Thailand’s Ambassador Pannabha Chandraramya found herself digging in the dirt of a Jerusalem hilltop, despite wearing a skirt and light blue suit jacket, to show her support for Israel as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.
“We have the best and cordial relations,” she said, as she worked to put earth around a sapling planted next to her country’s flagpole.
It was one of 75 such flagpoles — one for each year of the state's existence — erected for the special occasion hosted by Israel’s Foreign Minister and Karen Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund on Wednesday.
Estonia’s deputy ambassador Liina Viies, who wore dark sunglasses, explained that forest land covered half of her country, so she could identify with the importance of planting trees.
“As a tree people, as tree lovers, we can give a little bit also to Israel for its birthday,” she said.
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen joined them at the edge of the KKL-JNF forest next to the Yad Vashem Museum, stating that he was “pleased to have you here in Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish state.”
What does planting tree saplings represent?
The symbolic planting of 75 saplings, he said, “emphasizes the deep connection of our people with the land of Israel” as well as its commitment to developing the country while protecting the environment.
Planting “together is telling the story of our reborn nation one tree at a time,” Cohen said, explaining that the modern state of Israel had transformed what had been a desert area into a “green oasis.”
“The only country that has more trees today than 100 years ago is Israel,” he added.
German Ambassador Steffen Seibert drew an analogy between his sapling and his country's alliance with Israel. “Planting a tree is of great symbolism. A tree is something that grows like a friendship. Our friendship has been growing for many decades now. It is a beautiful friendship between Germany and Israel.
“But also as every friendship, as every tree, it needs nurturing, it needs watering, it needs care and love and affection. I hope over the next couple of years, while I am Ambassador here, I hope to bring this [kind of attention] to this German Israeli friendship,” he said.
India’s Ambassador to Israel Sanjeev Singla said a 75th anniversary of independence was a milestone for any nation and one that he could relate to since his country hit that three-quarters of a century mark last year.
“India and Israel are strategic partners,” and India is pleased as a result to host Cohen who will be visiting next week, Singla said.
“Planting a tree is of great symbolism. A tree is something that grows like a friendship. Our friendship has been growing for many decades now. It is a beautiful friendship between Germany and Israel."
Steffen Seibert, German Ambassador to Israel
Italian Ambassador also noted the weight of such an anniversary, noting that his country was celebrating 75 years to the adoption of its constitution, “so the values of the two countries very much match.”
Zambia Ambassador who heads Israel’s diplomatic corp said the event “expresses our collective good wishes for the future of Israel and its people.”
Vietnamese Ambassador Ly Duc Trung said that trees are vital for the environment, particularly in light of the danger of climate change. Israel plays a leading role in forestry and “I hope my tree will grow very fast and join the millions of trees in the land of Israel.”
The Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dusko Kovacevic, said that the moment, for which he took off his jacket, made him recall his days in primary school when he painted many trees.
“I [now] connect this memory when I was very young with this very important event for Israel,” he said.
Other participating embassies include Bahrain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico and the United States.
KKL-JNF Chairwoman Yifat Ovadia-Luski said she was proud to head an organization that works to combat the climate crisis, expand forest areas and preserve and protect nature.
It was exciting, she said, to see ambassadors “from different countries, who represent the deep bond between Israel and its friends around the world… one that grows closer as the years go by.”