February 9, 2015 — Jerusalem, Israel
An AJC leadership delegation, led by AJC President Stanley Bergman and Executive Director David Harris, just concluded a two-day visit to Israel.
The mission was highlighted by a private, 45-minute meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The group also met with Deputy Foreign Minister Tzachi Hanegbi; former Finance Minister Yair Lapid; senior officials from the Ministry of Defense and the National Security Council; diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs focused on Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa, international law, public diplomacy, and global Jewry; and the U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
During the mission, which was organized by AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich and her team, the delegation was hosted by the Italian Ambassador to Israel for a panel discussion on rising antisemitism in Europe in the context of European-Israeli relations.
David Harris was featured alongside the EU Ambassador to Israel, a former Israeli national security advisor, and a prominent Israeli academic. The audience included many diplomats, including from Egypt, Japan, and Jordan, as well as Israeli officials.
During the visit, several topics were addressed, including: (i) the ongoing threat posed by Iran and the P5+1 talks; (ii) other regional security challenges, such as Islamic State, Hezbollah, and Hamas; (iii) recent developments in Israel's relations with the U.S., Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the EU; (iv) prospects for restarting the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process later this year; and (v) Israel's elections next month.
AJC was the first American Jewish organization, more than a half-century ago, to establish a permanent presence in Israel. Housed in Beit Moses, AJC Jerusalem regularly engages with Israeli government officials and society, as well as diplomatic representatives from dozens of countries.
