The National Summit to Reassess the U.S.-Israel “Special Relationship” taking place at the National Press Club in Washington on March 7, 2014 is both unprecedented and overdue!
This one-day, nonpartisan symposium will examine the impact of the U.S.-Israel relationship on Americans. Speakers and attendees will include military, diplomatic, intelligence, academic, governmental and economic experts, as well as former and current Congressional representatives.
Place: Washington D.C.
Dates: March 2014, exact date to be announced.
Executive Summary
US financial, military, and diplomatic support for Israel has grown significantly and steadily throughout the past 60 years, and now dwarfs American assistance to any other nation.
Recent surveys indicate that the U.S.-Israel “special relationship” is a major factor in hostility towards Americans. Some experts further suggest that concerns for Israel have been central to our waging of wars in the Middle East. Indeed, Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) recently delivered a letter to President Obama in which he warned that any military action taken against Syria or Iran without first obtaining Congressional authorization is an impeachable offense. Yet despite such concerns, Congress has never comprehensively evaluated the role of Israel in promoting these causes, nor has it ever examined the impact of Israel’s influence on our overall national security and international standing.
The time has come for such an inquiry.
The Council for the National Interest (CNI) is organizing an historic event that will serve to inform the public on how consequential our “special relationship” with Israel has been for the United States. CNI will invite speakers from diverse professional fields and with top credentials to examine our current policies and make recommendations. Such expert analysis will include discussion on all avenues of U.S. support to Israel, its ramifications on the economy, and a thoughtful debate on whether, or in what form, it should continue. Israel partisans will be asked to explain to Americans why we should send tiny, wealthy Israel massive sums of our tax dollars rather than using them for support of our American needs and principles.
This historic summit is intended to provide an in-depth, multifaceted inquiry into a critical subject matter. Policy makers, academics, and members of the public are invited to attend. Panelists will include former military and diplomatic personnel, intelligence officers, scholars, economists, and a variety of subject-matter experts.
While this singular event will not change policies overnight, we anticipate that it will play a significant role in raising awareness and, in due course, changing the national discourse on this important but largely ignored topic.
The Summit will provide invaluable networking opportunities, including a chance to interact with distinguished panelists. The conference site includes a block of discounted rooms set aside for out-of-town attendees requiring overnight accommodations.
Your contribution to the success of this important initiative is greatly appreciated.
Sponsors: the Council for the National Interest, The Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policies, the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, and If Americans Knew.
Event Organizers [ Want to sponsor this event? Click here to contact us. ]
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