At the central Yesha (Judea and Samaria) event which took place in conjunction with the AIPAC conference in Washington, Arutz Sheva spoke with Israel's consul in New York, former Yesha Council head Danny Dayan, about the change in international approach to Judea and Samaria.
Dayan agrees that there hadn't been such a major and significant event in support of Judea and Samaria in the past. He maintains that this is a result of promotional activities in the international arena which he initiated a few years ago and which are being continued by "my students - who have eclipsed their teacher and are doing wonderful work."
Dayan suggests caution regarding the new administration's goals. "We are in the midst of a process. I don't want to prophecy the end of the process before it has begun. However there is no doubt that the mood has markedly improved. The attitude towards Israel is far more positive than in the past and I hope that this will translate into tangible results." Dayan would not, however, commit to a time frame and says that this depends on both sides.
Dayan says it is a "great privilege to represent the most important city in the world, Jerusalem, in what is probably the second most important city, New York. For me this is a dream come true. All my life until now was a preparation for this role of representing the Jewish state in the greatest center of Western society. This is a great privilege for which I am grateful every day," said Dayan.
Dayan, despite the enthusiasm for his challenging work, describes himself as a temporary resident in the US and says he is still a resident of the Samaria.