Interview with British Ambassador Eli Bardenstein, Maariv, July 13 2011 British Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould arrived

here a year ago. In the course of this short time he managed to go to an Israeli hospital to take part in the birth of his first daughter. Gould, only 39, is highly esteemed among Israeli diplomats: in the time he has been in Israel, he has met with top leaders and is careful to maintain contact with the Israeli media. Unlike other ambassadors, Gould visited the British citizens who came on the pro-Palestinian fly-in who were denied entry to Israel. On weekends he gets into his official car and together with his wife and baby daughter, goes to Makhtesh Ramon or up north, without a driver or entourage. He is also a proud Jew, as is his wife Celia. He shows up for the interview with blue cuffs bearing a gold Star of David. Q: Matthew Gould, what do you think of the boycott law that the Knesset passed two days ago? We are concerned about the passing of this law, which damages the legitimate right to freedom of speech and which conflicts with the strong Israeli tradition of lively and vigorous political debate Q: Hasnt the criticism of Israel at British universities somewhat crossed the line? Without a doubt, there is a group of people in Britain that is trying to blacken Israels name. This is a very small group that does not speak in the name of the majority, and therefore we mustnt confuse the level of noise with the importance of the noise. There is a certain truth to your concern. There are too many antiSemitic attacks, too many universities where people dont feel safe to stand up and express pro-Israeli views. We dont deny that there is a problem. The state and the police are working to handle this. That said, I think that there is great exaggeration about anti-Israeli sentiments and anti-Semitism in Britain. In a certain sense, I feel that in Israel there is a reverse process of delegitimization of Britain. To my regret, any initiative of some ephemeral organization in Britain for a boycott of Israel earns great and disproportionate attention that does not reflect broad public opinion in Britain. I was at a conference with a senior Israeli official who said, there is not a single university in Britain where support for Israel can be expressed. That is wild exaggeration. There are 105 student unions in Britain. Five of them called for a boycott of Israel. Not a single university has yet called for a boycott. There are a small number of universities in which there are pressure and threats. But there are a lot of universities in which there is open debate and all sorts of opinions can be voiced. When I talk to Israeli students about studying in Britain, they immediately think about the anti-Israeli atmosphere and dont want to go and study there. Q: The erosion in Israels standing compared to the Palestinians is not just criticism by British institutions, but a process that crosses borders in Europe and in the US. As an ambassador, I am very worried about what is happening to public opinion of Israel in Britain and in the world. For the British public accepts Israels right to exist and its right to security, but it has difficulty with the ongoing occupation, particularly where there are difficult moments such as Operation Cast Lead, or the flotilla or the passport affair in Dubai. This lowers the level of sympathy and support for Israel. My feeling is that Israelis still see themselves in the image of David in the region. The problem is that most of the world is beginning to see Israel as Goliath, as the strong side. Therefore, Israels PR problem is that peoples sympathy is naturally for those whom they perceive as the weak side.

Q: What do you think is the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in light of the changes taking place in the region? We believe that there is urgency in todays situation. As more time passes, the danger of the settlements becomes more concrete. And it troubles us that the peace process is stuck. The level of trust is also low. It is important to begin the process. As the person responsible for relations between Israel and Britain, I say that if the process is stuck and there are no talks with the Palestinians and people dont believe that peace has a futurethis will affect the relationship with Britain and Europe and will also influence how Israel is seen in the world. Q: As a Jew yourself, do you understand Israelis concern for security, if a Palestinian state is established? The issue of security is very clear to me. Israel will make steps toward peace when it believes that peace will make it more secure. This is understandable and important. Because if we begin from this principle, and you want, like us, to make progress toward peaceyou have to persuade the people in Israel that what is being offered does not threaten them and the state. I am certain that the public in Israel refuses to take risks when it comes to the states security. Q: Why is Europe worried about September and on the other hand, does not explicitly announce that it will not vote in favor of recognizing a Palestinian state? We are worried that September will be a damaging moment for the future of peace. We are worried that it will make it more difficult in the matter of the trust between the sides. We are worried that this will divert the main message that peace must come about by means of talks between the sides. It could be that this decision will also fuel the flames. For example, in the West Bank and Gaza -- there is real frustration there. If you bring into there the idea of a UN resolution about the recognition of a Palestinian state, and nothing changes on the ground, this will create a dangerous situation. This will only increase the level of tension. People ask us what Britain will do in September and the answer is that we havent yet decided. A lot can happen by then. So our preference is to avoid a situation in which we have to choose either way in a decision that we think is dangerous. Q: The international Quartet for the Middle East wasnt able to overcome the gaps two days ago and to issue an agreed-on statement calling to resume the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Why? That was not an easy moment. We would be pleased to see the talks beginning based on the Obama outline, but at the moment it isnt clear if this is possible. The lack of trust between the sides is the basic problem. When each of the sides believes that the other side isnt serious about peace, that is a very difficult situation. Israel did make peace, first with Sadat and then with Husseinonly when it believed the other side. When there is trust, it is possible to progress very quickly. Q: Do you believe that the impasse in the peace process is related to the system of government and of elections in Israel? Every country has to choose its system of government. I dont think that I, as a foreign ambassador, should advise on changes in the Israeli political system. I know that there is a lot of criticism about the electoral system in Israel. Ive heard people say that the system in Israel, despite its disadvantages, ensures that all the

different components of society are represented in the Knesset. That said, I am worried about Israels political direction. What hit me in my trips to Israel are the gaps in Israeli society. Between religious and secular. Between Arabs and Jews. Between center and periphery. The gaps are dangerous for the future of society, they are dangerous to the efficiency of the Israeli economy and as ambassador, I think they are dangerous as to how Israel is perceived in the world.