Interview with Deputy Chief of Israeli Mission in India Dana Kursh

By Priti Prakash
| PUBLISHED: 17, Jul 2016, 13:41 pm IST | UPDATED: 18, Jul 2016, 21:42 pm IST, www.facenfacts.com

  Dana Kursh,
Deputy Chief of Israel mission in India is a distinguished career diplomat with
a diversified experience of working in social and technology sector. She has
been Captain in the Israeli Army as a Liaison officer for bereaved families of
Israel’s Northern Command. With a Degree in International Relations and PG in
Public Policy from Hebrew University she was Deputy Consul General of Israel to
the Southwest of the USA, based in Houston Texas, Policy Advisor to the
Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel, and Director of
the Cadets Training Department, training and supervising the programs of new
diplomats as future Ministry’s management.

Dana Kursh talks to Priti Prakash on a range of issues relating
India Israel relations, Israel Palestine flare ups, IS menace, Defence
cooperation, Jews, Brexit, among others

Excerpts from an
interview with Dana Kursh:

Q. India Israel
relations have witnessed a bonhomie & upward trajectory since BJP lead
government has taken over. PM, President, External Affairs minister Sushma
Swraj have visited Israel that has been reciprocated. Your logo ‘Land of
creation’ resonates in our ‘Make in India’. How do you think India and Israel
have come closer with common objectives?

A. India and Israel have very strong and multifaceted
relations, from security cooperation to food security cooperation in
agriculture, water management, academia collaboration, sharing technology and
innovations etc. We touch upon government to government connection and people
to people connection. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the BJP or Congress
government in India or Left or Right in Israel, there’s a unique bond between
both our people. President Mukherjee’s visit in October last year followed by
Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj meeting with our PM, Energy and Water minister,
Deputy Foreign minister and Defence Minister opened up a basket of amazing
potential of expanding cooperation, opportunities and partnership that can be
explored. Prime Minister Modi had visited us when he was CM Gujarat in 2004.

We look forward for the continuation of leaders coming both
ways. In January 2015 our agriculture minister visited India as part of vibrant
Gujarat. It was amazing display of the influence of India in gathering of
leaders from all over the globe…(Mr Kerry, leaders of Asia and leaders from our
cultural ministry participated). In February 2015 our Defence minister came to
India which had not happened in many years. In 
April 2016 Israel minister of agriculture came to inaugurate together
with Hon’ble Minister water resources (WR, RD & GR) the ‘water week’  in Delhi, as Israel was a partner country for
this event. Now visit of our minister of water resources is in pipeline.

Q. When we talk of
relations I mean both trade and diplomatic relations. Apart from cooperation in
agriculture, pharma, water management, energy, air space, homeland security,
counter terrorism,  Defence cooperation
with Israel is something that has ruffled feathers of some countries. Nuclear
technology collaboration may be a headache for Pakistan and China. How do you
view the future of the region with China hand in hand with Pakistan that harbors
terrorism.

A. We look with fascination at the leadership of PM Modi and
we see how your unique democracy works in a very shrewd and wise way. In a
recent interview Prime Minister Modi on Pakistan said keeping on the track of
negotiation we will keep defending our people and the national interests of
India. In many ways our leader, Prime Minister Netanyahu back home is working
in the similar way- Keep striving for peace with our neighbors alongside
defending the Israeli citizen. We will keep on exploring amazing opportunities
in our region and beyond.

As an observer here I can say that Israel has a unique
relationship with India. We are also outreaching to other nations in Asia
including China, Philippines and Singapore etc in areas of education, technology
and beyond. Our aim, our foreign policy and strategy is to outreach the world
and in order to a have a better and safer world for our children we need to
unite and at the same time be cautious of adversaries.

We share the same challenge of terror. Just past week we
have seen the murder of a young 13 year old girl in Jerusalem. India and Israel
are both facing terrorism. In 2008 Mumbai attack, it was the Jewish house that
was targeted too. But we can find in every country the ways to cooperate that
will not hamper other relationships. Israel is taking care of its national
interest by exploring ways of cooperation in Defence or Agriculture or other
avenues. Our Defence cooperation is more about the cutting edge technology
sharing. Its about how to better safeguard our boundaries and citizens. But of
course Israel is cautious of this cutting edge technology going to wrong
sources mainly terrorist organizations, non government actors that exist across
the globe. We have a mechanism of connection between the governments and
private companies for check and balance about who are we selling to, what kind
of infrastructure do they have and other resources. And because of the
challenges that we are facing we ensure that our cutting edge technology does
not get into wrong hands, also seeing that we in our area also share it in a
way that we are primarily defending our people. So I don’t see any
apprehension.

But India and Israel are very good friends and they know to
enhance relationship, do R&D together in areas of Defence and beyond in a
way that can better safeguard our people. Even we are highly impacted by the
complicated situation in our- neighborhood- the middle east. for example Syria
situation- which is a grave concern to the entire world. We have a peace treaty
with Egypt since 1978 and with Jordan since 1994. We have collaboration with
them to face joint terrorism. We have renewed our alliance with Turkey. We
think that terrorism is a global challenge and India and Israel are suffering
it, tackling them through Defence technologies, Counter Terrorism while
balancing between law and order. Just a few days ago in UN there was an
initiative of India to discuss counter terrorism which was an eye opener.    

Q. West Asia is in
turmoil. There’s a huge refugee crisis . Brexit has given its vote against
immigrants. Europe is  smelling a danger
in it. What does Israel think of this problem and a solution to the thousands
of humans suffering. Does Israel support Brexit?

A. Its again one of the challenges of the 21st century and
in this interdependent world with no boundaries, I look at it as a humanitarian
crisis. Stories of people crossing by boats and dying on the way to find new
destination are gut wrenching. I think the EU leadership is trying to balance
between outreaching, aiding humanitarian needs while protecting their citizens.
I think the world is addressing the problem but more needs to be done on that.

As for immigration I can say that ours is an amazing story
of absorbing refugees. Creation of the state of Israel is an great success
story. How Israel 68 years ago was formed with around 600,000 inhabitants,
after 68 years we are 8 million, absorbing people from all over the globe,
providing a homeland for jews who were refugees from different countries (at
the year of our independence), many of them were survivors of the Holocaust and
refugees from Arab countries. In 1990’s we were 5 million Israeli’s and we
absorbed 1 million jews who came from former Soviet union. There was a unique
mechanism with providing everybody a common ground. We found ways to connect
and unify them by teaching them Hebrew language. Even army was an absorption
way of giving sense of patriotism and safeguarding the country. The
contribution of 1 million Jews who came from all over the former Soviet Union
contributed to our economy. Our Defence minister is a former Soviet Union
immigrant. So it can be a huge opportunity to receive new people but the
immigration from our region to Europe is different and much more complicated.
The need is to help uniting international efforts to help the refugees and the
forces for countering terrorism.

On Brexit, its not for me to judge whether it is right or
wrong but I hear that the jury is still on it. They still don’t know when will
it happen, what is the democratic procedure within Britain, how will EU react,
what’s going on in UK…what about its impact on India, its economy, I think it’s
the manifestation of the complexities of the world.

Israel relations with EU are diverse. They are big trade partners
for us alongside research cooperation etc. We also have a unique relationship
with UK. I am sure and hope that whatever the judgement will be will not affect
us as we do not want to land up in another turmoil.  

Q. Violence has
picked up in your region as well. Why have talks always failed- there’s an
underlying trust deficit between both countries. Innocent people are
reciprocally attacked on both sides. There was a report that radical islamists
are taking advantage and inciting Palestinians to kill Jews this side. On the
other hand Israel has always been blamed for war crimes in UNHRC. Can there be
a peaceful solution to Israel Palestinian conflict? Also what is Israel’s stand
on Kashmir issue.

A. Yes, we keep on hoping for peace with the Palestinians
people’ but nowadays there is a lot of mistrust between both Israelis and
Palestinians, negotiations have not been so fruitful. We want peace with our
neighbors. When I was a child I used to go with my father to homes of my
Palestinian neighbors. People 2 People connection does exist but there are ups
and downs. There was a wonderful optimism of 1993 when we reached an
understanding with the Palestinians on how peace could be attained, how we
could put aside the mistrust but unfortunately there have been lots of
setbacks.

There’s a saying that the Palestinians never miss an
opportunity to miss an opportunity. Their leadership did not take advantage of
any opportunity to sit and negotiate with us. Our Prime Minister and our
leadership in every international forum invited negotiations every time with no
preliminary conditions. Issue of terrorism is one of the setbacks similar to
India. Whenever there is progress some of them choose terrorism, wherever, it
can be in the heart of Tel Aviv, or a new upscale area like Sarona, like Hauz
Khas area of Delhi. Suddenly 2 Palestinian gunmen shoot all the diners in the
restaurant. Some of my friends they say we will come to visit me in Israel only
when peace returns. I say you must come-not surrender to the fear, otherwise
this is how terror wins. Day after the attack on Israel’s Hauz Khas some
foreign diplomats choose to visit the same place for dinner. This is the way to
overcome terror.

Israel similarly like India is living a normal life in
abnormal situation. I can imagine the plight of the parents of this 13 year old
child, but I know we will keep on striving for peace with Palestinians and
other nations.

As for UNHRC, with due respect to it I say that it is
politics that’s hijacking the essence. The role of UN and UNHRC is to protect
the world from atrocities, but this organization instead of dealing with the
influx of refugees from Syria, keeps accusing us and allocating their votes on
this issue. They have double standards on this issue. If there is, god forbid,
any wrong doing in Israel the legal system and our leadership will investigate
every so called crime. Any soldier, politicians or citizen who commits a crime
will be sentenced. We are doing a lot of self scrutiny but this organization is
dealing with issues hypocritically. They should address what’s going on in the
Middle East and on IS and their ramifications by recognizing the fact that we
are losing lives of people in this wave of terrorism. Hamas launched rockets just
last week. This is not being discussed in UNHRC.

I will say that there are no war crimes. There is no
pounding of any kind. No. Israeli defence forces only target specific terrorist
areas. The orders are given by the government, not by an individuals and in
that process if there are casualties we investigate. Israel’s moral ground is
to defend our citizens and never hurt other people. Unfortunately Hamas is
choosing their targets using human shield of Palestinian children and families,
placing themselves in hospitals and schools because they know that our morals
and values will not let us launch a missiles on these places.

We are a democratic country and our policy is trying to
balance between defending our people and to see that we are not hijacked by
those trying to pull us into traps of killing our people.

As regards Kashmir problem it is for the federal leadership
and the state leadership of Jammu Kashmir to solve the issue as we handle our
problems back home.

Q. How do you view
the menace of IS spreading around the globe. It is in your neighborhood. Its at
the doorsteps of India. Youths from across the globe are joining them and
coming back to their country to carry out attacks. How can India Israel
strategize to counter them apart from intelligence sharing.

 A: IS is a grave
threat to the world. We are all united together in this fight with the
different coalitions trying to tackle with them and it is best done with G2G
collaboration. In 2014 a treaty was signed between India & Israel on the
issue of homeland security. India’s home minister visited Israel and based on
the talks 4 different working groups were made for tackling this issue. One
working group eg is on the issue of how to safeguard the border, another
working group is police modernization…how to build our forces better to be able
to face the challenges of terrorism from within & also counter terrorism.
This infrastructure is for G2G umbrella, from that trickles down the impact of
sharing the expertise, the knowledge for both of our nations. There is
collaboration in R&D, in developing technologies, and as we speak now a
batch of almost 150 policemen from Hyderabad academy will be in Israel for
training.

In Israel, terrorist organizations down south are using
tunnels to get to Israel and bomb our nurseries and schools. We are finding
ways to have more technological solutions to counter that too but its very
complicated. There’s no magic way of solving the issue. Whenever Israel comes
out with a solution to counter Palestinian rockets in the south of Israel they
come with underground tunnels, planning 1 step ahead. The fight can be
countered by having cutting edge technology on the one hand and collaboration
and sharing intelligence. It is happening between India and Israel and in all
the likeminded democratic countries including US, EU.

Q.  Israel is predominantly a Jews country. What
challenges do Jews face demographically, semitically, culturally in other parts
of the world or in India?

A. Israel is a jewish democratic state. We have 80 % jews
population, 20% christains, muslims and other people. Jewish people had
suffered the holocaust. Eli Wiesel, who just passed away, was one of the
leaders who tried to tell the amazing story of the holocaust – 6 million Jews
who lost their lives just because they were Jewish, together with 5 million
non-jews.  

We have a rich history. Let’s look at the present. In India
we are not facing any anti Semitism. There’s a unique Jewish community here
that still lives in Mumbai, Kolkata, Kochi and sustain their heritage and see
themselves as Indians first.

This year we just lost Gen Jacob, your hero, which we can
call our hero as well because he was a jew. He was first and foremost Indian.
That’s the quality of democracy, of giving minorities the freedom to reach the
highest ranks whether its in the military or in the political avenues. I myself
am a jew and happy to be part of a democracy back home and here that gives the
freedom of practicing any religion with a unique system of check and balances.

However there are places on the globe that unfortunately
face anti-Semitism, like in Iran, denying of the holocaust, denying the rights
to Jewish people in the homeland, Israel. . For example, in May this year, Iran
convened a special Holocaust-denial cartoon contest. Unfortunately there is in
Europe of 2016 and in other places, manifestation of anti-Semitism. I am happy
that in India its not an issue. We call all the nation on the globe to fight it
because today its about jewish, about xenophobia and hatred for the people who
are different from you. Its a source of evil, the essence of hatred, its
something that should be obsolete. I am happy that we, since 3000 years of the
people of Israel, were able to go back to Israel, to the land of jewish people
to build democratic nation which gives the right to jews and non-jews to enjoy
freedom of religious in our state of Israel. 

    

Q. India Israel tourism has a lot of potential. Not many
Israeli’s visit India and vis versa. Tourism is the best way to popularize a
country’s culture, people and boost economy and job opportunities. Jerusalem is
‘Start up’ city, India too ‘Start Up’ nation. How can both promote tourism
start ups mutually? Does Israel government and ministry plan a tourism
awareness campaign to enhance tourism?

A. Both countries need to do much more in tourism sector. I,
as a diplomat bring Israel to India and on many occasions take India to Israel.
Both countries have so much to offer. A little more than 40,000 tourists visit
from both side probably. The fact that leaders are going back and forth is a
good sign. We have a tourism attaché in Mumbai to promote tourism. Connectivity
is an issue. We wish we have more flights and more airlines. Also there is no
direct connectivity from Tel Aviv to Delhi (there is a direct flight from Tel
Aviv to Mumbai) . Air India is not coming directly to Israel, hope that will
come one day. I do think that both nations can promote tourism more to enhance
the connections between our nations- which is amazing. When I walk in Jerusalem
I feel that I can touch history, and also here living in India- I feel the same

As a start up nation you can see the ancient history as well
as the modern cutting edge technologies. I call on Indians to come and visit
Israel. Israel is the jewel of the crown. Nowdays we are conducting a
competition among Indian women entrepreneur. The winner will go to share her
expertise with Israeli entrepreneurs back home.

Israel is an amazing destination to come. It’s a small state
that can be visited from north to south in 8 hours time. Its a walk in the
history of different ancient religions. Only when I went on a posting as a
younger diplomat both in the US and in here I learnt to appreciate what my
country has to offer, in the fact that you can walk in history and modernity
together. In the north there is snow and sea of Galilee, a tiny lake, the Bahai
gardens, the centre of Bahai religion. In Tel Aviv there are beaches. The young
generation who party in the bars at night work in the high tech industry in the
day time. Climb up to Jerusalem, in an area of 1 km you can see everything, the
holy sites to the 3 monotheistic religions, including Indian nuns that are
working there, worshipping their religion. There is Nazarth the birthplace of
Jesus family. Go down south to the Negev desert, make desert bloom and share
experiences of water shortage. Eilat, a leisure site, the gorgeous Dead sea. In
10 days you are seeing everything.

Q. Israel is a
country that being a democracy where a youth, man or woman, have to
compulsorily enroll in the military for a said number of years, how has it
affected the society, culture, women liberation, traditions.

A. I myself was in the army and a captain in the unique role
of a captain for bereaved families for the northern command. These are forces
allocated to keep in connect with the families who have lost their soldiers.
The army allocates resources for the welfare of its people and that’s an
important component of our society. We have women in high ranking position in
defence and beyond. We also have combative pilots. It’s a manifestation of
democracy and women have equal rights in every democracy.