From ancient times, when the pigeon returned to Noah's Arc, olive leaves have been a symbol for peace and serenity. In the Jewish "holiday of the trees" another Israeli site has joined the map of The Olive Tree Road. The road belongs to Mediterranean countries who want peace. 

 

Many came to celebrate in a festival of pickled olives and olive oil. They tasted, and then voted for the best recipe. Several Ambassadors, some from Mediterranean countries, came to participate as well.

 

A representative from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for establishing Israel's part of the road 5 years ago.

 

[Yitzhak Eldan, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs]: 

"We have now in the Mediterranean countries a road which connects all the states, a road of peace, of co-existence, cultural dialogue and subs enable development."

 

From Biblical times until today olives and olive oil have always been a basic part of the Jewish and Arabic kitchen. 

 

[Boris Sovic, Ambassador of Slovenia in Israel]: 

"Olives, they use them for food, for cosmetics, for illuminating even, for many other things. It's also a symbol, a symbol that moves civilizations…" 

 

Lithuania's ambassador says there is yet another meaning to this project:

 

[Darius Degutis, Ambassador of Lithuania in Israel]:

"We were very happy to see today that there are some projects, joint-projects, of Israelis and Palestinians working together and growing olives producing wonderful, tasteful, delicious things and that's exactly the way we would like to see things developing here in this country."

 

Indeed some of the products here are joint-ventures between Jews and Palestinians.

 

[David Lankri, Israeli Businessman]: 

"We harvest the olives, pickle them, make olive-oil. Some is done at my place, some in their villages. It also helps in reserving Palestinians' ancient pickling methods, we revive them and it works. A cooperation which crosses the walls and the barriers and all those things."

 

And what does the representative of the country which initiated the project have to say? 

 

[Kyriakos Loukakis, Ambassador of Greece in Israel]:

"This is a Bridge uniting peoples of the Mediterranean. This is a Bridge of our common efforts to achieve peace worldwide."

 

So the Ambassadors from different countries united today in regarding the olive tree as a colleague, and an ambassador for good-will and peace.

 

 

 

NTD, Israel