JPost conference: Dayan boasts of Israel’s economic, diplomatic progress
Dayan proudly claimed that “Israel has never been stronger than it is right now.”
By DANIEL J. ROTHUpdated: MAY 1, 2018 05:12Consul General of Israel in New York Dani Dayan(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
NEW YORK – Consul General of Israel in New York Dani Dayan delivered a speech on Sunday boasting of Israel’s journey from fledgling state to economic and military powerhouse unrivaled in the Middle East.Speaking at The Jerusalem Post annual conference in Midtown Manhattan, Dayan proudly claimed that “Israel has never been stronger than it is right now.”“Israel has never been more prosperous, and despite all the slogans about BDS [Boycott, Sanctions and Divestments]... Israel has never been less isolated,” he said.Dayan reminisced about a time when Israel was suffering from high inflation, a shaky currency and uncertain economic future.In 1971, Dayan remembered that Israel had only one channel, owned by the government, shown in black and white.The memory served to illustrate the country’s great progress since its founding 70 years ago. Now in 2018, he said, “the Israeli shekel is among the strongest in the world,” while its GDP took in $318.7 billion as of 2016.Dayan also spoke about Israel’s incredible diplomatic progress over the past several years, highlighting Jerusalem’s growing ties with countries that at one time would never engage with the Jewish state.“India-Israel relations are incredibly intimate, whereas 25 years ago we didn’t have ties at all,” he said.Dayan delivered his remarks just after the Post’s Editor-in-Chief, Yaakov Katz, opened the conference and welcomed guests to the event.
