Israel Bonds – Strengthening Peace in The Middle East

By | July 11, 2022
Israel Bonds President Dani Naveh In Bahrain with H.E. Ambassador Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa

By Israel Bonds President, CEO Dani Naveh

Jerusalem, Israel — July 11, 2022 … “Upon receiving the Nobel Prize for reaching peace with Egypt, the legendary Menachem Begin declared, “Reborn Israel always strove for peace, yearned for it, and made endless endeavors to achieve it.” 

After Begin spoke those words, it would be another 16 years before Israel signed its second peace treaty, this time with Jordan. Nearly three more decades would pass before Israel signed the Abraham Accords.

As a former government negotiator tasked with reaching agreement with the Palestinians, it sometimes seemed as though real, tangible peace was an elusive dream. Yet, years later, just five months into my term as president & CEO, I was leading, together with Bonds National and International Chairman of the Board Howard L. Goldstein and National Campaign Advisory Council Chair Chuck Berk, a delegation to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

May’s Footsteps of the Abraham Accords delegation, 80 members strong, was a 10-day exploration of the true meaning of peace. The warmth with which we were greeted in the UAE and Bahrain was emotionally overwhelming. The sight of guest speakers standing behind an Israel Bonds podium, and taking selfies with delegates, were highlights we will always cherish.
 
Especially gratifying was the impressive New Leadership representation on the trip. Witnessing the delegation through their eyes was among my most memorable moments thus far as president & CEO.

At each meeting, I underscored the legacy of Israel Bonds, emphasizing the fact that the organization has been at the forefront of strengthening ties between the Jewish state and the Jewish people everywhere. Our guests were deeply impressed to learn worldwide Israel bond sales have surpassed $47 billion for Israel’s economic development.
 
So, in addition to strengthening Israel’s economy, the delegation demonstrated to our hosts that Israel Bonds can also help strengthen the bonds of peace.

Appropriately, the delegation ended in Jerusalem, the biblical City of Peace. When meeting with President Herzog, Finance Minister Lieberman and Defense Minister Gantz, together with Israelis from across the spectrum, we felt a profound connection with the nation and people of Israel.

Every delegate has returned home proud, inspired and honored to be brand ambassadors for Israel Bonds. As we look to the future, we take pride in positioning the Bonds enterprise as a foundation on which to build for the limitless possibilities of peace.”

State of Israel Bonds refers both to securities issued by the government of Israel and to the commonly-used name of the company that is the exclusive underwriter for Israel bonds in the United States. The formal name of the company is the Development Corporation for Israel (DCI), and it is headquartered in New York City.

The idea of having an overseas bond issue was conceived by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion in 1950 and was endorsed by Finance Minister Eliezer Kaplan and Labor Minister Golda Meir. Following the 1948 War of Independence, Israel was mired in a sever economic crisis and was in desperate need of an infusion of financial resources to help build, develop, strengthen or modernize nearly every sector of the economy. Worldwide Israel bond sales have surpassed $47 billion for Israel’s economic development.

Edited by Joel Leyden

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