Dear Ron, I am reaching out to you because you have an historic opportunity to positively influence the fate of the state of Israel as a whole and the northern communities in particular, including my place of birth – Kibbutz Manara.

We were once friends during your tenure as Israel’s Ministry of Finance representative in Washington, DC, and my time as Consul General for New England, collaborating on sanctions against Iran. My appreciation for your exceptional diplomatic abilities has not diminished, even in those many cases where I strongly disagreed with the policies that you promoted.

When I heard that you were recently appointed to head the Israeli negotiation team with Lebanon, I understood that this time Netanyahu was serious, because he trusts you more than anyone else. Although our political views markedly differ on American politics and the Palestinian issue, I know that I can disagree with you without doubting your integrity. I believe you would not have responded to Netanyahu’s call to return to a political role if you thought you were being summoned for a futile task, intended to create delay and a façade. I........

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