Jerusalem, July 3 (CTK) – Czech Senate chairman Milan Stech and Slovak Parliament speaker Andrej Danko attended the opening of the exhibition Masaryk and the Holy Land that marks the the 100th anniversary of Czechoslovakia and the 70th anniversary of the State of Israel in the Knesset building in Jerusalem on Tuesday.
Stech had talks with Juli-Joel Edelstein, the head of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, earlier on Tuesday. He also met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his current visit to Israel.
At the opening on Tuesday, Stech recalled the history of relations between Israel and Czechoslovakia.
He pointed out that the Czech Republic is a stable partner of Israel. He said he believed Czech-Israeli cooperation would be deepened in defence systems, education, science and advanced technologies.
Stech said study stays of Czechs in Israel and vice versa were the best way to build trust between the two nations and face common threats together.
He said one of the threats is anti-Semitism, which, fortunately, is at a very low level in the Czech Republic. He recalled that anti-Semitism is on the increase in the world.
The visitors to the exhibition may see the photographs from the visit by the first Czechoslovak President, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk (1918-1935), to the former Palestine in 1927.
The exhibition, organised by the Czech Centre along with the embassies of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, will last until the end of this year.
“The exhibition Masaryk and the Holy Land introduces so far unpublished photographs and other archives materials from the visit by President Tomas Garrigue Masaryk in 1927 on 15 panels,” Robert Mikolas, director of the Czech Centre in Tel Aviv,” has told CTK.
“It also sheds light on his exceptional relationship with Judaism and its birth since Masaryk’s child years. The exhibition also touches upon the work of Masaryk’s son and later foreigner minister Jan Masaryk, evoking the major role he played when it comes to the Jewish nation and the State of Israel,” he added.
The exhibition will last until December 31, 2018, Mikolas said, adding that since it is a touring exhibition, it is likely to be unveiled in other Israeli towns, too.
Stech and Edelstein discussed Czech-Israeli friendship, mutual trade and the upsurge of anti-Semitism in Europe on Tuesday.
Netahyahu and Stech talked about security threats and the current situation in Israel.
Netahyahu recalled Czech President Milos Zeman’s statement about the planned move of the Czech embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Stech said Netanyahu would discuss the issue during his planned visit to the Czech Republic at a meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Babis.
