Israel’s immediate priority is to decide ‘what it wants’
Guests at tonight's BICOM dinner will be addressed by Brig. Gen. Mike Herzog about the Jewish state's strategic challenges
Supporters attending BICOM’s annual dinner tonight night are to be told that Israel’s immediate priority now is to decide “what it wants”.
The hard-hitting assessment from a retired Brigadier-General based in Jerusalem will be delivered in London tonight, at the UK-Israel think-tank’s annual fundraiser.
Brig. Gen. Mike Herzog, who was involved in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations for almost two decades, will outline Israel’s strategic challenges, including Iran’s desire to establish a “land corridor” from the Islamic Republic to the Mediterranean.
But he will also address the “year of anniversaries” – including 100 years since the Balfour Declaration, 70 years since the UN recognised Jewish statehood, and 50 years since the Six-Day War and the start of occupation.
“As Israel is about to celebrate all of these historic landmarks, it is time for it to decide what it wants and move proactively in that direction with whomever might partner with it regionally and internationally, while leaving the door open to a future negotiated settlement,” he will say.
“In moments like these, we should heed the ancient wisdom of our sages who taught: If we are not for ourselves, who is for us?”
The dinner is being held in the same week that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to meet British Prime Minister Theresa May, during which they will discuss regional security and the influence of Iran.
President Reuven Rivlin will also address the dinner via a video message. He will say: “Today, Israel is a strong country. We stand proudly alongside the United Kingdom, with shared values, and economic and political cooperation. Sometimes we agree. Sometimes we disagree. But we do so as friends.”
He also thanks BICOM for all its work and efforts to build this friendship and We Believe in Israel activists for being ready to stand up for Israel. He praises the Fathom journal for providing great insights for its readers.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
