President Reuven Rivlin hosted representatives of the Board of Governors of Ariel University at the President’s Residence Tuesday, to mark the announcement of the establishment of a new joint Jewish-Palestinian regional medical center, with the support of the Helmsley Trust, in the framework of the Ariel University’s School of Health Sciences.

The meeting was also addressed by Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home), Chancellor of Ariel University Yigal Cohen-Orgad, and trustee of the Helmsley Trust, Sandor Frankel.

“It is clear to all that Ariel will be an integral part of Israel in any future agreement,” Rivlin said, and congratulated those present on their work in developing the university and establishing the new medical center.

The President stressed that the establishment of the ‘Judea and Samaria Academic College’ in Ariel 33 years ago, had been the result of a tremendous effort by many people, and said that he was therefore today especially pleased to welcome them as representatives of the ‘Ariel University’.

The President added that Ariel University, as its fellow universities, provided a first opportunity for significant interaction between the different communities in Israel – interaction and meetings that did not distinguish between religion, nationality, or sex, and were for the benefit of Israeli society as a whole.

With reference to the establishment of the regional medical center, the President stressed that this represented an opportunity to create genuine shared coexistence. He noted that while many had objected to the establishment of Ariel University, the new center was testament to the work of the university in serving to support coexistence, and build bridges of trust.