Ambassador Stories
Standing up for Israel: the mission to The Hague
In February 2004, as the world's court weighed Israel's security barrier, dozens of Israel at Heart student ambassadors flew to The Hague, not to argue the law, but to stand with isolated communities and put the human cost back in the picture.
By Gadi Veinrib
In February 2004, the world's attention turned to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. As judges prepared to hear arguments on Israel's security barrier, thousands of protesters, activists, and journalists gathered outside the Peace Palace. It was the middle of winter in the Netherlands, cold, gray, and windy, but the real storm was the fierce debate surrounding Israel.
Dozens of Israel at Heart student ambassadors traveled from Israel to The Hague. Many had already represented Israel on campuses around the world. Now they came together for a different kind of mission: to stand alongside local Jewish and pro-Israel communities, and to remind the world that behind the headlines were real people whose lives had been forever changed by terrorism.
One of the things that always impressed me about Joey was his ability to see the people behind every mission. After sending Israel at Heart students to campuses across the United States, he realized that Jewish students in Europe often felt even more isolated. The mission to The Hague was not only about making Israel's case before the court of public opinion. It was also about standing beside those communities and showing them they were not alone.
As Joey told Yedioth Ahronoth at the time:
“When I sent the Israel at Heart students to Europe, I realized that, unlike students in the United States, they were frightened and felt weak and isolated. We wanted to encourage them, and to bring the Israeli students to them.”
That same spirit was reflected by Adir Gal, an Israel at Heart student who was so determined to join the delegation that he tried to postpone his reserve military service in order to take part. As he told Yedioth Ahronoth:
“Going to the Netherlands is almost as important as serving in the reserves, if not more. We're planning a march carrying photographs of people murdered in terrorist attacks, joined by Dutch and Jewish supporters of Israel. We know how difficult it is to be Jewish in the Netherlands because of public opinion toward Israel. We're going there to strengthen them.”
He added: “The world cannot dictate how we defend ourselves. We hope that, even if our presence seems small, it will make an impact.”
We all marched through the streets carrying photographs of victims of terrorist attacks. It was a quiet, dignified demonstration. Not about politics, but about people. At a time when so much of the conversation focused on maps and borders, they wanted the world to remember the human cost that had led Israel to build the security barrier.
Perhaps the line that has stayed with me the most is this:
“Sometimes you do something for yourself. It's important for me to be able to look in the mirror and say: we did everything we could.”
Looking back, I think the Hague mission captured the essence of Israel at Heart. It wasn't about winning every argument or changing every mind. It was about showing up, standing shoulder to shoulder, and ensuring that, even on one of the world's biggest stages, Israel was represented not only by politicians and diplomats, but by its people.
