Former NBA star Omri Casspi, who was selected by the Israeli Foreign Ministry to present an Independence Day video, has stressed the role of faith in Israel's past, present, and future. Casspi was chosen to present the video due to his relatively high profile in the United States, where he is known to maintain strong ties with Israel.
The video has been uploaded to various media channels, with Casspi showcasing some of Israel's many achievements since its founding.
The central message of the video deals with the religious faith that still characterizes most Israelis. Casspi relates, among other things, the ingathering of Jews from all corners of the globe, the country's security challenges, technological advances, peace treaties, the Nobel Prizes won by Israeli citizens, and international aid provided by Israel to countries facing emergency situations such as the recent Turkish earthquake.
The video was produced by the digital section of the Public Diplomacy department within the Foreign Ministry and can be viewed in English, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, and Farsi. Within the first 12 hours of its airing, it has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times and shared thousands of times.
During the coming week, dozens of events, the initiatives of various Israeli embassies, are planned around the world and will open with a screening of Caspi's words.
In the coming week, the Foreign Ministry will be launching a campaign across the United States in which the video featuring Casspi will be given huge prominence.