Georgia Governor Nathan Deal arrived in Israel on Saturday, June 21 with a delegation of Georgia's top elected officials, business, and community leaders. During the visit, Governor Deal aims to highlight the existing partnerships between Israel and Georgia, as well as explore opportunities for further collaboration.
Attendees joining the Governor include Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Chris Carr, Attorney General Sam Olens, University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby, Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald, Metro Atlanta Chamber President Hala Moddelmog, conexx (formerly American-Israel Chamber of Commerce) President & CEO Shai Robkin, and Georgia Commission on the Holocaust Executive Director Sally Levine, as well as Consul General Opher Aviran.
On Sunday, Governor Deal traveled to Jerusalem for political meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, as well as to take in the holy sites. In the evening, Governor Deal joined attendees from the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta's 2014 Mission for a reception at the Israel Museum.
Governor Deal meets fellow Georgians at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, First Lady Sandra Deal, and Governor Nathan Deal enjoy Atlanta's own Coca Cola in Jerusalem.
Governor Nathan Deal with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Monday, Governor and Mrs. Deal visited
Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial and Museum, to pay tribute. Later in the day, the delegation traveled to Caesarea to visit the headquarters of countertop manufacturer
CaesarStone.
In November 2013, CaesarStone announced its selection of Richmond Hill in Bryan County, Georgia, as the location of its new U.S.-based manufacturing plant. The selection represents a $70-100 million investment and is expected to create 180 jobs.
On Tuesday,
Credorax, an Israeli e-commerce firm,
announced plans to create a banking center in Atlanta. Pending approval, the proposed hub would add more than 100 jobs.