Ambassador tours JNF projects
Australian Ambassador to Israel, Andrea Faulkner has made a two-day tour of inspection of a series of JNF projects throughout Israel. Hosted by the JNF’s Shalom Norman, Ms. Faulkner visited Shomriya and the South Australian Friendship Forest before inspecting a private ANZAC museum in Beer Sheva. In the Arava, Ms. Faulkner met its mayor, Ezra Rabins.
Ambassador Faulkner at Jabel Hofira
The Ambassador, has extensive experience within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Assistant Secretary, Africa Branch, having served overseas in Hanoi and Paris.
On the second day of her JNF projects visit, Ms. Faulkner toured Sapir Park and drove along the Peace Road, Jabel Hofira, the Peace look-out point to Jordan, the acacia tree restoration project and the Idan Reservoir. She subsequently inspected the Arava Leadership Institute, meeting students of the Mechina program including some Australians currently involved in the program. The Ambassador then planted an acacia tree and finally visited the Yair R& D Station which is involved in important work to develop new environmental initiatives work to develop new environmental initiatives for the JNF. Commenting on the tour, the Ambassador noted that she knew there was Australian representation in the Negev and the Arava, adding “but I must say nothing could have prepared me for the scale and diversity of it.”
