General News
11 July, 2023
Israeli Ambassador likes Cairns so much he’s coming back on holiday
ISRAELI Ambassador Amir Maimon has made his first visit to Cairns and is promising to return to holiday with his wife.
He spent Wednesday in the city meeting Federal MP Warren Entsch, Mayor Bob Manning, Jewish community representative Paul Kamsler and other Israeli businessmen based in Cairns, Cairns State MP Michael Healy and Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive officer Mark Olsen.
Mr Maimon (pictured right) said, although it was cloudy, he liked what he saw of the “beautiful Esplanade” and the mountains surrounding Cairns.
“I will come back again with my wife Tal for a few days to explore the local aquarium, the Reef and go on Skyrail,” he said.
Mr Maimon was also a guest speaker at a gathering at Royals Church dubbed “Christians standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel” to mark the country’s 75the anniversary.
Mr Maimon said he was expecting a moving event with the Israel national anthem and other songs sang in Hebrew.
He said as a diplomat it was important he explored the country, learned new cultures and met people to “better understand what Australia is all about”. “It’s also about investing a lot with other communities – that is very important to me – not just the Jewish community, but Indigenous communities too,” Mr Maimon said
“I am most encouraged with the people I have met here,” he said.
Mr Maimon said it was also critical for him to remedy the misconceptions people had about Israel.
