Two years ago, Israel & the world were taken by storm with the spread of a new & dangerous virus known today as COVID 19. While the virus continues to spread (this time with variants like Delta and Omricon), Israel is using its own experiences curbing the virus to help other countries around the world fight the pandemic. On this episode of Persona Grata, we're speaking to some of the leading governmental, diplomatic and medical professionals in Israel and around the world who are working together to combat the Coronavirus. Thank you to all of the individuals who shared their perspectiv ..read more

On August 16, Israel and the United Arab Emirates made history with the announcement that the two countries would establish diplomatic ties. This episode of Persona Grata gives our listeners a sneak peak into what peace looks like almost a year after the signing of the Abraham Accords &  what this new era means for Israel, its neighbors and the entire region. The episode features audio from: Elkana Marziano & Wallid Aljasim (credit: Gili Masami) Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra I24 News Khaleej Times ..read more

10,000 young Israelis stranded abroad, dozens of countries and airports locked down, hundreds of embassies shuttered, 90 repatriation flights and one major epidemic. On this episode of Persona Grata we get an inside look at how our Israeli diplomats in Israel and around the world worked around the clock to bring Israelis home and keep diplomacy alive abroad during the height of the Coronavirus.  Featuring: Peleg Levi, Israel’s Consul General in Guangzhou Rodica Radian Gordan, Israel's Ambassador to Spain Ziv Shalvi,Deputy Manager of Israelis Abroad Department Ohad Shary, Operator, Israel ..read more

On this episode of Persona Grata, we’ll meet the people behind Israel's humanitarian missions which have come to the aid of more than 140 countries and thousands of people since Israel's founding. From a devastating typhoon in the Philippines, to an earthquake in Haiti which killed over 200,000, to assisting Syrian refugees on the Greek Island of Lesbos, here's how Israel is making sure that no matter, how far, no one is left behind. On this World Humanitarian Day, we salute the thousands of men and women around the world continue to place themselves in harm's way to create a better and safer ..read more

(This episode of Persona Grata is a special edition in Hebrew, which discusses the Israel MFA's elite Cadets Course, which trains future Israeli diplomats ..read more

From the Arab Spring in 2011, to the US Presidential election in 2016, to clap backs on Twitter between countries like Israel and Iran in 2018, world leaders, MFAs and diplomats have realized that what they share online can shape events offline. According to Twiplomacy, 93% of all UN member states have an official presence on the platform and between May 2017 and May 2018, world leaders sent more than 250,000 original tweets. It takes a lot less than 280 characters to realize that digital diplomacy is here to stay. This special episode of Persona Grata features Yiftah Curiel who heads the Isra ..read more

Israel's relationship with the African continent began in the years following Israel's independence. When many African countries including Rwanda established independence in the early 1960s, Israel which was a young country at the time, viewed these countries as partners and was eager to share its experiences in development and capacity building. More than six decades later, ties between Israel and the African continent continue to reach new heights. Earlier this week (Monday, April 1), Israel and Rwanda made history with the inauguration of a new Israeli embassy in Rwanda. While Israel and Rw ..read more

With 88 foreign embassies in Israel, a diplomatic community which numbers 5,000, and hundreds of diplomatic visits to Israel by prime ministers, presidents, and ministers annually, there's no such thing as a quiet day for the Israel MFA's Protocol and Official Guest Bureau. The Bureau handles everything from hotel bookings, to official ceremonies for the world's most powerful leaders, to catering to foreign diplomats daily needs. The man behind the MFA's one stop shop for diplomats and dignitaries? Ambassador Meron Reuben, the Chief of State Protocol for the State of Israel. So what happens wh ..read more

You know that saying big things come in small packages? That is definitely the case when it comes to Israel and Singapore, two relatively small countries with a lot to offer. So what do two countries with very different cultures, languages, and geography have in common? A lot more than you might think.  As Israel and Singapore gear up to celebrate 50 years of Independence, we sat down with Simona Halperin, Israel's ambassador to Singapore to discuss the historic and growing cooperation between the two countries.  Listeners can follow Ambassador Halperin on Twitter @halpst ..read more

Bollywood stars Sonama Kapoor, Tanuj Garg, Amitabh Bachchan & Jacqueline Fernandez have already discovered the magic of Israel. What happens when a billion dollar film industry and one of the world's most innovative countries come together? Magic worthy of the big screen. On this episode of Persona Grata we'll explore the growing cooperation between Israel and India in the field of Bollywood, through the lenses of Israel's Consul General to Mumbai, Yaakov Finkelstein, and one of Bollywood's leading film executive's Tanuj Garg. Listeners can follow Consul General Finkelstein and Tanuj Garg ..read more