Israeli Major-General (Ret.) Isaac Ben-Israel and Consul General Opher Aviran joined Georgia State Representative and House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams and living members of the Tuskegee Airmen in honoring its members who fought in World War II.  

Major General Isaac Ben-Israel and Consul General Aviran placed a wreath on the tomb of WWII comrade and Georgia native 1st Lt. Walter D. Westmoreland at South View Cemetery in Atlanta.

"I'm excited to be here today," said Ben-Israel. "As a Jew, an Israeli and an Airforce General I am honored by the Tuskegee Airmen."

Many surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen including Mr. Norris Connally, a personal friend of 1st Lt. Westmoreland, were in attendance.

“The Tuskegee Airmen fought victoriously to defeat the Nazis in World War II and save Jewish lives from the Holocaust. These brave men made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II to ensure good would triumph over evil. The Jewish people will always be grateful to the Tuskegee Airmen," said Opher Aviran, Consul General of Israel to the Southeast.

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Major Gen. (Ret.) Prof. Isaac Ben-Israel, Chairman of the Israeli Space Agency and the National Council for Research and Development, made a special trip to the Southeast US this week. During his three-state tour, including Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia, the Major General met various security officials to discuss the special relationship between the United States and Israel. 

In Alabama, the Major General was the keynote speaker at the Huntsville Defense & Aerospace Seminar, hosted by the AICCSE (American-Israel Chamber of Commerce Southeast). The Major General also visited Montgomery to meet with Governor Robert Bentley to discuss Alabama's cooperation with Israel and the production of the Iron Dome missile defense system.

In Georgia, Maj. Gen. Ben-Israel spoke at the  Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) 20th Anniversary Gala. He also gave a special briefing on security matters to the heads of Georgia's law enforcement agencies.

Photo: L to R: Alabama Lt. Governor Kay Ivey, Inbal Ben-Israel, Maj. Gen. Prof. Isaac Ben-Israel, Alabama Governor William Bentley, Consul General Opher Aviran, Mark Sabel, President Jewish Federation, Former Alabama State Senator Hank Erwin, Adam Abrams

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Yom Ha'atzmaut - Israel's Independence Day

Independence Day, the anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel, is a particularly meaningful celebration for its citizens, who have physically and actively participated in the creation of the state and have witnessed the changes that have characterized it over the last 64 years.

Israel's 64th Independence Day celebrations will commence on Wednesday evening, April 25, when the state flag is raised to full mast at a national ceremony on Mount Herzl, at which twelve torches are lit. Independence Day is filled with festivities and celebrations including picnics, barbecues, family gatherings and nature trips. Balconies, car windows, store fronts and more are liberally decorated with Israeli flags.

PM Netanyahu: "After Remembrance Day, the State of Israel will celebrate its 64th birthday. The unbreakable bond between Remembrance Day and Independence Day underscores the fact that our dear ones who fell in Israel's wars did not fall in vain. Thanks to them, the State arose. Thanks to them, the State of Israel will continue to develop and prosper, and thanks to them the members of the younger generation will also be able to live their lives in security and tranquility."

Photo: David Ben-Gurion declares the establishment of the State of Israel