The Israel-China Friendship Forest was inaugurated in 2014 in Lahav Forest in the northern Negev, in the presence of a senior Chinese delegation and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) representatives. From the outset, the partnership focused on issues of global importance: addressing the spread of desertification, water scarcity, and the need for sustainable environmental development.
More than 12 years later, KKL-JNF hosted the Chinese Ambassador to Israel, Dr. Xiao Junzheng, for a tree-planting ceremony in the forest. Participants included KKL-JNF Chairman Eyal Ostrinsky, Vice President of Finance and Acting Head of the Resource Development and External Affairs Division Yuval Yaini, and other representatives.
Relations between KKL-JNF and China are based on a shared interest in environmental solutions. Over the years, the two sides have maintained professional contacts and exchanged knowledge in forestry, desert agriculture, and water resource management. KKL-JNF's experience in developing forests in arid and semi-arid regions offers practical knowledge of value to countries facing similar challenges.
Photo: Yoav Lin, KKL-JNF Photo Archive
The joint tree planting in the Israel-China Friendship Forest, inaugurated more than a decade ago, reflects the continuity of these ties and the potential for further environmental cooperation in the future.
Eyal Ostrinsky, KKL-JNF Chairman, said:
“More than a decade ago, trees were planted here to symbolize the friendship between Israel and China. Today, we are returning to the same forest to remind everyone that KKL-JNF's contribution to the world goes beyond planting trees. It also includes the knowledge and experience accumulated here over decades. The challenges of desertification, water scarcity, and the climate crisis do not stop at national borders. Israeli expertise can contribute to environmental solutions around the world, and we see cooperation and knowledge exchange as an important part of KKL-JNF's mission.”