Breakout Sessions: Sunday I

Town Hall Meeting - A Final Settlement: The Past and Future of Peace Agreements

The peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, beginning with the 1991 Madrid Conference, has resulted in a number of bilateral agreements. Although the general outlines of a final agreement are fairly clear, certain issues, such as borders and the status of Jerusalem, have yet to be resolved. This session delves into the history of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and explores what a final agreement might look like.

Featuring

• Mr. Elliott Abrams

  Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, Council on Foreign Relations; Former Deputy National Security Advisor

• Ambassador Martin Indyk

  Vice President for Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution, Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel

Town Hall Meeting - Alliances and Rifts in a Volatile Mideast

The various pieces of the puzzle that is the Middle East have shifted significantly over the past year. Regional players have either succumbed to the Arab Spring or realigned their policies to adapt to changes in their neighborhood. Syria, Iraq and Bahrain have become the epicenter for the centuries-old Sunni-Shiite enmity and the Saudi-Iranian rivalry for power and influence, while posing major obstacles to Turkey's "zero problems" policy with its neighbors. Our speaker provides a bird's-eye view of the geopolitical struggles reshaping the Mideast.

Featuring

• Mr. Ilan Berman

  Vice President, American Foreign Policy Council

Town Hall Meeting - Evolution and Development of the U.S.-Israeli relationship: 1948-2012

Within minutes after the Jewish state declared its independence, President Harry Truman recognized Israel on May 15, 1948. Through the years, the U.S.-Israel relationship has had its rocky moments. Slowly, it changed as American politicians and bureaucrats realized that core values, as well as regional and international realities, demanded trust and close engagement. From the Cold War to the Arab Spring, Iran and beyond, the special relationship remains critical to both countries. Our speaker delves into the nature of the U.S.-Israel relationship, looking particularly at how presidents, prime ministers and others have shaped and will likely influence the essence of this enduring and strategic partnership.

Featuring

• Dr. Kenneth Stein

  Director, Emory Institute for the Study of Modern Israel, President, Center for Israel Education

Town Hall Meeting - Homegrown Terror: Islamic Radicalism in America

The United States today faces the threat of terrorism perpetrated by homegrown Islamic extremists. Attacks like the November 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, in which 13 people were killed, point to the severity of this threat. Our speaker examines the phenomenon of Islamic radicalism in America and discusses how to deal with it.

Featuring

• Dr. Steven Emerson

  Executive Director, Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT)

Town Hall Meeting - The End of the Peace Process?

With negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel stalled due to Mahmoud Abbas' refusal to return to direct talks, pundits and policymakers have begun wondering aloud whether the peace process is dead. What would the end of the peace process mean for the different actors involved? Are there any viable alternatives? Our speaker discusses the prospects for American-led efforts to bring about a negotiated peace.

Featuring

• Dr. Tal Becker

  International Associate, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Senior Fellow, Shalom Hartman Institute of North America

Town Hall Meeting - The Land of Israel: A Historical and Archaeological Perspective

As a geographic bridge where the cultures and influences of three continents converge, the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity, and a holy land at the center of power struggles between vast empires, the land of Israel has a history without parallel in its richness. Our speaker reviews the archeological record of the land and its three millennia of documented history, placing some of today's issues and questions into their proper context.

Featuring

• Mr. Asher Afriat

  Founder and CEO, The Israel Seminar

Town Hall Meeting - The Middle East in 2012: A Regional Overview

There is never a dull moment in the Middle East. An intrinsically unstable region, it has become even more volatile and unpredictable over the past year. The Arab Spring, Iran's continued march toward a nuclear weapon, the formation of a Hizballah-controlled government in Lebanon and a stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process, all make for a combustible situation. Our speaker surveys recent developments and discusses their implications for U.S. policy.

Featuring

• Dr. Robert Satloff

  Executive Director, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Town Hall Meeting - Undivided Capital: Jerusalem and the Peace Process

Jerusalem has held a special place in Judaism ever since King David established it as the capital of the Kingdom of Israel in the 10th century BCE. As the capital of the modern state of Israel, Jerusalem continues to serve as the focus of spiritual, cultural and national life for Jews around the world. This session explores Jerusalem's ancient Jewish history and its future.

Panel Discussion - A Strategic Asset: The U.S.- Israel Military Alliance

As the picture of military threats facing the United States and Israel changes, so do the strategies needed to combat these threats. New approaches and technologies are required to tackle the pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles by rogue states like Iran and North Korea, as well as the growing danger of cyber-terrorism. This panel describes the military partnership between the United States and Israel and examines how this partnership is tackling 21st century challenges.

Featuring

• Ambassador Robert Blackwill

  Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy, Council on Foreign Relations

Moderator

• Dr. Marvin Feuer

  Director, Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Panel Discussion - Brotherly Behavior? The Arab States and the Palestinians

Despite expressing support for the Palestinians over the years, the Arab states have done little to integrate Palestinian refugees into their societies and grant them equal rights. Will the ongoing upheaval in the Middle East change this attitude? Our panel discusses the past, present and future of the relations between the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world.

Featuring

• Mr. Ghaith al-Omari

  Executive Director, American Task Force on Palestine

• Ambassador Marc Ginsberg

  Vice President, APCO Worldwide, Former U.S. Ambassador to Morocco

Panel Discussion - Civil Society? The State of Human Rights in the Arab World

The wave of civil uprisings rocking the Middle East this past year has exposed the brutality of the Arab regimes. Dictators like Libya's Muammar Gaddafi and Syria's Bashar Assad have used appalling violence to try and suppress opposition to their rule. And, human rights are not on the agenda of the Islamist movements that now seek to replace these regimes. Our experts review the state of human rights in the Arab world.

Featuring

• Mr. Charles Dunne

  Director, Middle East and North Africa Programs, Freedom House

• Ms. Nina Shea

  Director, Center for Religious Freedom, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute

Panel Discussion - East-West Divide: Where Is Turkey Headed?

A onetime model of a moderate secular Muslim nation, Turkey's ruling AK Party is increasingly pushing the country in an Islamist direction. And, while relations with Israel have strained, Turkey has cultivated close relations with the terrorist group Hamas. What underlies Ankara's shift in foreign policy? How has it been influenced by regional events of the past year? Our panel delves into Turkey's role in an increasingly fragile Middle East.

Featuring

• Dr. Alan Makovsky

  Senior Professional Staff Member, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, United States House of Representatives

• The Honorable Robert Wexler

  President, S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace

• Ms. Leah Odinec

  Assistant Director, Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Panel Discussion - Hamas and Fatah: Is Reconciliation a Possibility?

The Palestinians have been split since Hamas overran Gaza in 2007, leaving the Strip under the terrorist group's control, while the Palestinian Authority governs in the West Bank. Hamas and Fatah have been unable to implement a reconciliation deal signed almost a year ago and agree on a unity government. Learn more about the two primary Palestinian parties and the relations between them.

Featuring

• Dr. Nathan Brown

  Nonresident Senior Associate, Middle East Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Professor, George Washington University

• Ms. Leslie Mirchin

  Director, Policy and Research, Jerusalem Office of AIPAC

• Dr. Jonathan Schanzer

  Vice President for Research, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Panel Discussion - Iranian Infighting: Inside the Islamic Republic

Over the past year, the Iranian leadership has been locked in a power struggle between loyalists of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. At the same time, the regime continues to crack down on all forms of political dissent. What is the structure of the Iranian regime? Who are its key players? Who makes up the opposition, and how powerful is it? Our panel discusses the current power structure in Iran and examines what the future might hold.

Featuring

• Mr. Ali Alfoneh

  Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

• Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi

  Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Panel Discussion - Israeli Democracy: News and Views on Israeli Politics

Golda Meir once joked that "in Israel, there are 3 million prime ministers." The country's system of government typically yields a highly fractured parliament, with small parties and interest groups having an influence that is disproportionate to their size. This session describes the complex Israeli political system and examines possible developments in the near future.

Moderator

• Ms. Devorah Patt

  Director of AIEF in Israel, Jerusalem Office

Featuring

• The Honorable Dalia Itzik

  Member of Knesset, Kadima; Former Speaker of the Knesset

• Mr. Aharon Barnea

  Senior Correspondent and Anchor, Channel 2 TV News, Israel

• The Honorable Gilad Erdan*

  Israeli Minister of Environmental Protection; Member of Knesset, Likud

Panel Discussion - Middle East Media: Covering a Region in Turmoil

At a time when traditional media organizations are cutting back and social media is taking their place, providing an accurate picture of events is becoming increasingly difficult. This difficulty is amplified in the Middle East, where long-standing biases, ongoing turmoil and restricted access result in a misinformed international public. Our panel addresses the challenges involved in covering the region and examines strategies to ensure that the public gets the whole story.

Featuring

• Ms. Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi

  Founder and President, The Israel Project

• Ms. Andrea Levin

  Executive Director, CAMERA

• Mr. Josh Block

  Partner, Davis-Block LLC

Panel Discussion - Model of Success: U.S. Economies Learning From Israel

Despite its small size, lack of natural resources and constant attacks by belligerent neighbors, Israel has become an economic powerhouse. The Jewish state's achievements, based on cutting-edge technology and innovation, have turned it into a model for businesses in the United States. Our panel discusses what America can learn from the Israeli success story.

Featuring

• The Honorable Eli Groner

  Minister for Economic Affairs, Embassy of Israel

• Mr. Steven Schoenfeld

  Founder, BlueStar Global Investors LLC

• Mr. Myron Brilliant

  Senior Vice President for International Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Panel Discussion - Nuclear Near East: Nuclear Proliferation in the Arab World

While no Arab state currently has a nuclear weapons capability, this is not for lack of trying. Saddam Hussein's Iraq made an enormous effort to develop such a capability, and the Assad regime in Syria worked with North Korea to build a nuclear reactor. Our panel describes the current state of nuclear proliferation in the Arab world and debates how Iran's nuclear efforts might affect this situation.

Featuring

• Dr. Michael Eisenstadt

  Director, Military & Security Studies Program, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

• Mr. Leonard Spector

  Deputy Director, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies

• Mr. Amos Harel

  Military Correspondent and Defense Analyst, Ha'aretz

Panel Discussion - Peace Prospects: The Future of Israeli-Palestinian Relations

Since leaving talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in September 2010, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has pursued recognition of Palestinian statehood through the U.N., rather than in direct talks with Israel, and signed a reconciliation deal with Hamas. What underlies the PA's policies? Can the United States do anything to affect these policies? And, what does the future hold for the peace process, given Palestinian reconciliation efforts? Our experts explore the prospects for peace, in light of recent developments.

Featuring

• Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Michael Herzog

  Milton Fine International Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

• Mr. David Makovsky

  Ziegler Distinguished Fellow and Director, Program on Middle East Peace Process, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

• Dr. Aaron David Miller

  Public Policy Scholar, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Panel Discussion - State of Humanity: How Israel Is Helping a World in Need

As a country founded upon Jewish values, Israel views humanitarian aid as an integral part of its role in the international arena. The Jewish state has a long-standing tradition of extending assistance to alleviate hunger, disease and poverty, and providing aid in the wake of natural disasters and terrorist attacks beyond its borders. Learn more about Israel's humanitarian outreach to the world.

Featuring

• The Honorable Eliav Benjamin

  Counselor for Political Affairs, Embassy of Israel

• Dr. Ofer Merin

  Deputy Director-General for Medicine and Administration; Head, Trauma Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem

• Dr. Mark Talesnick

  Senior Lecturer, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology

Panel Discussion - Street Sense: Understanding Palestinian Public Opinion

The views on the Palestinian street are often a mystery to people in the West. Why are Palestinians divided between Fatah and Hamas? Do they support violence against Israelis? And, what is their opinion of the Palestinian Authority's U.N. strategy? This panel takes an in-depth look at Palestinian public opinion on these and other key questions.

Featuring

• Mr. Avi Issacharoff

  Palestinian and Arab Affairs Correspondent, Ha'aretz

• Dr. Robert Danin

  Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies, Council on Foreign Relations; Former Head of the Quartet in Jerusalem

Panel Discussion - The Struggle to Secure Israel on Campus: 1956-2016

Young people are exposed to levels of anti-Israel animus virtually without parallel in contemporary American society. How has the campaign to discredit Israel on America's college campuses changed - and in what ways has it remained the same - over the past several decades? How have our own approaches to campus challenges evolved and what are the most effective strategies for dealing with Israel's campus detractors? Experts representing a wide variety of different perspectives put today's campus dynamics in their proper historical context and explore what we can anticipate dealing with on campus over the next several years.

Featuring

• Ms. Rachel Fish

  Assistant Director, Program Development, Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University

• Mr. Wayne Firestone

  President and CEO, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

• Ms. Roz Rothstein

  Co-Founder and CEO, StandWithUs

• Mr. Jonathan Kessler

  Leadership Development Director, AIPAC

Moderator

• Ms. Linda Scherzer

  Former Middle East Correspondent, CNN

Innovator 360 - Expert 360: Better Place: Reducing Our Dependence on Oil

Few statements elicit more nods of approval than when somebody declares that the answer to many of the world's problems is to stop relying on oil. Better Place is working toward that goal. The American-Israeli company is building the world's first electric vehicle network in Israel. It recently delivered its first electric cars to Israel and is setting up battery switching stations throughout the country, which will allow drivers an unlimited driving range. Better Place estimates that by 2020, most cars sold in Israel will be electric, allowing the Jewish state to achieve oil independence. Learn more about this unique American-Israeli partnership that is destined to make the world a "better place."

Featuring

• Mr. Michael Granoff

  Head of Oil Independence Policies, Better Place

Town Hall Meeting - Israel's Second Battlefield: Legal, Diplomatic and Media Challenges

The Jewish state is facing increasing challenges in the legal and diplomatic arenas, as well as in the media. Realizing that they cannot defeat the country on the battlefield, Israel's enemies have tried to use Western courts to restrict its options in the fight against terror, appealed to international bodies to force its hand in negotiations and resorted to demonizing the Jewish state on TV and in print. Our speaker addresses these non-military threats to Israel and discusses what the country is doing to fight them.

Featuring

• Mr. David Horovitz

  Founding Editor, The Times of Israel

Town Hall Meeting - National Resiliency in Israel: How They Cope With Terror

The citizens of Israel have been dealing with the scourge of terrorism since the country's founding. Despite two Intifadas, multiple suicide bombings and countless rocket attacks, the Jewish state has thrived. This class discusses how the Israeli people have remained resilient in the face of tragedy.

Featuring

• Mr. David Kreizelman

  Foreign Policy Associate, Jerusalem Office, AIPAC

Town Hall Meeting - Three Who Made Israel: Weizman, Begin and Ben Gurion

In the history of the Jewish state, there have been a number of individuals who stood out as leaders: military chiefs who saw the country through periods of war and terrorism, economic experts who made Israel into the success story it is today and visionaries who made tough political decisions in the face of opposition from home and abroad. Our speaker examines the lives of Israel's leaders, from Ben-Gurion to Begin.

Featuring

• Dr. Stephen Berk

  Henry and Sally Schaffer, Professor of Holocaust and Jewish Studies, Union College

Town Hall Meeting - Words That Work: Communicating Israel's Side of the Story

Dr. Frank Luntz, one of the world's foremost experts on political communication, hosts a dynamic session exploring how supporters of the U.S.-Israel relationship can get their message across more effectively. This session uses the latest research and polling data to provide communicative strategies that are guaranteed to work.

Featuring

• Dr. Frank Luntz

  CEO, Luntz Global

Panel Discussion - After Bin Laden: The Future of al-Qaeda

Bin Laden's death in May of last year, though a severe blow to al-Qaeda, did not spell the end of the terrorist organization. Its members continue to operate in places like Yemen and Somalia and scheme to attack targets belonging to the United States and the West. Who are al-Qaeda's leaders today, and how strong is the organization? Our panel evaluates this persistent threat.

Featuring

• Dr. Matt Levitt

  Senior Fellow and Director, Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

• Mr. Lee Smith

  Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies; Senior Editor, The Weekly Standard

• The Honorable Juan Zarate

  Senior Advisor, Transnational Threats Project and Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Panel Discussion - A Military Edge: Ensuring Israel's Military Superiority

The United States has a long-standing policy of maintaining Israel's Qualitative Military Edge (QME) in the Middle East. Over the past year, President Obama and Congress have reaffirmed America's commitment to Israel's QME. This session examines how Israel's military superiority is ensured, why it is so important and how the U.S. commitment to Israel's QME can be guaranteed in the future.

Featuring

• Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Amos Gilad

  Head of the Political-Military and Policy Bureau, Ministry of Defense, Israel

• Mr. Jeff Kuhnreich

  Deputy Director, Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Panel Discussion - Changing the Game: The Evolution of Campaign Politics

Major demographic shifts, the digital and social media revolutions and the advent of superPACs are impacting political campaigns at every level across the nation. As a result, the upcoming presidential and congressional races promise to further challenge long-standing campaign assumptions. This panel of insiders explores the changing American political dynamic.

Featuring

• Mr. Neil Oxman

  Owner and President, The Campaign Group

• Mr. Dave Sackett

  Founding Partner, The Tarrance Group

Moderator

• Dr. Stu Rothenberg

  Editor and Publisher, The Rothenberg Political Report

Panel Discussion - Continental Divide: European Delegitimization of Israel

The European Union is Israel's major trading partner, and cultural and scientific ties between the two remain strong. However, individuals and groups seeking to delegitimize the Jewish state and destroy these ties are becoming more vocal. Accusations equating Zionism with racism and calls for a financial, academic and cultural boycott are spreading throughout the continent. This session examines the ongoing campaign against Israel in Europe.

Featuring

• Dr. Alan Mendoza

  Co-Founder and Executive Director, The Henry Jackson Society

• The Honorable Fiamma Nirenstein

  Chairwoman, Italian Parliamentary Committee for the Inquiry on Anti-Semitism; Vice President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies, Parliament of Italy

• The Honorable Einat Wilf

  Member of Knesset, Ha'Atzmaut

Moderator

• Mr. Stephen Schneider

  Director, International Affairs, AIPAC

Panel Discussion - Crude Realities: America's Risky Dependence on Oil

President Obama has repeatedly emphasized the danger of America's dependence on fossil fuels and the need to develop alternative energies. Recent events in the Middle East have illustrated this danger. Learn more about the national security vulnerability posed by overreliance on oil and what can be done to overcome this vulnerability.

Featuring

• Mr. Jonathan Baron

  Principal, Baron Communications LLC

• Dr. Gal Luft

  Executive Director, Institute for the Analysis of Global Security

Moderator

• Mr. Eric Danko

  Assistant Director, Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Panel Discussion - Eastern Interests: China's Middle East Strategy

As a rising power with an energy-hungry economy, China has come to play an increasingly important role in the Middle East in recent years. Beijing's interests have at times placed it at odds with American policy, leading the country, for example, to pursue close economic ties with Iran. Our experts describe China's involvement in the Middle East and debate how the United States should approach this involvement.

Featuring

• Dr. Jonathan Adelman

  Professor, Graduate School of International Studies, University of Denver

• Dr. Dan Blumenthal

  Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

Panel Discussion - Instability Around Israel: Israel After the Arab Spring

The past year's wave of uprisings in the Arab world has toppled stalwart Western allies like Egypt's Hosni Mubarak and brought Islamist movements to the fore. These events have created a great deal of instability and uncertainty, raising concerns in Israel about what the future may hold. This session examines the ramifications of the so-called Arab Spring for Israel.

Featuring

• Mr. Michael Singh

  Managing Director, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

• Mr. Bret Stephens

  Foreign Affairs Columnist and Editorial Board Member, The Wall Street Journal

• Maj. Gen. Eitan Dangot

  Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Israel Defense Forces

Panel Discussion - Iran Incorporated: The Islamic Republic's Dangerous Influence

In order to achieve geopolitical dominance, Iran has set up terrorist proxies that operate throughout the world, supported like-minded groups and cultivated close relations with a number of countries. What are the implications of Iran's growing presence in Latin America? How will recent events in the Middle East affect Iran's alliances? This session explores the global reach of the Islamic Republic and the danger it poses.

Featuring

• The Honorable Ted Deutch (D-FL)

  Member, Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, United States House of Representatives

• Mr. José Cárdenas

  Associate, Vision Americas

Panel Discussion - Iran Vs. the West: Iran's Quest for Dominance

Ever since the 1979 revolution, Iran has pursued a hostile and belligerent policy toward the West, particularly the United States. The theocratic nature of the Islamic regime, its efforts to disseminate Shiite fundamentalism and support for terrorist groups throughout the world have put it at odds with the West. This panel chronicles the history of Iran's relations with the Western world and explores what the future holds for these relations.

Featuring

• Dr. Michael Makovsky

  Foreign Policy Director, Bipartisan Policy Center

• Mr. Ash Jain

  Visiting Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

• Ambassador Jeremy Issacharoff

  Deputy Director General for Strategic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel

Panel Discussion - Islamic Allies: Why Some Muslim Countries Embrace the Jewish State

Despite being predominantly Muslim, countries like Albania and Azerbaijan have cultivated close ties with Israel. Cooperation between the Jewish state and these countries encompasses the economic and security spheres, building on Israel's technological know-how. What are the interests underlying this cooperation, and where is it headed? This panel takes a look at Israel's unlikely allies in the Muslim world.

Featuring

• Mr. Jonathan Harris

  Assistant Director, Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

• Dr. Brenda Shaffer

  Senior Lecturer, University of Haifa

• Ambassador Elin Suleymanov

  Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States

Panel Discussion - National Security: Homeland Defense Cooperation

The United States and Israel have both been forced to invest a great deal of resources in the arenas of homeland security and counterterrorism. Learn more about how the two governments and companies in both countries are working together to design techniques and technologies aimed at protecting their citizens.

Featuring

• Mr. Rafi Ron

  President, New Age Security Solutions

• Maj. Gen. (Res.) Doron Almog

  Chief of Staff, Bedouin Status Implementation Staff, Office of the Prime Minister; Founder and Chairman, Aleh Negev

• Sheriff Greg White

  Cole County, Missouri

Panel Discussion - Terrorism.com: Joint U.S.-Israel Counter Cyber-Terrorism

In this digital age, terrorism is no longer limited to bombings and airplane hijackings. Attacks on computer networks and government information systems are a growing threat to both the United States and Israel. Learn how the two countries, as centers of high-tech know-how and innovation, are cooperating to combat the threat of cyber-terrorism.

Featuring

• Dr. Gregg Rickman

  Deputy Director, Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

• Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dr. Isaac Ben Israel

  Head of Tel Aviv University's Security Studies Program; Chair, Israeli Space Agency

• Dr. James Van de Velde

  Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton

Panel Discussion - The Brotherhood: Egypt's Growing Islamic Movement

After being locked out of Egyptian politics for decades, the Muslim Brotherhood is poised to become a major player in coming years. The well-organized group has emerged victorious from parliamentary elections, enabling it to influence both domestic and foreign policy. How dangerous is the Brotherhood's rise to power? What are its foreign policy positions? How will this affect American interests and relations with Israel? Our experts discuss the rise of Islamism in Egypt and its regional implications.

Featuring

• Mr. Tom Sawicki

  Director of Programming, Jerusalem Office of AIPAC

• Dr. Martin Kramer

  Wexler-Fromer Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Senior Fellow, Shalem Center

• Mr. Eric Trager

  Ira Weiner Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Tech Demo - Expert 360: Weapons of Mass Destruction 101

Iran's continued march toward a nuclear weapon and the possibility of Syrian chemical weapons falling into the hands of Hizballah have brought the threat of weapons of mass destruction to the fore. The danger of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons lies not only in their possible use by a regular military, but also in their appeal to terrorist organizations. They are difficult to detect, create fear and are often inexpensive. Get a behind-the-scenes look at weapons of mass destruction in the Mideast: who has them, how they were developed, how they work, and what can be done to counter this threat.

Featuring

• Mr. Charles Perkins

  Assistant Director, Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Innovator 360 - Innovator 360: From Jewelry to Nanosensors

Did you know that ingredients commonly found in jewelry, such as diamonds and precious metals, can be used to make tiny sensors that have a variety of medicinal purposes? Because these nanosensors are able to accurately identify and distinguish between particular cells, they are very helpful in delivering medicine and monitoring developments in the body. Some medical applications include early detection of pregnancy and a non-invasive biopsy needle to improve cancer detection. A researcher from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology shares a number of such scientific breakthroughs involving nanosensors and demonstrates how they work.

Featuring

• Dr. Meir Orenstein

  Professor, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology