HR1121 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1121 LRB095 20584 KXB 48747 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Consul General of Israel in Chicago, Barukh Binah, and his wife, Shulamit Binah, are leaving to return to Israel after serving as Consul General to the Midwest; together, they are returning to Israel for Mr. Binah's new position as Deputy Director General (designate) for North American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and

WHEREAS, Barukh Binah has been a member of Israel's Foreign Service since 1979; he has held various positions in diplomacy, research, policy planning, and media relations; and

WHEREAS, In 1985, he was appointed Israel's Spokesman and Press Officer in New York; in 1992, he was assigned to Washington, D.C., as Counselor for Congressional Affairs at the Embassy of Israel; he later became the Embassy's Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs; and

WHEREAS, In Jerusalem, Barukh Binah served as the Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Director of the Press Department (1991-1992); between 1999 and 2001, he served as Director of the Second North American Affairs Department; he also held a variety of research and policy planning positions, including Comptroller of Research Quality; from 2001 - 2005, he served as the Head of the International Affairs Bureau in the Center for Political Research of the Foreign Ministry; and

WHEREAS, Barukh Binah holds degrees, with honors, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Haifa University; In 1998 he graduated from Israel's National Defense College, where he wrote his dissertation, Israel and the American Jewish Community: a Brotherhood in Distress; he has served as the Secretary of the Israel Oriental Society and contributed to literary periodicals; and

WHEREAS, His wife, Shulamit Binah, is an expert in Middle Eastern affairs and has filled a variety of evaluation and analysis positions in Israel's Foreign Ministry, IDF, and National Police; she is a graduate of the Haifa University in Israel (Middle Eastern History); she earned her Masters degree from the City University of New York-Graduate Center; she has served in Israel's Mission to the United Nations and at the Embassy in Washington, D.C.; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Barukh Binah for his years of service in the State of Illinois and as he and his wife return to Israel and wish them both the best in their future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Barukh Binah and his wife, Shulamit Binah, as a symbol of our respect and esteem.