About The Conference
The Jerusalem Conference provides a unique forum for the discussion of Israel's national priorities, social values, and aspirations, as well as the challenges and external threats faced by Israel and the West. Every year the Jerusalem Conference hosts key figures, opinion-molders and policy-makers from Israel and around the world -- all leaders in the political, economic, academic, media, communal, security, military, and rabbinic spheres.
The Jerusalem Conference is dedicated to the promotion of Jewish heritage and values and to Israel’s future as a viable, modern, democratic and Jewish state. The setting for the Jerusalem Conference – Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem – underscores the Conference’s devotion to Israel’s capital city. In the near future the Jerusalem Conference expects to hold additional conferences in other locations in Israel and in key cities in the United States.
The Jerusalem Conference invites your participation.
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7th Annual Conference
Feb 15-17, 2010, Adar 1-3, 5770
Regency Hotel, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem
"Are We Facing a New Middle East?"
- Is U.S. Policy Changing Direction?
- Can Economic Sanctions on Iran Be Effective?
- Will the Peace Process Be Restarted?
* An asterisk indicates that the participant has not yet confirmed their participation
Monday, February 15, 2010
7:00-8:45 pm Conference Opening Plenary - Uniting the City of Jerusalem
Keynote: Mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat
7:00-8:45 pm
Uniting the City of Jerusalem
The 3,000 year old city of Jerusalem was reborn in 1967 when the city was reunited after 19 years of forced division. Under Israeli administration, the unified capital city saw unprecedented growth, free access to all religious shrines, expansion of health care to all of the city’s inhabitants, and the development of universities, religious academies, industries and a major tourism industry. Today, Jerusalem’s progress, development and unity are threatened by those who would divide the city again.
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Participants:
Chair: Hon. Natan Sharansky *-Chairman, Jewish Agency
Yuli-Yoel Edelstein Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs
U.S Senator Sam Brownback(R-KS)
Rabbi Aryeh Stern-Candidate for Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem
Dr. Gavriel BarkaiArcheologist, Director, City
of David Temple Mt. Project
Nadav Shragai-Journalist & Author
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
9:30-9:40AM Greetings: Rabbi Yonah Metzger *, Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel
9:40-9:45AM Opening Remarks: Robert Rechnitz, Chair, Jerusalem Conference
"Does the Middle East Face New Threats or New Opportunities for Peace?"
10:00AM-10:15AM Keynote: Minister of Finance Dr. Yuval Steinitz
10:15 - 11:45 am
Plenary - "Lawfare": Goldstone, the UN and NGOs
Today, Israel’s enemies have turned to a new form of combat against Israel–
“Lawfare” – and they have found willing partners in the international legal
system and the various branches of the United Nations. The legal assaults are
often led by NGOs – non-governmental organizations – sometimes funded by
European governments and large philanthropic foundations. Will the “lawfare”
tactics be turned against the United States and the United Kingdom for their
military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan? How can Israel and its allies respond?
Are new international laws required? |
Panelists:
Chair: Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld,-Director, American Center for Democracy & author of "Funding Evil: How Terrorism is Financed"
Adv. Anne HerzbergLegal Advisor, NGO Monitor
Lt. Colonel (res.) Jonathan D. HaleviSenior Researcher on the Middle East and Radical Islam at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
Rabbi Abraham CooperAssociate Dean, Simon Weisenthal Center
Adv. Nitsana Darshan-LeitnerDirector, Israel Law Center
Ronen ShovalFounder & Chair, Im Tirtzu
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12:00PM–1:30PM
Panel 1 - How Israel Beat the World Economic Crisis
Eyal Gabai Director-General, Prime Minister’s Office
Defying all expectations, Israel’s economy actually grew during the international crisis year of 2009 -- one of the few economies to defy the negative growth statistics that plagued most of the world’s countries. What are the factors that drive Israel’s economy, draw in foreign investment, and generate new hi-tech ventures and initiatives?
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Panelists:
Chair: Ken AbramowitzCo-founder and Managing General Partner of NGN Capital
MK Ophir Akunis (Likud)Chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee
Saul SingerColumnist for the Jerusalem Post and co-author of "Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle"
Prof. Ben-Zion ZilberfarbFormer Director-General, Ministry of Finance
Fred EhrmanVice Chair, Brean Murray Carret & Co.
Eran Bar-Tal – EditorEconomics Magazine – Makor Rishon
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Panel 2 The Iranian Threats to the Region and Beyond
Since coming to power in 1979, the Ayatollah regime in Iran has played the “trouble-maker” role in the Middle East. Today, Iran continues its nuclear program while threatening to wipe Israel off the map. In the Western Hemisphere, Iran is expanding its ties with Venezuela’s radical leader Hugo Chavez. Can Iranian support for international terrorism be blocked? Will the current Iranian instability force the Revolutionary Guard to end its foreign adventures?
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Panelists:
Chair: Prof. Efraim Inbar- Professor in Political Studies at Bar Ilan University and Director of the Begin-Sadat (BESA) Center for Strategic Studies.
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY)- Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on the Western Hemisphere
Ambassador Dr. Dore GoldPresident of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, author of "The Rise of Nuclear Iran"
Harold RhodeSenior Advisor to Hudson Institute-NY, Former Middle East and Islamic World Analyst - Office of the US Secretary of Defense
Representative from Israel's Defense Ministry - to be Announced
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1:30PM-2:20PM Lunch Break
2:20PM-3:50PM
Panel 3 -
The Two State Solution, or Maybe Three, or One?
Keynote: Minister Binyamin Begin
Israel’s Prime Minister declared his acceptance of the principle of a two state solution, providing for a Jewish state and a Palestinian state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. The two state solution is seen by some as the panacea for all that of the Middle East’s ailments, but does the Palestinian Authority speak for the Palestinians living in refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria who demand the “right of return” to Israel and its pre-1967 territory? Can the Palestinian State be economically viable and secure without close Israeli support?
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Panelists:
Chair: Hon. Yoram EttingerFormer Minister for Congressional Affairs at Israel's Embassy in Washington
Itamar Marcus Founder and Director of Palestinian Media Watch
Ehud Ya'ariSenior Commentator on Arab Affairs, Israel Channel 2 TV
MK Avi Dichter (Kadima)Former Minister of Internal Security
MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud)
Member, Constitution, Law and Justice Committee
MK Brig.-General (ret.) Prof. Arieh Eldad (National Union)Member, Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee
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2:20PM-3:50PM
Panel 4 -
Communicating Israel’s Message – “Does Anyone Give a Tweet?”
For decades an accusation has been hurled that Israel fails in its “Hasbara” - public information diplomacy. Is that the case, or is the media biased to a degree that whatever Israel does or says is viewed in a negative light? Can Israel get a fair hearing in the world media? Is Israel prepared for the new “social media” – the internet, blogging, and twitter? Are there any standards of fairness and accuracy in this new media?
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Panelists:
Chair: Danny SeamanDirector, Israel Government. Press Office
David HorovitzEditor-in-Chief, The Jerusalem Post
Yishai FleisherDirector, Israel National Radio
Judy Lash BalintNew Media Coordinator, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
Aryeh Green Director, MediaCentral
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4:00PM–5:30PM
Panel 5 -
Missile Threats and Missile Defense
Keynote: U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) Member, Senate Armed Services and Senate Foreign Relations Committees (via video)
While world attention is focused on Iran’s nuclearization program, alarming developments are taking place in the arena of missile development. Iran is building bigger and longer-range rockets, including multi-stage and solid fuel models which are threats not only to Israel, the Gulf states and American forces in the Middle East, but to Europe as well. Hamas and Hizbullah arm themselves with longer range missiles. Are the Arrow and Iron Dome defensive systems adequate to defend Israel? In the age of missiles, do the concepts of defensible borders and geographic obstacles have any meaning?
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Panelists:
Chair: J. Philip Rosen
Prof. Moshe Arens *Former Minister of Defense
Dr. Uzi RubinFormer. head of Israel's Missile Defense Organization
Brig General (res.) Yossi KupperwasserDep. Dir-General, Ministry for Strategic Affairs
Senior representative of the IDF Homefront Command
Senior representative of the Israel Air Force
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4:00PM–5:30PM
Panel 6 - Does Israel Get Fair Coverage in Israel?
A refrain frequently heard in Israeli society is that the Israeli press is biased. But biased against whom? Some complain it’s a Leftist press biased against the Right, or against settlers, or against religious Jews. On the Left, the complaint is heard that the press is too cozy with the government and fails to challenge important policy decisions on issues of war and peace. Are the personal relationships between the Israeli press and government officials too cozy?
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Panelists:
Chair: Ayala HassonDiplomatic Correspondent, ITV Channel One
Shalom YerushalmiSenior Commentator, Maariv newspaper
Hagai SegalEditor/Commentator, Makor Rishon newspaper
Emanuel ShiloEditor, B’Sheva newspaper
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5:40PM-7:15PM
Plenary: Reclaiming Israel’s Narrative, Sovereignty and Pride
Keynote: Minister of Justice Ya'akov Ne'eman
A famous American advocate recently penned the book, “The Case for Israel.” The historic and moral facts are well presented, but the question must be asked today, is anyone making that case? Over the last decade, have Israel’s governments and spokespersons forsaken Israel’s case for defensible borders, its Biblical heritage, its right to self-defense, and even its Zionist raison
d'être?
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Panelists:
Chair: Rabbi Shalom GoldFounder and Dean, Silver College for Adult Education
Adv. Justus WeinerJCPA, author of “Illegal Construction in Jerusalem”
Shaul GoldsteinMayor of Gush Etzion Regional Council
Adv. Amir FisherRepresentative of Regavim, National Land Protection Trust
Yoel Zilberman, Leader of HaShomer HaChadash, New Guardian Movement
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7:15PM-8:45PM
Plenary: G’vurat Yisrael
Special Program Honoring Israel’s Heroes – An Expression of the Gratitude of a People
Ot HaGevura of Jerusalem Conference to five IDF soldiers for Bravery Above and Beyond the Call to Duty
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Panelists:
Chair: Colonel (res.) Rabbi Eliezer SheinvaldRosh Yeshivat Hesder Modi'in, Operations Officer (res.), IDF Northern Command
Brig. General (ret.) Avigdor KahalaniRecipient of IDF Medal of Valor, Yom Kippur War, Chairman, HaAguda LeMa'an HaChayal
MK Zevulun Orlev (Habayit Hayehudi)Recipient of Medal of Distinguished Service for Valor, Yom Kippur War
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Remarks: Major General Sidney Shachnow, USA (ret.), former Commanding General, USA Special Forces Command; Commanding General, John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center & School. MG Shachnow is the only Holocaust survivor to attain this rank in the U.S. Army
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
9:30AM-9:45AM Greetings: Rishon Letzion Rabbi Shlomo Amar *Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel
9:45AM-10:00AM Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom Minister of Regional Cooperation and Minister of the Development of the Negev & Galilee
10:00AM-10:15AM MK Tzipi Livni (Kadima) Knesset Opposition Leader
10:15AM–11:35AM
Plenary Session: The Future of U.S.-Israel Relations
Over the decades the U.S.-Israel relationship has experienced its “ups and downs,” but the bond seems unbreakable. With the election of new leaders in Israel and the United States, is the relationship destined to change? Are the ideological differences and international forces moving to create “the perfect storm,” as some American foreign policy analysts suggest? Or will the traditional American support for its democratic ally in the Middle East continue to grow, as poll data suggests?
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Panelists:
Chair: Ron Plotkin
Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon
U.S. Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA) * Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Committee
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY)Chairman, House FA Sub-Committee on the Western Hemisphere
U.S. Ambassador (ret.) James A. LaroccoNear East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, U.S. Department of Defense/National Defense University
Rev. Dr. Robert StearnsFounder and Executive Director of Eagles' Wings Ministry, and North Eastern US Regional Director for Christians United for Israel (CUFI)
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11:45AM-12:30PM Plenary Session: Prof. Bernard Lewis
A Special Live Conversation between the legendary historian, Prof. Bernard Lewis and Dan Diker (Senior Foreign Policy Analyst, JCPA and Adjunct Fellow, Hudson Institute). “Are We Living in a ‘New’ Middle East?”
12:30PM-12:45PM Keynote: Ron Dermer Director of Policy Planning in the Prime Minister's Office
12:45-1:15PM Special Lifetime Achievement Award to Hon. Uri Lubrani Advisor to the Defense Ministry, former Israeli Ambassador to Iran, and former Coordinator for Lebanon Affairs, and Negotiator for the release of Ethiopian Jews during Operation Solomon.
1:15PM-2:15PM Lunch Break
2:15PM–3:45PM
Panel 7 -
Aliyah – Once They Are Here…
Keynote: Minister of Interior Eli Yishai *
After the Iron Curtain fell in the early 1990s more than one million Soviet Jews immigrated to Israel. Their momentous arrival was soon followed by the miraculous aliya of tens of thousands of Ethiopian Jews. On “another plane,” aliya from North America is also increasing. Will Israel complete the task of bringing the Ethiopians and Bnei Menashe home? Will the integration of the new olim – culturally, professionally, and religiously -- be more successful than that of their siblings’? |
Panelists:
Chair: Minister Sofa LandverMinister of Absorption
Dr. Avraham NeguiseRepresentative of Ethiopian olim
Michael Freund Founder and Chairman of Shavei Israel
Erez HalfonVice Chairman, Nefesh B’Nefesh, and former Director General of the Ministry of immigrant Absorption
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2:15PM–3:45PM
Panel 8 - The State Of Palestinian-Arab Affairs
From a historic perspective, the unity of the Arab world, and more specifically, the unity of the Palestinians has been chimerical. Despite external attempts at reconciliation, the Hamas rift with the Palestinian Authority grows. How does this polarization impact on U.S. efforts to engage the Muslim world? Will it hinder diplomatic progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process? And is another Israeli-Hamas conflict inevitable?
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Panelists:
Chair: Dan DikerSenior Foreign Policy Analyst, JCPA, and Adjunct Fellow, Hudson Institute
Caroline GlickSenior Contributing Editor, The Jerusalem Post
Dr. Gil FeilerBar Ilan University, BESA Center, Palestinian economics
Lt. Colonel (res.) Dr. Anat Berko Research Fellow at the International Policy Institute for Counter Terrorism, author of “The Smarter Bomb, Women and Children in the Palestinian Terror.”
Uri ElitzurDeputy Editor, Makor Rishon, Former Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister’s Office
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4:00PM–5:45PM
Plenary: War in the 21st Century: Counter-Terrorism versus Counter Insurgency
Keynote: Minister for Strategic Affairs Lt. General (res.) Moshe “Bogey” Ya’alon
The combat of the 21st century is marked by asymmetrical, irregular, and unconventional warfare. How can a sophisticated, modern force such as the American or Israeli army defeat an irregular terrorist force living in the midst of its own people? The lessons learned in Israel’s Operation Defensive Shield (2002) suggest that counter-insurgency warfare can be successful. Can modern armies adapt?
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Panelists:
Chair: Shoshana BryenSenior Director for Security Policy for the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA)
U.S. Major General (ret.) David L. GrangeFormer DCO, U.S. Army Special Operations Command
Major General (ret.) Sidney ShachnowFormer CO, U.S. Army Special Forces Command
Rear Admiral (ret.) John F. Sigler USNFormer Plans and Policy Officer for the U.S. Central Command; Deputy Director, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies U.S. Department of Defense/National Defense University
Major General (res.) Ya’akov AmidrorFormer. Head IDF Intelligence Research Division, Former. Head IDF National War College, and author of “Winning Counterinsurgency Wars”
Brigadier-General (res.) Effie EitamFormer MK, Former. CO IDF Galilee Formation
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6:00PM–7:30PM
Plenary - Anti-Israel Propaganda on Campuses in Israel and Abroad
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Panelists:Panelists to be Announced
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7:45PM-8:30PM Closing Keynote Prime Minister’s Address
Introducing PM: Robert Rechnitz, Chair, Jerusalem Conference
Speaker: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
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