Efy Ben Matityahu, the academic affairs coordinator in the Israeli Consulate in New York, visited Dartmouth yesterday as part of the celebration of Israeli Independence Day.
"I feel that today we have a new reality in the Middle East," Matityahu said.
At a Hillel-sponsored dinner in the Lone Pine Tavern last night, Matityahu spoke about the latest developments in the Middle East, capping off a day spent discussing Israeli politics and culture with faculty and students.
Referring to the recent agreement in which Israel agreed to relinquish control over the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians, Matityahu said the greatest challenge in the future is to assure that the 17,000 Israelis who have lost their lives since Israel became a state in 1948 did not die in vain.
In an interview after his address to students, Matityahu elaborated on his thoughts about the peace process in the Middle East.
"The Israeli public is very supportive of the notion of peace but they still have anxiety over how the Palestinian side is going to live up to the commitments of the agreements," Matityahu said.
"It's been a long ride, but a promising one," he said. "There's a clear push for peace making -- not just the peace process."
"This is a very vulnerable time and a very critical time," Matityahu said. "We are enjoying the window of opportunity to establish a new Middle East."
Matityahu said his office deals primarily with informational exchange programs between Israel and American universities.
"Our main attempt is to bring Israel as an entity and present it to American academia," he said.
Earlier in the day Matityahu spoke with faculty members about the need for greater exposure to Israeli issues and culture in American universities.
A member of the Israeli foreign ministry, Matityahu has been in the United States for three years and expects to stay for another year before returning to Israel.
