KAGAME TO POST: ISRAEL

HELPING RWANDA DEFEAT

JIHADIST THREATS
Analysis: Israels New Labor emerges victorious

BYHERB KEINON JULY 11, 2017 01:03

Kagames relationship with Israel extends back to 1994, when he was

instrumental in putting an end to the genocide there that killed an
estimated one million people.

Israel has enhanced Rwandas security capacity to deal with terrorist threats
coming from jihadist groups both from the Horn of Africa and the western
part of the continent, Rwandas President Paul Kagame told The Jerusalem
Post on Monday.

Jihadist fundamentalist groups like al-Shabaab in Somalia and Boko Haram

in Nigeria spread quietly, and we need these capacities to prevent that from
happening and to deal with it when it happens, he said in an interview at his
suite in the King David Hotel.

Kagame told the Post that Israels security cooperation has been important for
developing capacities for a number of African states, and I am particularly
talking about Rwanda.

Kagame arrived in Jerusalem Saturday night for a two-day visit, his first
since 2013. He is considered one of Israels strongest friends in Africa. As a
sign of that friendship, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met him on three
separate occasions on Monday, including taking the unusual step of greeting
him at the Presidents Residence along with President Reuven Rivlin.

Kagame said that Netanyahus visit to Rwanda last year at this time, as part
of his tour of four East African countries, laid the foundation for enhanced
cooperation across a wide range of fields, from technology to water
management and security.

That visit, he said, either led to new areas of cooperation between the two
countries or accelerated projects already in the pipeline.

With Netanyahu putting strong emphasis on ties with Africa and in public
statements with African leaders talking about the technological, agricultural
and security assistance Israel can provide Kagame was asked whether he
believes African states were realistic in what they were expecting from Israel.

Where I come from in Rwanda we have learned to limit expectations, he

said, adding that this is a message he also gives to his African counterparts.

There is no need, and it does not help anyone, to have too high expectations.
Because if they are not met, it results in negatives.

Kagame said there may be one, two or three countries who expect that after
a meeting there will be money on the table, or that it might come soon after
the meeting. My advice when we talk among ourselves is that it does not help
to have too high expectations.

Asked whether he would advise Netanyahu as well not to promise too much,
he replied, It always is good to remain balanced.

Asked whether his taking over the presidency of the African Union next year
will lead to Israel attaining its long-desired observer status on the body a
status that the Palestinian Authority already enjoys he said, just as Africans
should not have unrealistic expectations of Israel, so too Israel should not
have unrealistic expectations of him.

Kagame was unwilling to say whether or not he supported such a move,

saying that he did not want to endorse it and then prejudge the issue, because
he would then not be seen as impartial because of his relationship with Israel.

Kagames relationship with Israel extends back to 1994, when he was

instrumental in putting an end to the genocide there that killed an estimated
one million people.

Netanyahu, in greeting Kagame at Beit Hanassi, said he was the

indispensable bridge on which we marched to make our return to Africa, step
by step, with very sound advice, very, very wise counsel.

Israels return to Africa stated with a conversation he had with Kagame,

Netanyahu said.

Kagame, asked about this by the Post, said, I dont think there is a need to
exaggerate anything, adding that Israel was already in the process of
reengaging with Africa, and that he contributed in helping develop
relationships, a bit based on his friendship with Israel going back to 1994.

He mentioned this type of diplomatic cooperation as one of the things that

Israel gained from its relationship with Rwanda. In 2014, when Rwanda was
one of the 10 rotating members of the UN Security Council, the country was
essential in preventing the Palestinians from passing a resolution calling for
Israel to withdraw to the pre-June 1967 lines by late 2017, and the
establishment of a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Netanyahu, in his words of greeting to the Kagame, noted that Rwanda stands
up for Israel in international forums. You already expressed a simple
principle that we believe in, that is that bilateral relations should be reflected
in multilateral forums. The dissonance that Israel experiences with some
countries, whereby they have close bilateral ties but then vote against
Jerusalem in international forums, does not exist with Rwanda, he said.

Netanyahu noted that both Israel and Rwanda have a tragic legacy.

We have pledged, I think both our peoples, one simple pledge: Never
again, the premier said. We, who witnessed the greatest holocaust in
history, you who witnessed perhaps one of the most recent ones never
again. Thats another great bond between us. You have been a consistent
friend to us.

Kagame also planted an olive tree at the Keren Kayemet Le'IsraelJewish

National Fund (KKL- JNF) Grove of Nations, where presidents and prime
ministers plant a tree as a sign of friendship with the State of Israel and the
Jewish people.

"I'm very happy to take part, like many others before me, in this very
meaningful tradition of planting a tree in Jerusalems grove of nations. We
are honored that a tree representing Rwanda, and its people, will take root in
this important place. For us this marks our shared history and our country's
presence alongside Israel as we walk together to better the lives of our
people," said Kagame.

In recent years, KKL-JNF established a youth village in Rwanda called

Egozo Shalom which absorbs and protects hundreds of youths harmed by
the genocide in the country.