Leadership Briefing Summer 2018
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.elnetwork.eu LEADERSHIP BRIEFING SUMMER 2018 ELNET IS CELEBRATING OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRO-ISRAEL ADVOCACY IN EUROPE The European Union is in upheaval. Britain is preparing ELNET is a highly efficient organization with low expenses to exit the EU, Euro Skeptics have taken power in Italy, and high productivity. What makes this successful record Chancellor Merkel is in peril in Germany, public support possible is growing support for the work of all the parts of for Macron is eroding in France, the NATO alliance is being our organization. questioned, and several East European countries now have Your support is essential. You can contribute by using the authoritarian governments. There is greater ferment in enclosed pledge card and mailing your check to the Europe today then at any time since World War II. address on the back page or simply donate online at In the face of all this, Israel’s relations with major European www.elnetwork.eu. Thank you for standing up for the truth countries are generally improving. Pro-Israel voices in Europe in Europe. are growing stronger and more self-confident. Best wishes, BDS and other boycotts of Israel are mostly being defeated. Israel’s trade with Europe is growing, not declining. We are very proud of the progress ELNET Affiliates are Larry J. Hochberg Lee Rosenblum making, as the contents of this newsletter will show. FELNET Chairman & Co-Founder FELNET National Executive Director This Leadership Briefing is divided into sections which include updates from: 1. ELNET–EU & NATO; 2. ELNET–France; 3. ELNET–Germany; 4. ELNET–Poland; 5. Forum of Strategic Dialogue; and 6. Friends of ELNET–USA. this point, Iran is directly threatening EUROPEAN UNION Israel through its military presence in Ines Von Behr, ELNET-EU & NATO, Executive Director Syria and Lebanon. The speakers at the roundtable agreed that Iran can be understood as a major destabilizing The Brussels Forum 2018 factor in the region and that the flaws of ELNET EU & NATO partnered with the the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action German Marshall Fund’s (GMF) Brussels (JCPOA) ought to be fixed. They also Forum under this year’s theme: Revise, concluded that all players involved Reboot, Rebuild: Strategies for a Time needed to develop a “Syria First” strategy, of Distrust. This year’s conference working specifically together with featured among many other notable Russia. The speakers also supported the guests, Dr. Madeleine Albright (former cooperation between the Saudis, Israel United States Secretary of State, Chair speaker during the dinner roundtable on and the US to counter Iran. of the Albright Stonebridge Group), the topic Towards a New Middle Eastern Kristalina Georgieva (CEO of the Disorder. The dinner also included Yom Ha’atzmaut Worldbank), and Rose Gottemoeller speakers from the United Arab Emirates, Celebrations on (Deputy Secretary General). Thanks to Turkey and the UK. The discussion 16 May 2018 the partnership, ELNET EU & NATO was focused on Syria and Iran and revealed ELNET EU & NATO, on the occasion of able to include the Director General of that Syria currently features as the the 70th Anniversary of the State of the Israeli Ministry of Intelligence, microcosm and convergence of global Israel, joined forces with the European Chagai Tzuriel, and Spokesperson, and local relationships of the world. Jewish Congress (EJC), the World Jewish Arye Shalicar. Syria is strategically located and can be seen as the continuum of Iran’s influence Congress (WJC), B’nai B’rith International, Mr. Tzuriel was featured as the main reaching to the Mediterranean Sea. At the American Jewish Committee (AJC), LEADERSHIP BRIEFING SUMMER 2018 Israeli Expertise in Counterterrorism In early June, ELNET EU & NATO welcomed two distinguished Israeli speakers on Counter-terrorism in the European Parliament: Col. Eldad Shavit and Dr. Gil-Ad Ariely. Col. Shavit is a Visiting Fellow of the INSS following a long career in the IDF Intelligence Corps and the Prime Minister’s Office in Tel Aviv where he served as head of the research division. the European Parliament, followed by a Dr. Gil-Ad Ariely is the Chief Knowledge private dinner roundtable with selected Officer (CKO) and senior researcher key representatives of the European at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism Parliament working on the Middle East. (ICT) of Lauder School of Government The ELNET EU & NATO office also Diplomacy and Strategy, at the organized an interview with one of the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya. speakers and the EU Chief Correspondent Dr. Ariely is a Lt. Colonel (ret.) with of Der Spiegel in Brussels. The conference, 20 years of experience in the field of which focused on Israel’s best practices counter-terrorism as Deputy Commander in counter-terrorism, was hosted by a of a CT Unit in the IDF. He also initiated Danish Member of the European the European Union of Jewish Students and helped inaugurate the field of Parliament together with the ELNET (EUJS), the European Coalition for Israel Operational Knowledge Management office in Brussels. The invited Israeli (EC4I), and the Committee of the Jewish in the IDF Ground Forces since 2001, speakers were joined by 50 participants Organisations in Belgium (CCOJB). was the first acting CKO of the Ground including Members of the European Forces IDF, and wrote the Army’s Parliament, Representatives of the The celebrations took place in Brussels first doctrine book on learning during European Commission as well as the inviting the VIPs of the main EU operations and operational knowledge European External Action Service, and institutions and NATO, as well as the management. Jewish Community of Brussels and the diplomatic missions in town. Antwerp. Each of the contributors gave The day was divided into two parts, with The presentations from our Israeli a short welcome speech highlighting a public conference on the premises of guests focused on the role of the the diverse crowd, as well as the great Iranian regime, laying out its support to cooperation among all the pro-Israel Hezbollah, but also highlighting the organizations in this unprecedented role of Shia and Sunni organizations in initiative. Over 200 people came, the region. One of the speakers made it including members of the European clear that the Iranian strategy is to use Parliament from across the political each of its tentacles in the region with a spectrum, as well as the EU senior different degree of influence to threaten personnel working on the Middle East Israel. A clear objective of Iran over the of the European External Action Service last few months, according to one of the (EEAS), the European Commission (EC), speakers, was also to build a corridor to and the European Council. Additionally, the Mediterranean going through Syria numerous ambassadors, diplomats, and Lebanon, thereby directly threatening and professionals based in Brussels Israel. came together, taking advantage of the opportunity to network, as well as enjoy The second part of the conference the great performance of renowned focused on the operational side of Israeli singer Ester Rada. counter-terrorism, as well as the dimension of innovation in (countering) 2 LEADERSHIP BRIEFING SUMMER 2018 terrorism. The speaker highlighted that beat a terror network, an international We are sending political advisors and the most important challenge in the field network needs to be created. In this chiefs of staff of the European Parliament of counter-terrorism is to raise public regard, all speakers and participants as well as the German Bundestag to awareness and strengthen the public’s highlighted the importance of cooperation Israel. The program consists of meetings resilience towards terrorist attacks. between allies such as the EU and Israel. with officials from the Ministry of Moreover, it was criticized that there is Foreign Affairs, and security briefings still not enough cooperation among Young Leadership at the border of Gaza, as well as in EU member states, the EU and Israel, Delegation Jerusalem. The group will also participate despite the many terror attacks in in an exciting trip to the start-up capital, ELNET EU & NATO is partnering with Europe in recent years. The conference Beer Sheva, and take part in the world ELNET-Germany on a Young Leadership ended with the insight that in order to renowned Cyber security conference. Delegation to take place mid-June 2018. of the Knesset, Yoel “Yuli” Edelstein. FRANCE Within the framework of the Agreement, Arie Bensamhoun ELNET-France, Executive Director both parliaments will cooperate on political initiatives in order to The Parliamentarian implement more joint projects. Agreement Between Through the challenging geopolitical, France and Israel economic and social developments, it is important for Israel and France to No doubt the French-Israeli relationship promote their shared values. As ELNET lies on enduring foundations. Over the France suggested, the Parliamentarian past seventy years, and despite some Agreement would draw together ups and downs, bilateral cooperation French and Israeli elected officials has been impressive. to develop and discuss the broad The two-sister democracies have a orientations and the needed tools for unique relationship based on close ties a committed bilateral cooperation. between the two peoples rooted in the In the fringe of that Agreement, ELNET past and a shared culture. France is pushing for parliamentarian ELNET France has been facilitating delegations to visit France and Israel Parliament, ELNET France has been the creation of a strategic dialogue alternatively to cover a broad span of able to gather 35 MPs and Senators platform between the French National strategic issues ranging from finance or for a special mission dedicated to Assembly and the Knesset, promoting social concerns to environmental and celebrating the friendship between closer ties between parliaments and cultural issues. France and Israel. It is an unprecedented testifying to the profound and trusted Those programs would focus on the mission under this legislature that is relations between France and Israel.