Dani Dayan. Photo: TOT.

I would like to extend my congratulations to the newly appointed Israeli consul general to New York, Dani Dayan.

The 59 year-old Argentinean émigré’ to Israel is a longtime leader of the settlement movement and a self-made entrepreneur; he will make an outstanding and excellent representative for the state of Israel. As the international media have reported, Dayan was originally appointed Israel’s ambassador to Brazil, but the Brazilian government refused to approve him, due to his previous role in the settlement community.

As Dayan noted, “Those who don’t want me in Brazil will get me in the capital of the world, and to me that is a victory.” I agree, and I congratulate Prime Minister Netanyahu on this excellent appointment.

Dayan is a follower of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, the founder of the Betar movement, and he is also a well-spoken public-relations expert. He will definitely have a positive impact in New York.

As Jabotinsky said: “The work of the publicist is a legacy from the Prophets of Israel…Our passion is to speak, to proclaim — ‘Shouting’ is what the same audience calls it, ‘we have no need for words, give us actions.’ One thing that audience forgets is that speech is also an action — perhaps the most authentic of all other actions. Cities have been destroyed, and more will fall, but what was shouted in the wilderness thousands of years ago is alive and still relevant. The world was created by the Word. The world will be mended by the Article.”

Mazel Tov, and congratulations to Dani Dayan.