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Israel Council on Foreign Relations

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Israel Council on Foreign Relations
AbbreviationICFR
Formation1989
FounderDr. David Kimche
TypePublic policy think tank
Location
President
 Ambassador Avi Primor
Websitehttp://icfr.com

The Israel Council on Foreign Relations (ICFR) is an independent, non-partisan forum for the study and debate of foreign policy issues, especially those relating to the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The ICFR publishes a triannual policy and scholarly journal, The Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, which offers a platform for the discussion and analysis of international affairs. The ICFR operates under the auspices of the World Jewish Congress, of which Ronald S. Lauder is president. [1][2]

Overview

ICFR was founded in 1989 by Dr. David Kimche (1928–2010), a former deputy-director of the Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, who later served as director general of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Israeli ambassador-at-large.[3] The Israel Council on Foreign Relations is dedicated to the examination of international affairs, with special emphasis on world Jewish concerns and Israeli foreign policy. Based on the models of the New York Council on Foreign Relations and the British Chatham House, the Council is not affiliated with any governmental or academic institutions. It is an autonomous body maintaining a non-partisan approach to foreign policy matters, and accommodating a broad range of viewpoints.[1] Participants in the Council come from a wide cross-section of the most influential spheres of Israeli society, including government and Knesset officials, university professors, and leading businessmen, bankers, lawyers, and journalists.[4] The Council functions under the auspices of the World Jewish Congress, of which Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder is president. The Council published a tri-annual journal, the Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, which has been called “one of the best publications in the field.”[5] The Council hosts speakers from around the world, including heads of state, prime ministers, foreign ministers, and other distinguished visitors. As well, the council hosts conferences, seminars, and a monthly European-Israeli Young Diplomats' Forum.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder speaking at ICFR event "The Middle East Vortex: Views from Washington, Moscow and Berlin"

Mission

According to the ICFR's website, "The Council is an independent, multidisciplinary institution, established on the model of the New York Council on Foreign Relations and the British Chatham House. The Council aspires to stimulate public awareness of world events and insightful discussion of foreign policy issues, particularly regarding Israel and the Middle East. As such, it accommodates a broad range of viewpoints."[6]

Activities

The Israel Council on Foreign Relations publishes a tri-annual journal called the Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs. This journal focuses specifically on issues of international relations most pertinent to Israel and the Jewish people, and attracts the writing of leading authorities and statesmen from Israel and abroad.

In addition to publishing The Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, the ICFR provides a forum for visiting dignitaries, diplomats, scholars, journalists and business leaders who seek a non-governmental platform in which to present and discuss their views.[1] In recent years, guest lecturers have included the Secretary-General of the UN, presidents, prime Ministers, foreign ministers, ambassadors, and mayors.[7]

The council also holds regular conferences and seminars on various foreign policy issues, including an annual symposium on the Middle East in memory of ICFR founder, Dr. David Kimche.[8] The transcripts of such lectures are often published in the Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs.

In 2011 the ICFR launched the European-Israeli Young Diplomats' Forum,[9] monthly policy talks which enable Israeli and European diplomats currently posted in Israel to exchange ideas on issues of common interest through policy talks. The Forum is sponsored by the European Delegation to Israel,[10] the German Konrad Adenauer and Heinrich Böll foundations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel and various European embassies in Tel Aviv, including those of Poland, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Norway and Sweden.[10]

The ICFR also cooperates with other councils on foreign relations, including the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA), and the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Serbia.

The Late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin speaking at ICFR event

Speakers

The ICFR attracts many speakers seeking a non-governmental platform to present and discuss their views.[1] These range from dignitaries and diplomats to scholars, journalists, and business leaders. Guest lecturers have included the Secretary-General of the UN, presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers, ambassadors, and mayors.[7] The transcripts of these lectures are often published in the Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs.

On the eve of Likud's election victory in April 1996, party leader Benjamin Netanyahu announced to a meeting of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations his intention to pursue the negotiation process set forth in the Oslo agreements and respect facts on the ground.[11]

"We are inheriting a bad agreement which has created a bad set of facts on the ground," Netanyahu said. "But for all of our opposition to the agreement as such, we cannot ignore those facts which it has created… [We] have no desire and see no reason to put diplomatic processes in a deep freeze."[11]

In a speech to the Council on March 25, 1998, then Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan said, "As a friend, it gives me no pleasure to recite a full list of the grievances which the international community has against Israel."[12]

Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati addressing the ICFR

On April 21,2008, during the tails of his trip to the Middle East, Jimmy Carter told an ICFR meeting that Hamas leaders promised to respect an agreement for the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza negotiated between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, should the Palestinian people vote to approve it. Carter also reported that Syrian leaders said they wanted a peace agreement with Israel "as soon as possible."[13]

On December 9, 2013, in an address to the Council, Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans stated, "When it comes to the relationship between the European Union and Israel there is always talk about double standards. And it is true. There are double standards. Even if Europeans do not admit it, they do judge Israel by different standards than they would judge other countries in this area. Why? Because deep down, Europeans see Israel as a European country. So they judge Israel in the same way they would judge other European countries. Sometimes this is perceived as unfair. On the other hand, the reaction to criticism of Israel and Israeli politics is sometimes unfair as well."[14]

In a January 9, 2014 lecture he gave before the Council, Polish intellectual Konstanty Gebert said, "People often ask about the importance of democratic traditions in Central Europe in ensuring the ultimate success of the revolution that swept away Communism. Personally, I do not think it is all that important, and for a very simple reason. In Central Europe, with the one exception of Czechoslovakia, democratic traditions, such as they were, never played a major role…I don’t think democratic traditions are like fruit preserves that you can take out of the larder and eat sixty-five years later."[15]

Board of Directors

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Israel Council on Foreign Relations About Page". Israelcfr.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  2. ^ "Ronald S. Lauder". World Jewish Congress. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  3. ^ Isabel Kershner (March 9, 2010). "David Kimche, an Israeli Adept as Spy and Diplomat, Dies at 82". The New York Times. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  4. ^ "Israel Council on Foreign Relations Recent Lecturers". Israelcfr.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  5. ^ Cashman, Greer Fay. "Grapevine." The Jerusalem Post 18 June 2014: 16. Print.
  6. ^ "Israel Council on Foreign Relations About Page". Israelcfr.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  7. ^ a b Kimche, David. The Israel Council on Foreign Relations Progress Report (2001): 1-34. Print.
  8. ^ Hamerman, Joshua. "Experts discuss uncertain future of a changing Middle East | JPost | Israel News". JPost. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  9. ^ "European Union - EEAS (European External Action Service) | Israeli–European Young Diplomats Forum to be launched at Residence of European Union Ambassador". Eeas.europa.eu. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  10. ^ a b "European Union - EEAS (European External Action Service) | European Union (EU) - Delegation of the European Union to Israel". Eeas.europa.eu. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  11. ^ a b Sarah Honig, "Netanyahu: We'll continue peace process," Jerusalem Post (April 22, 1996).
  12. ^ Schmemann, Serge. "UN Leader Says Israel Undermines Peace Drive." International Herald Tribune 26 Mar. 1998: n. pag. Print.
  13. ^ Ethan Bronner (April 22, 2008), "Carter says Hamas and Syria are Open to Peace," New York Times. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  14. ^ http://www.israelcfr.com/documents/FransTimmermans.pdf
  15. ^ http://www.israelcfr.com/documents/8-2/konstanty-gebert.pdf
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