Photo credit: Janet Donovan
It was a Google kind of evening as guests at the Embassy of Colombia were checking out the relationship between Colombia and Israel – as in ‘who knew?’ “We remain as one of the longest supporters of the State of Israel,” said Ambassador Juan Carlos Pinzon, “and it is because of people like Ambassador Lauder that those ties continue to strengthen.” Ambassador Lauder was honored at the Embassy as President of the World Jewish Congress.
The fact that it was also Super Tuesday didn’t go unnoticed, so Hollywood on the Potomac asked Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) to weigh in on the Presidential candidates and their relationship to Israel. “Well, I think that all the candidates who are running – the major candidates, both Democrats and Republicans – would be pro-Israel and would be supportive of Israel. It doesn’t mean that I would agree on every single issue, perhaps, but I think overall we need a President who is pro-Israel and I think we have it on both sides. It’s the other policies, the domestic policies and other things, where I think there are more divisions. In terms of being pro-Israel, I haven’t heard anybody speak otherwise.”
Ambassador Ronald Lauder with Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY)
Rep. Engel and Ambassador Pinzon
“I started by doing some research,” said Ambassador Lauder, “and I discovered an amazing past. It turns out that the close ties between Colombia and Israel go back a long, long way. Many of you may not know this, but in 1948, when Israel was struggling against all odds to become an independent nation, the number of countries that stepped in to help can be counted on one hand.” Colombia was one of those countries.
Ambassador Ronald Lauder
Here is the rich dialogue between Amb. Lauder and Amb.Pinzon:
