Arthur Lenk
Encyclopedia
Arthur Lenk served as the fourth ambassador
of the State of Israel
to the Republic of Azerbaijan
from August 2005 - July 2009. He is currently Director of the Department of International Law in the Office of the Legal Adviser of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in Paramus, New Jersey
. He made Aliyah
, emigrating to Israel in 1983. Lenk is a member of bar in Israel (1991) and New York (1992) and is fully fluent in English and Hebrew.
Lenk served as a medic in the Israel Defense Forces
and first aid instructor at the IDF's officer training school between 1984 and 1986. Lenk holds two law degrees from the Faculty of Law, at Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, an LL.M. in International Law (2003) and an LL.B. (1990). Between 1992 and 1996, Lenk served as Chairman of the Israel Softball Association. He was named to the organization's Hall of Fame in July 2005.
Lenk is married with three daughters Margalit, Ilana and Aiden.
Lenk was appointed as Israel's fourth Ambassador to Azerbaijan by the Israeli Government on 3 April 2005. He submitted his credentials to the President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev
on 13 September 2005.
Lenk's tenure in Azerbaijan has coincided with a significant development of the relations between the two countries. A number of key visits took place highlighted by the historic visit of President Shimon Peres
to Baku on 28–29 June 2009. Peres led a delegation which included three ministers and a large business delegation. Other visits to Baku were those of Israel's Minister of Agriculture Shalom Simhon
in May 2008, Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman in August 2007 and two visits of the Minister of National Infrastructures Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
in June 2006 and June 2008 and visits of Azerbaijan's Ministers of Economic Development (February 2007), Emergency Situations (March 2007), Transportation (June 2007) and Ecology and Natural Resources (October 2007) to Israel. Additionally, an association of Azerbaijani immigrants to Israel, AZIS, was formed in April 2007, to serve as a bridge between the societies and promote relations. Trade ties also dramatically grew with Israel significantly increasing its energy purchases from Azerbaijan and developing investment and exports in a number of sectors including agriculture, infrastructure and telecommunications. According to figures published by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, Israeli exports to Azerbaijan grew by nearly 5000 percent during Lenk's tenure as Ambassador.
Lenk joined the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a foreign service cadet and participated in the Foreign Officer Training Program in 1994. Prior to joining the Israel foreign service, he worked as a lawyer in Jerusalem. In 1996, he was sent to the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi, India where he served as Second Secretary for Cultural and Academic Affairs. In 1998, he transferred to the Consulate General of Israel to the Southwestern United States, Los Angeles, California where he served as Consul for Communications and Public Affairs until 2000.
Following this post, Lenk worked as an attorney in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. In 2000-01 Lenk took part in Israel's interaction with the Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee ("The Mitchell Committee") which examined reasons for the start of violence in the region beginning in the autumn of 2000. His primary responsibility was giving legal advice on United Nations
related issues. He also acted as Israel's representative to the United Nations General Assembly's Legal Committee in 2001 and 2004. Furthermore, Lenk worked as part of the Israel Government's legal team on Israel's position regarding the Israel barrier
case before the International Court of Justice
in 2003 and 2004.
Between 2002 and 2005 Lenk also served as an Israeli Government spokesman and a lecturer on foreign affairs and diplomacy, briefing and appearing on a range of international media sources including CNN
, BBC
, Le Monde
and NPR
. In the fall semester of 2003, he also taught a graduate seminar in “Foreign Policy, International Law and the Arab-Israel Conflict”, at the Herzog Center for Middle East Studies and Diplomacy, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, in Be’er Sheva.
Lenk was awarded an "outstanding diplomat" citation by Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his role within a group that coordinated Israel's initiative for the January 2005 United Nations Special Session commemorating the Sixtieth Anniversary of the freeing of Europe's Concentration Camps.
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
of the State of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
to the Republic of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
from August 2005 - July 2009. He is currently Director of the Department of International Law in the Office of the Legal Adviser of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Biography
Arthur Lenk attended the Frisch SchoolFrisch School
The Frisch School, founded in 1972 by Rabbi Menachem Meier and Alfred Frisch, is a coeducational yeshiva secondary school located in Paramus, New Jersey, which adheres to the tenets and practices of Modern Orthodox Judaism...
in Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
. He made Aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
, emigrating to Israel in 1983. Lenk is a member of bar in Israel (1991) and New York (1992) and is fully fluent in English and Hebrew.
Lenk served as a medic in the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
and first aid instructor at the IDF's officer training school between 1984 and 1986. Lenk holds two law degrees from the Faculty of Law, at Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, an LL.M. in International Law (2003) and an LL.B. (1990). Between 1992 and 1996, Lenk served as Chairman of the Israel Softball Association. He was named to the organization's Hall of Fame in July 2005.
Lenk is married with three daughters Margalit, Ilana and Aiden.
Career
Serving as the Director of the Department of International Law in the Office of the Legal Adviser of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lenk rejoined the Office of the Legal Adviser following the conclusion of his tenure as Israel's Ambassador to Azerbaijan in 2009.Lenk was appointed as Israel's fourth Ambassador to Azerbaijan by the Israeli Government on 3 April 2005. He submitted his credentials to the President of Azerbaijan
President of Azerbaijan
The country of Azerbaijan is a presidential republic, with the President of Azerbaijan as the head of state, and the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan as head of government...
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee...
on 13 September 2005.
Lenk's tenure in Azerbaijan has coincided with a significant development of the relations between the two countries. A number of key visits took place highlighted by the historic visit of President Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
to Baku on 28–29 June 2009. Peres led a delegation which included three ministers and a large business delegation. Other visits to Baku were those of Israel's Minister of Agriculture Shalom Simhon
Shalom Simhon
Shalom Simhon is an Israeli politician and member of the Knesset for Independence. He currently serves as the Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour and Minister of Minorities in the Israeli cabinet.-Biography:...
in May 2008, Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman in August 2007 and two visits of the Minister of National Infrastructures Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Binyamin Fuad Ben-Eliezer , , born 12 February 1936) is an Israeli politician and former military officer of Iraqi origin. He currently serves as a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party, and has held several ministerial posts, including Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour, Minister of...
in June 2006 and June 2008 and visits of Azerbaijan's Ministers of Economic Development (February 2007), Emergency Situations (March 2007), Transportation (June 2007) and Ecology and Natural Resources (October 2007) to Israel. Additionally, an association of Azerbaijani immigrants to Israel, AZIS, was formed in April 2007, to serve as a bridge between the societies and promote relations. Trade ties also dramatically grew with Israel significantly increasing its energy purchases from Azerbaijan and developing investment and exports in a number of sectors including agriculture, infrastructure and telecommunications. According to figures published by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, Israeli exports to Azerbaijan grew by nearly 5000 percent during Lenk's tenure as Ambassador.
| Year | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Israeli Exports | $5.4m | $28.0m | $82.6m | $128.3m | $264.0m |
Lenk joined the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a foreign service cadet and participated in the Foreign Officer Training Program in 1994. Prior to joining the Israel foreign service, he worked as a lawyer in Jerusalem. In 1996, he was sent to the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi, India where he served as Second Secretary for Cultural and Academic Affairs. In 1998, he transferred to the Consulate General of Israel to the Southwestern United States, Los Angeles, California where he served as Consul for Communications and Public Affairs until 2000.
Following this post, Lenk worked as an attorney in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. In 2000-01 Lenk took part in Israel's interaction with the Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee ("The Mitchell Committee") which examined reasons for the start of violence in the region beginning in the autumn of 2000. His primary responsibility was giving legal advice on United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
related issues. He also acted as Israel's representative to the United Nations General Assembly's Legal Committee in 2001 and 2004. Furthermore, Lenk worked as part of the Israel Government's legal team on Israel's position regarding the Israel barrier
Israeli West Bank barrier
The Israeli West Bank barrier is a separation barrier being constructed by the State of Israel along and within the West Bank. Upon completion, the barrier’s total length will be approximately...
case before the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
in 2003 and 2004.
Between 2002 and 2005 Lenk also served as an Israeli Government spokesman and a lecturer on foreign affairs and diplomacy, briefing and appearing on a range of international media sources including CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
and NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
. In the fall semester of 2003, he also taught a graduate seminar in “Foreign Policy, International Law and the Arab-Israel Conflict”, at the Herzog Center for Middle East Studies and Diplomacy, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, in Be’er Sheva.
Lenk was awarded an "outstanding diplomat" citation by Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his role within a group that coordinated Israel's initiative for the January 2005 United Nations Special Session commemorating the Sixtieth Anniversary of the freeing of Europe's Concentration Camps.
Publications
- "Azerbaijan as a model" Haaretz (Hebrew), 28 June 2009, Zerkalo (Russian), Express (Azerbaijani), 1 July 2009.
- "Hateful words...and an opportunity", 525 (Azerbaijani), Echo (Russian), 26 September 2008.
- "Israel at 60: Azerbaijan is a key in our looking forward", Yeni Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani), Express (Azerbaijani), Zerkalo (Russian), 8 May 2008.
- "A New Beginning for Peace in the Middle East", Yeni Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani), 525 (Azerbaijani), Echo (Russian), 27 November 2007.
- "Iran's regional threat", Yeni Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani), Ayna (Azerbaijani), Zerkalo (Russian), 29 June 2007.
- "Iran's extreme leaders reject history", Echo (Russian), Ekspress (Azerbaijani), 20 and 21 December 2006.
- “Hizbullah must be stopped”, Yeni Azerbaycan, (Azerbaijani), Kaspiy (Russian), Kaspy (Azerbaijani), 25 July 2006
- “Israel and Azerbaijan: Cooperation serves the interests of our countries”, Ekspress (Azerbaijani), Kaspiy (Russian), 3 May 2006.
- “The Iranian threat to destroy Israel”, Zerkalo (Russian) 1 November 2005
- “My tale of two courts”, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
15 July 2004 - “Political Misuses of International Law: The Development of the ‘Crime’ of Population Transfer”, 1 Eyes on the ICC 71 (2004).
- “Prime Minister Sharon and the Belgian ‘Tool’ of Law”, The ForwardThe ForwardThe Forward , commonly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York City. The publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily issued by dissidents from the Socialist Labor Party of Daniel DeLeon...
, 28 February 2003. - “Fact-finding as a Tool in Peace Negotiation – The Mitchell Report and the Israel-Palestinian Peace Process”, 24 Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review 289 (2002).
External links
- Embassy of Israel, Baku, Azerbaijan
- Speech at United Nations Sixth Committee on International Terrorism, 19 October 2004
- Response of Embassy of Iran in Azerbaijan to article written by Lenk about Tehran Holocaust Denial Conference, 23 December 2006. Arthur Lenk's original article is an English translation of the article, "Iran's extreme leaders reject history", published in Echo and Ekspress newspapers, 20–21 December 2006.
- Interview with Azerbaijani Trend news service, 25 August 2006. Interview with Azerbaijani APA news service, 18 September 2008; Video interview with Trend Agency, 13 January 2009.
See also
- List of Israeli ambassadors to Azerbaijan
- Ambassadors of Israel
- Israel-Azerbaijan relationsIsrael-Azerbaijan relationsAzerbaijan and Israel established a strong friendship since 1992. Azerbaijan is one of the few majority Muslim countries besides Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and the former Soviet Central Asian republics to develop bilateral strategic and economic relations with Israel....