"It is an honor to me to present credentials in my state's 60th year," says Ron Prosor, Israel's 14th ambassador to Britain.
By JONNY PAULProser queen 224.88(photo credit: AP)
Israel's new ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, presented his credentials to Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
Following the presentation, Prosor visited the grounds of St. James Palace before a celebratory reception in the main palace.
Prosor, who is the 14th Israeli ambassador to the UK, told the queen: "It is an honor for me to present my credentials to the queen in the year that Israel celebrates its 60th year of independence."
The new ambassador arrived in the UK in mid-November, but did not wait to present his credentials before beginning his work. As part of a new strategy to change media perceptions of Israel, Prosor has been giving interviews, briefings and taking meetings to present the realities and problems facing Israel.
"I want to present the case for Israel wherever we can and put it in context," Prosor said. "I want to show what happens daily in Israel, what are we dealing and coping with. Our case is not conveyed in a way that explains our dilemmas. We feel we are a democracy under fire."
In the last month, the ambassador has been interviewed in major British newspapers, including The Times and Daily Telegraph, and on television news outlets including Sky, BBC and Al-Jazeera.
The ambassador has also engaged with and brought into the fold various Jewish communities outside of London. He has led embassy delegations to Manchester and Liverpool and plans are in place for visits to other Jewish communities around the country.
