The contemporary and historical relations between Bulgaria and Israel, anti-Semitism and disinformation were among the main topics of the first national breakfast for friends of Israel in Bulgaria. The meeting was held at the “Hyatt Regency Sofia“ hotel at the initiative of the non-governmental Organization of Friends of Israel in Bulgaria “Negev“.
During the event, the long-time executive director of the American Jewish Committee, David Harris, presented his book “Anti-Semitism - what everyone should know?“. Harris led the organization from 1990 to 2022. According to him, he worked for two years on the publication, which was written on behalf of the “Oxford“ University. The Bulgarian translation is the first foreign translation of the book.
Harris presented to the participants the history of Israel and the main theses of the book, which examines the historical and religious development of anti-Semitism, its modern transformation and the possibilities for counteraction.
„Negev“ as a platform for friendship
The chairman of the organization, Prof. Dr. Alexander Oskar, stated that there was one main goal when it was created: to bring together people from all over Bulgaria who, regardless of their profession, religion, political beliefs or origin, can declare that they are friends of Israel.
„Friendship is not just a diplomatic formula, it is a connection between people and generations, a choice of values that we stand for“, said Oskar.According to him, the relations between the two countries are built on friendship, mutual respect and deep human ties. He pointed out that this friendship has been put to the test by the return of anti-Semitism and the transformation of disinformation into a tool of influence.
Israeli Ambassador to Bulgaria Yossi Levi Sfari stated that “Negev“ responds to the need for a platform for people in Bulgaria who perceive the relationship with Israel as deep and significant. He also drew attention to the role of language in shaping public opinion, warning that legitimizing dangerous terminology could have consequences for the free world.
Call for more contacts and cooperation
The Chairman of the Advisory Board of “Negev“ Rosen Plevneliev defined the organization as a bridge between Bulgaria and Israel, between common history and future cooperation.
„Bulgaria and Israel have much to give each other and it is our duty to build on the historical closeness between the two peoples“, said Plevneliev.He pointed to education, science, medicine and technology as areas for the development of bilateral relations, but also placed emphasis on more frequent contacts between people.
The representative of the American Jewish Committee in Bulgaria, Victor Melamed, stated that interest in books by Jewish authors has a long tradition in our country. MP Irina Asiova-Diamant linked the meeting to the need for a common response against anti-Semitism and hate speech.
“When left unanswered, hatred finds courage“, said Asiova-Diamant.
Sources: bta.bg, marica.bg