WHAT DID GEORGIAN POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT DO IN ISRAEL DURING THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD

In the end of January Israel has again attracted the attention of the whole world, but this time not because of permanent attacks, but because of elections.

The issue of power is being solved in Israel that has been the centre of the world’s political interests for the recent four years. The fate of world policy depends much on Arab-Israeli conflict.
The Georgian establishment has, certainly, kept aloof of these events taking part in one of the greatest events of the elections – in the World Congress or Diaspora of Georgian Jews where Georgian Jews from the whole world and their friends come together.
Leadership in Israel belongs to Sharon’s group whose past has been connected with Georgia through invisible threads. Therefore, the events in the Congress of Georgian Jews are of great interest to us. We speak to Merab Tkeshelashvili, one of the members of Georgian delegation.
– Mr. Merab, you were in Israel with the government delegation. What were the purposes of your visit?
– There was World Congress of Georgian Jews in Israel attended by Georgian Jews from the whole world. There were three thousand delegates altogether including Georgian delegation headed by state minister Autandil Jorbenadze. Our delegation included governor of Imereti, mayor of Kutaisi, gamgebeli of Vani, several deputies and me.
The aim of the Congress was unification of Georgian Jews from the different parts of the world and determination of priorities they should serve. The Congress, mainly, intends to work in different directions. The main issue for them is care for predecessors’ graves they left in Georgia. For them it means return to Georgian roots. Educational programmes were developed. The purpose of the programmes is to provide many young people, descendants of Georgian Jews, with principal education so that they could succeed in life. The purrich businessmen and taxes. Chairman Mikhail Mikhailashvili contributed 500 thousand dollars to the fund, the executive secretary contributed 150 thousands, etc.
– The Congress was attended by Ariel Sharon.
– He also descends from Georgia. Sharon’s grandmother is buried in Tbilisi. A film about Sharon was shown there. Sharon acknowledged that he was shocked by the film. The Congress coincided with elections of the prime-minister, which was, certainly, not accidental. This was, so to say, “Georgian” invention – winning of Georgian Jews’ votes, which Sharon managed to do. Sharon addressed mayor of Jerusalem:
– You are a happy man because there are Georgian Jews in your city that you can always rely on”.
– Leaving for Israel, you said you were taking several projects there. You wished to attract the attention of Israeli business circles towards these projects.
Certainly, we had business meetings. We are expecting a delegation from Israel. Some important issues will be settled on the spot. I do not want to anticipate events.
– What are your impressions on the whole?
– I have been to Israel several times. I can not conceal my admiration of the people that love their country so much. This love helped them to turn desert into paradise. Israel is one of the leading and successful countries. Despite the martial law, lack of natural resources and even water, the budget of Israel still exceeds that of Russia.
There is city Ashkeron there that resembles Rustavi and Kutaisi. Its mayor is a certain man from Vani – Shamtai Tsiuria. Do you know what budget this city has? It is 120 million dollars. So we still have much to learn from them, f.e. state approach to everything – country’s interests, etc.
– You would not, certainly, leave Jerusalem without visiting the Jvari monastery.
– Jerusalem is a holy city for all Christians. Monastery Jvari is the place that each Georgian visiting Jerusalem will, certainly, go to see. Of course, our delegation went to see it, too. Greeks did their best to conceal Georgian tracks from there, but thanks God, they failed to do so. Our guide in the monastery Jvari was a woman who did not know where we came from. She told us it was Georgian monastery and showed us fresco of Rustaveli. When she learned we were from Georgia, she asked us to send a carpet with Georgian ornament for covering mosaic with it and thus, saving it from complete destruction. I want to give an order for the carpet to the students of Georgian Academy of Arts. I am also thinking of making a main chandelier for the temple. The historical chandelier was not preserved and presently, a cut-glass chandelier hangs in its place.
– Mayor of Kutaisi and I have another idea: we want to send students to Jerusalem periodically so that they could see the monastery Jvari. Our future generation should be aware of the wealth our country owns and results we can achieve by joint efforts.
– I would like to say that Congress of Georgian Jews was a great event where love towards Georgia and Georgian people was expressed.