Dozens of ambassadors from foreign countries in Israel participated on Monday in a tour of the southern region aimed at exposing them to the consequences of the destruction and damage caused to the Gaza border area as a result of the war.
This came as part of a collaboration between the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, the chief of protocol at the foreign ministry, and the Ambassador's Club.
During the tour, KKL-JNF's rehabilitation efforts were presented. As a Jewish and Zionist organization, KKL-JNF is focused on restoring the affected communities and developing the region.
As Israel's national forestry authority, KKL-JNF is responsible for the rehabilitation of forested areas damaged in the October 7 massacre and the ongoing war since then.
Among the ambassadors were those from the Netherlands, Argentina, Guatemala, Belgium, Greece, Cyprus, and other countries.
The ambassadors visited KKL-JNF's Gilat Nursery in the South, where they received a professional overview of the region's challenges and the solutions KKL-JNF is leading.
They then toured Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where they heard firsthand accounts of the massacre that took place there and were exposed to the community’s recovery story.
The Kfar Azza community currently resides temporarily in the Ruhama neighborhoods, which were established for them through donations from KKL-JNF offices worldwide.
The ambassadors also visited the Nova Festival site in Re'im, which was renovated and upgraded by KKL-JNF. They planted trees together with KKL-JNF chairwoman Yifat Ovadia Luski in a ceremony held at the Magen Forest – as a symbol of hope and renewal.
Finally, the diplomats concluded the day at Beit Almi in Zikim, which was restored about a decade ago through a donation from KKL-JNF Australia. There, they met with members of Kibbutz Zikim, who shared the kibbutz’s story over the years.
Planting roots for renewal
The tour was designed to strengthen diplomatic ties with the participating countries and explore future cooperation in the fields of forestry, development, and environmental rehabilitation.
KKL-JNF Chairwoman Ifat Ovadia-Luski talked about the barbaric massacre the community experienced a year and a half ago and emphasized, "We are standing here planting roots for renewal."
She manifested the importance of planting trees together with representatives of the countries, which is important for strengthening Israel's relationships and public diplomacy, as "they are the ones who will tell the story of the last year and a half of Israel in their countries."
Shimi Brown, Acting CEO of KKL-JNF, said, "The Jewish National Fund was the first to offer assistance following the October attack."
Immediately after the war started, KKL-JNF worked to help evacuate residents and conduct educational activities in the areas where the residents of the western Negev were evacuated. In addition, the organization worked on building temporary structures for evacuees. Today, they are working to be part of the rehabilitation of the entire northern and southern regions.
The diplomatic tour KKL-JNF held, with the participation of many ambassadors, is an important part of integrating the international community into the rehabilitation process.
Yuval Yenni, Acting Head of the Finance Division and Director of the Resource Development and International Relations Division at KKL-JNF, said, "The participation of dozens of ambassadors in this special diplomatic tour reflects shared global responsibility – not only for the rehabilitation of communities affected by war and destruction but also for addressing climate change challenges."