In a few hours, the Olympic torch will make its way to the stadium for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Games.  For the next few weeks the world’‎s eyes will be on London, and billions of people in every country of the world will be briefly united in their shared experience of the Olympics.

‎What is it that makes the Olympic Games so special?    Why should the world care so much?  Do the Games have a deeper meaning than thousands of young people competing to run, jump, cycle, swim or sail the fastest?    They must do, or the Olympics would never have captured the imagination of the world.

First, the games are about excellence—‎individuals and teams fulfilling their potential, becoming outstanding, competing to be the very best in the world.   Israel knows about excellence.   As ambassador, I have been privileged to see the best that Israel has to offer—‎in science, tech,  film, music, education, health, social innovation, and many other fields besides.  For a small country, Israel produces far more than its share of excellence.

‎Second, the Games are about commitment.   I have been privileged in recent months to get to know many of Israel’‎s Olympic and Paralympic athletes.   I know the extraordinary effort they have put in to preparing, the sacrifices they have made.   They are great young men and women, and Israel can be proud of them.

‎But the commitment has not just been from the athletes.   London has spent seven years preparing for these Games.  We have invested billions of pounds, recruited tens of thousands of people, built facilities that are as good as the best in the world.   The Israeli team will find an Olympic Park, a city and a country committed to making these Games the best ever.

‎Third, the games have a tradition that the athletes can compete in safety.   This is a bitter tradition for Israeli athletes, particularly 40 years after the horrific murders in the Munich Games.   I know that no Israeli team can march into the Olympic stadium under the Israeli flag and not remember the victims of Munich.  The families of those victims should know that they will never be forgotten.   And we are doing everything possible to ensure that these Olympics—‎particularly the Israeli team—‎are kept safe.

‎London has experienced its own sadness to do with these Games.   On 7 July 2005, the day after it was announced that London had won the competition to host the Games, four terrorists blew themselves up in trains and a bus around London.   52 people died.   Over 700 were injured.   We know the cost of terrorism.  So when Israel grieves, we grieve with you.  And when Israel remembers, we remember with you too.

‎Last, the Games are about inclusion.   Every country is invited.  Everyone is included.

‎This is a tradition that sits well in London—‎a city that has always opened its arms to the citizens of the world, including my own family coming from oppression in Eastern Europe.  London’‎s citizens come from more than 130 nations, and each is part of one city, the city I call home.

‎Israel, like London, is a place where citizens strive to build unity out of diversity.   And that unity will be evident in communities across Israel, where families and friends will be roaring on Gil Cohen, Zohar Zemiro, Imri Ganiel and all the other Israeli Olympians and Paralympians to win medals.

‎To celebrate this unity, the British Embassy is organizing twenty parties for children up and down Israel on 7 August, the day of the windsurfing finals.   The parties will go from Eilat to Kiryat Shmona, from Nazareth to Arad, from Bat Yam to Sderot.    We will celebrate the Olympics with communities from across Israel.

‎As ambassador to Israel, as someone who wants the best for Israel, as someone who takes pride in Israel  and who represents a government that defines itself firmly as friend of Israel, I want to see Israel’s athletes succeed.   I offer each one of them the very best of British luck.