And yet another sea change. Following the lead of the United States, Israel will likely abandon its anti-Cuba policy, yet the road to a possible resumption of bilateral ties is still long, officials in Jerusalem said this week. Israeli policymakers were surprised to learn of the dramatic détente between Washington and Havana that US President Barack Obama announced last week. Israel and the US were the only two countries in the world that persistently voted against the lifting of the more than 50-year-old American-imposed embargo against the island nation at the United Nations General Assembly. Sources in Jerusalem assume that if America drops its opposition to the annual General Assembly vote, Israel will do the same . . . Currently, Canada represents Israel’s interests in Havana, including assisting the country’s Jewish community. Despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, Israelis do business with Cuba — Mossad officer and former MK Rafi Eitan, for example, established several large agricultural and construction ventures there — and regularly visit as tourists. Since 2003, Cuban Jews come regularly to Israel.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 06:12:41 +0000
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