The Embassy of Vietnam in Tel Aviv hosted a warm and heartfelt farewell gathering for the departing ambassador, Ly Duc Trung. The hall was filled with people who had come to thank him and wish him well. Senior officials from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, businessmen involved in Vietnam, journalists who had worked closely with him, and of course, the embassy staff who had become like family.
Vietnam and Israel established diplomatic relations 33 years ago. Ambassador Trung’s time in Israel unfolded during some of the most challenging years imaginable COVID19, waves of security tension, and a war that affected daily life. These circumstances complicated the work of diplomats everywhere, and Vietnam’s envoy was no exception. Yet despite all of this, he continued to move the relationship between our two countries forward with calm determination and a warm smile.
In his farewell speech, Ambassador Trung looked back on four active and meaningful years in Israel. He noted that his proudest professional achievement was the launch of the direct flight route between Israel and Vietnam through Arkia Airlines. These direct flights, he said, could help unlock the tremendous potential of tourism to Vietnam, a country full of color, culture, and charm for Israeli travelers.
But in my personal opinion, his greatest achievement in Israel had nothing to do with diplomacy. It was the birth of a little sabra princess who joined his family, a daughter who even received a Hebrew name- Nily, and who will always embody a beautiful connection between our two nations.
In Israel’s media and journalism circles, Ly Duc Trung is widely regarded as one of the most gracious ambassadors to serve here. Over the years, he won the sincere affection of many of us.
Vietnam, with its stunning landscapes and rich traditions, has become an especially beloved destination for Israelis. The ambassador often spoke proudly of the growing number of Israeli visitors each year, though we suspect that even those impressive figures represent only a fraction of Vietnam’s true tourism potential. Vietnam hopes to encourage more Israeli tourism but has so far avoided hosting a familiarization tours for journalists and travel agents. Perhaps Ambassador Trung tried but encountered obstacles; perhaps his successor will succeed in making such a trip happen and will open many more eyes to Vietnam’s beauty.
For Israelis with a sense of history, Vietnam holds a unique and somewhat surprising place in our national story. Two years before the establishment of the State of Israel, David Ben-Gurion formed a friendship with Ho Chi Minh, leader of the Vietnamese independence movement.
In 1946, during the “Black Shabbath” crackdown, leaders of the Jewish community fled to Paris, and happened to stay in the same hotel as Ho Chi Minh. Ben-Gurion confided in him about the British authorities who were shutting the gates of Mandatory Palestine to Holocaust survivors. Ho Chi Minh responded with a remarkable proposal: reroute the Ma’apilim refugee ships to Vietnam and establish the Jewish homeland there.
When he later became president, Ho Chi Minh even set aside an autonomous region in central Vietnam, Gia Lai Province and Dak Lak District, for what he called “the inheritance of the Tribe of Judah.” A sort of “Uganda Plan.” Ben-Gurion declined. But one cannot help imagining how different our story might have been. Had he accepted, we might be Vietnamese today.
History, however, has a way of echoing itself. 30 years later, again ships full of refugees wandered the seas with no country willing to accept them. This time they were Vietnamese refugees. Menachem Begin, then newly elected as Prime Minister of Israel, nobly offered to take in Vietnamese refugees, without knowing anything about Ho Chi Minh’s earlier offer to Ben-Gurion.
Soon, Ly Duc Trung will return to Hanoi. And we can’t help feeling a bit sorry for the new ambassador who will replace him. He will be stepping into exceptionally large shoes. Matching the warmth, dedication, and achievements of his predecessor will be a challenge for anyone.
“Tạm biệt bạn của tôi” (in Vietnamese: "Farewell, my friend")