Should Israel be more selective in its trade partners?
I think that yours is a very interesting question. I do believe that it is good for Israel to sign agreements with these countries. My experience has shown that you cannot always hold on to the past, that is, hold grudges in such a way. I have travelled a lot and one of the places that I felt most comfortable visiting, being Israeli and Jewish, was Germany. What happened there was horrible and I would at first get a strange feeling being there. However, it seems to me that they are aware and embarassed of the horrific mistakes that their country made. It is the way that they act today that truly matters. I think that the steps that Croatia and Lithuania are taking in wanting to partner up with Israel reflects not only their guilt, but their desire to make peace and support the Jewish state. I also think that if Israel wants to develop into a strong economy, it needs to focus on what is best for the state and try to overcome some emotional influences.
