Israeli Ambassador Raslan Abu highlights strong alliance with DR and cooperation in water, health, and technology

Santo Domingo. – The Israeli ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Raslan Abu Rukun, highlighted the close bilateral ties between both nations and the advances in key areas such as water management, technological innovation, health, and professional training. “Every year we have Dominican scholarship recipients who travel to Israel and participate in courses on agriculture, water management, and innovation,” said the diplomat during an interview on the program Necesidades de República Dominicana, within the framework of his courtesy visit to De Último Minuto. Abut also highlighted that Israeli companies are actively operating in the country, particularly in the water sector. The ambassador also reported on a recent delegation of evangelical pastors, including the Mayor of Santo Domingo Este and pastor, Dio Astacio. He also indicated that they are preparing for the visit of Dominican journalists and influencers in the coming days.

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“The Caribbean is important for Israel, and the Dominican Republic is the strongest country in this region. There is a lot of interest from Israeli entrepreneurs in investing here,” he indicated.

The Dominican Republic has a long history of friendly relations with the Jewish community. In 1948, the Dominican Republic voted in favor of the creation of a Jewish State in the UN General Assembly and, a year later, in 1949, established full diplomatic relations with the State of Israel.

During his intervention, Ambassador Abut denounced that his country is facing a “negative disinformation campaign” about the situation in Gaza and defended the actions of the Israeli government against international criticism. It is recalled that the war with Israel, which has intensified since October 7, 2023, has been one of the most intense conflicts in the Middle East region in recent years. On that day, the Islamist group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, launched an unprecedented attack against Israeli territory, leaving more than 1,200 dead and hundreds kidnapped. Since then, Israel has responded with a sustained military offensive against Hamas positions in Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, the goal is to dismantle the group’s military structure, free the hostages, and prevent future attacks.