Gillerman speaks at launch

CYNTHIA RAMSAY

The title of Ambassador Dan Gillerman’s address at this year’s Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver campaign launch on Sept. 26 is Making Sense of Today’s Headlines. If anyone can do that, it is Gillerman.

Gillerman’s biography is extensive and wide-ranging. Perhaps most celebrated in the community are the diplomatic successes he had when he was Israel’s permanent representative to the United Nations from 2003-08; he was vice-president of the General Assembly in 2005. Before his time at the UN, however, Gillerman was involved in the private sector, serving as chief executive officer of several Israeli companies, and he has returned to that world, though with many other responsibilities as well.

Currently, Gillerman is chairman of Markstone Capital Group, an Israeli private equity fund, as well as chairman of Gillerman Global, which he described to the Independent as a holding company that also has a global strategic consulting business, a retail arm where he acts as special advisor to Financo, a N.Y.-based investment bank specializing in retail and apparel. “In that context,” he explained, “we are bringing some major U.S. fashion brands to Israel, including Forever 21 and Express. I would be glad to introduce some Canadian brands to Israel, too.

“I also hold some public positions, including being chairman of the board of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra,” he continued. “I’m on the board of the Israel Opera, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and am chairman of the International Forum of the Institute for National Security Studies.

“I still carry out diplomatic missions for Israel and am presently on a tour of Europe in preparation for the UN vote in September. I shall also be in N.Y. during the UN General Assembly and will come to Vancouver directly after the vote on Palestine is taken.”

In Europe, Gillerman had his job cut out for him. A recent poll was conducted for the organization Avaaz, which is soliciting support and donations online for Palestinian independence. Reported in at least Haaretz and the Guardian earlier this week, more than 70 percent of those polled in Germany said that their government should vote for the recognition of a Palestinian state; in France, 69 percent responded affirmatively and, in Britain, 59.

When interviewed by the Independent at the beginning of this month, Gillerman thought there was “still time to avert a diplomatic fiasco at the UN in September, by embarking on immediate, discreet, behind-closed-doors negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, which will set the parameters for a viable peace process and [avoid] a very useless, but dangerous, unilateral vote in September, which would do neither the Palestinians nor the world any good.”

About the United Nations in general, he said, “The UN can very often be very frustrating for an Israeli, as it often is a citadel of hypocrisy and double standards and an automatic immoral majority against Israel. However, each and every day, when I walked the halls of the UN, I walked with my head held high because I knew I was representing a country that is far better than most other member states of the UN.

“I also found that, by not being afraid and apologetic, and by forming alliances and daring, you can succeed even in the hostile arena of the UN, as we demonstrated by getting the UN General Assembly to adopt Israeli-led resolutions for the first time, such as the Holocaust Remembrance resolution, the resolution for the use of agricultural technology for development, and even my election to be vice-president of the General Assembly.

“Also, the UN is a great arena for forging relations with countries who don’t have diplomatic relations with Israel,” he continued. “These dialogues, which developed discreetly behind closed doors, brought very substantial dividends to Israel.”

With respect to Israel’s chances for peace with the Palestinians, Gillerman also expressed a relatively optimistic point of view, despite the August attacks that targeted Israeli civilians near Eilat and the rockets and missiles being launched at the country by Hamas and its allies.

“The recent terror attacks are a reminder of the tough and ugly neighborhood we live in,” he said. “Even when there will be peace – and I strongly believe there will be – rogue regimes and terror organizations will continue to try and attack Israelis and Jews and destabilize the region. This is why Israel must forever be strong, vigilant and guarantee its security in any agreement.

“A further, and very serious, threat is Iran, who is on the quest for nuclear weapons and is already at war with Israel through its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah. The international community must make sure this autocratic regime does not acquire nuclear capabilities.

“Israel will continue to do everything to prevent Iran from achieving its goal and prevent Hamas and Hezbollah from disrupting life in Israel – security is, and will remain, Israel’s number one priority. At the same time, the Israeli government must, and will, pay closer attention to its social fabric, especially in view of the recent demonstrations, which illustrated the unrest and dissatisfaction among its young people and middle class.

“The demands for a fairer and more just social order will be met and dealt with by the Israeli government,” he stressed. “Israel is strong enough to raise both the security and social flags, and meet both challenges simultaneously.”

Even as politics becomes seemingly more polarized worldwide – including in Canada, where there has been discussion about merging the Liberal and New Democrat parties, thereby eliminating any middle party and creating one larger left-of-centre party to run against the Conservatives – Gillerman believes in the role of diplomacy. “In today’s uncertain and dangerous world, diplomacy can still play a major role,” he explained. “It can help to calm stormy waters and find compromises and creative solutions to complex issues.

“They say a diplomat is someone who ‘can tell you to go to hell and actually make you look forward to the journey.’ Still, I believe that, even in today’s world of technology, Facebook and Twitter, there is no substitute to the human touch and personal contact, which is where true diplomats can excel.”

And, during an interview with Gillerman, one can see why he was – and still is – such a good diplomat. When asked whether he could describe a “typical day,” his response exudes a human touch, focusing not only on his business endeavors, but on his cultural pursuits and, most importantly, his family and friends.

“No day in my life is similar to another,” he said. “I travel extensively on business, as well as state matters. When in Israel, I could start the day with a meeting with one of Markstone’s portfolio companies; continue with a meeting with potential investors, negotiating a joint venture with an international strategic partner; meeting about positioning a famous brand in a prime location in a top mall; lunch in Jerusalem with Shimon Peres, the president of Israel, with whom I had lunch and two dinners last week; appearing on Israeli TV or commenting on Fox News, where I’m a contributor; chairing the board of the Israel Philharmonic and attending a board meeting of the Israel Opera or one of my companies; chair[ing] an economic conference or meet[ing] with ministers to discuss some of the international issues facing Israel; or appearing before the Knesset’s Foreign Relations and Security Committee to assess the outcome of a UN vote to declare a Palestinian state in September.

“My evenings would consist of reading a good book or enjoying Tel Aviv’s bustling cultural scene, the opera, the IPO, the theatre or one of Tel Aviv’s great art galleries or museums, or meeting friends in one of Tel Aviv’s wonderful restaurants. While Vancouver is probably the most beautiful city in the world, Tel Aviv today is one of the world’s hottest, most vibrant and bustling spots!

“I try to devote my weekends to sports (tennis and swimming),” he added, “but mainly to my family and, especially, my five gorgeous grandchildren, Ron, Jonathan, Lia, Gaia and Ron.

“My wife, Janice, and I, who’ve been married for 45 years, are also very proud of our two children: Karen, who’s a very accomplished photographer (whose very moving photo of the Israeli flag being hugged by the arms of a Holocaust survivor with a tattoo on her arm and that of her great-granddaughter, titled ‘Past and Future in Our Arms,’ has won major prizes worldwide and been issued as a stamp in Israel to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day), and David, who’s a very successful hedge fund manager.”

Dan Gillerman helps launch the annual campaign of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver on Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts. Tickets ($22) are on sale at jewishvancouver.com or 604-638-7281. Questions for the ambassador can be submitted online when purchasing tickets.

^TOP