israel's first resident ambassador to Ireland departed earlier this month and in a farewell note, Zvi Gabay reflected on developments since his arrival in July, 1994. Parallels between the two countries are both old and new, he said - both were born this century out of war and both are striving for peace. "Both of our peoples have a long academic and literary history. Our diaspora populations are greater in numbers than our native populations." The former chief rabbi, the late Yitzhak Herzog and his son, the late Chaim Herzog the sixth president of Israel, came from Ireland.
In a recent Jewish Chronicle, the ambassador said that in the beginning "we did not understand the Irish and they did not understand us" and matters were not helped by the situation in Lebanon where Israeli troops were confronting Irish UN personnel.
"It was tough explaining to the Irish that to us, southern Lebanon was a war zone. . . But Dublin knows that Israel has no interest in staying in Lebanon - and that if the Lebanese would take control of the border, there would be no need for Irish or Israeli troops to be there." But there was a growing understanding and friendship.
Zvi Gabay is being replaced by London-born Mark Sofer. He offers the new man this advice: Beyond taking time to understand the Irish it is imperative to develop a taste for Guinness "which has a way of solving difficulties".