Eli Groner, Director General of the Prime Minister's Office since May, managed to captivate attendees of the "IDF Moves to the Negev" conference this week when he told about the journey he chose to take to reach the destination of his lecture: Highway 60, which leads from Jerusalem to Beer Sheva.
Apparently, the road isn't exactly safe these days - just this evening a car-ramming attack occurred on the road in which four soldiers were injured - but it was important to Groner to plow it, to go down to the area in his own car.
""They talked about traveling here, about roads," he said. "I started the day in the center of the State of Israel, in the Jerusalem area. I admit and confess that I traveled here today by car and not by train. I traveled by car on Highway 60.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
For those who don't know, from Jerusalem to Beersheba you can travel by road, a central axis, which I believe is where 80 or 90 percent of the Bible takes place. That's where we began Jewish history, that's where the original roots were.
""Today we continue and build the future history of the State of Israel, so I couldn't have felt a more appropriate trip, and believe me, I insisted on it with my security personnel, that I drive on this road today because it has significance.".
""This is the road on which we were charged with the original Israeli roots. The road that passes through the settlements of Elazar, Neve Daniel, Geva Binyamin, Kochav Yaakov, Givat Assaf, Ofra, Ma'ale Lavona, Shilo, Rachel, Yitzhar, Kedumim and Shavei Shomron. This is the road I drove on today to reach this place.".
Eli added and spoke about the importance of integrating all populations in Israel within the framework of the Negev Development Project.
Anyone who knows the man knows that since he took office, he has invested hours to care for all types of populations, including the ultra-Orthodox public.
