Historical Event. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen arrived this evening (Monday) at the offices of the Yesha Council to inform the heads of authorities of the intention of the country of Papua New Guinea to appoint an honorary consul from Judea and Samaria and to open an honorary consulate in the city of Ariel. This is the first time in history that a foreign country opens an official representation in Judea and Samaria.
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told the Yesha leaders: "I am happy that I have the privilege of promoting the opening of the first consulate in Judea and Samaria, and I thank the government of Papua New Guinea for the blessed step. Judea and Samaria are the homelands of our ancestors, and the opening of the consulate there has great historical significance."
"The decision will strengthen and deepen relations with Papua New Guinea, which has already proven that it is a true friend of Israel in the international arena as well. I will always work to strengthen the position of the settlement in Judea and Samaria," said Cohen.
Head of the Yesha Council: We ascended from practical Zionism to political Zionism
The head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, Shlomo Ne'eman, welcomed the historic decision and said that "this is unprecedented news that symbolizes that we have ascended from practical Zionism to political Zionism, to the practical expression that we are a free people in our country. This decision was made thanks to the hard work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Minister Eli Cohen, an old friend of the settlement who set himself a goal from the day he took office and succeeded.
"The opening of a consulate in Judea and Samaria is an official expression of the fact that foreign countries recognize Judea and Samaria as an integral and inseparable part of the State of Israel. On behalf of the heads of the authorities and the entire settlement enterprise, we thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the President of Papua New Guinea, James Marape, for this historic decision," Ne'eman concluded his words.