The department of Governmental Affairs is the liaison between the Consulate General of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic Region and all local, state and federal government offices, as well as political interest groups in Delaware, Kentucky, New Jersey (Southern), Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Since Israel is such a close ally of the United States, the maintenance and development of positive working relationships with state and federal legislators is a key component of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' diplomatic mission. It is on the regional level that the grassroots efforts are focused and the most productive relationships are formed.

The Consulate is an official representative of the government and not a lobbying body; therefore, we are here to effectively communicate the Israeli government's official policy and position while also acting as a resource for legislators and their staffs for information and communication.

The responsibilities of the office also include the monitoring and analysis of the political climate in our jurisdiction as well as pertinent legislation on the state and federal levels, and the actions or reactions of Mid-Atlantic legislators.

The Consulate Press Office serves as a liaison between the print, broadcast and electronic media in the Mid-Atlantic Region (PA, DE, Southern NJ, OH, KY & WV) and Israel. It responds to media requests for information on Israel's political, economic and cultural institutions, and actively promotes Israeli events in the five-state area. The Press Office monitors Mid-Atlantic media coverage of Israel and the Middle East. It alerts press of breaking news concerning Israel, focusing on details of particular interest to the region. In addition, it offers as a resource, a variety of visiting and resident scholars, policymakers, military officials and diplomats with Israel and Middle East-related expertise.