Ukraine President Plants Olive Tree in Grove of Nations

Thursday, December 01, 2011 1:17 PM

On December 1st, under great security, the President of the Ukraine Victor Yanukovych planted an olive tree in the Grove of Nations, on Jerusalem's Mt. Hertzel.
At this unique place, one can see the dozens of olive trees which have been planted and dedicated by presidents and prime ministers from all over the world.

The ceremony took place on a particularly cold winter day, especially for early December, and KKL-JNF made arrangements for the ceremony to be held in a specially prepared tent, in order to protect the guests from the torrents of rain and hail, and to allow the planting ceremony to be held in all its festivity, as always. At the request of the president, the ceremony was to be held in Ukrainian. To honor the president's request, KKL-JNF Deputy Chairman Igal Yasinov, who himself was born in the Ukraine, was present at the ceremony.

Shortly beforehand however, it was decided on their part that due to security reasons, the President and his entourage would participate in a much shorter ceremony than originally planned, which would simply include the planting of the olive tree and the unveiling of the recognition plaque.

A great number of armed Israeli security guards, along with President Yanukovych's own security personnel, were deployed in the area in order to thwart any malicious attempts towards the President, who as Prime Minister of Ukraine, was miraculously saved from a mysterious poisoning attempt. The roads in the area were closed as the large convoy, comprised of the two ambassadors, advisors, and Ukrainian media crews made its way down from the adjacent Yad VaShem museum to the Grove of Nations.

Upon his arrival with his large entourage, President Yanukovych was greeted by Igal Yasinov, who said to the president that for him, as someone born in the Ukraine, the planting of the tree by the president of the Ukraine symbolized the closing of a circle.

"The friendship between nations also needs practical expression", he said, "and this olive tree is a true expression of friendship, precisely because it is a symbol of peace."