B’nai B’rith International and the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies will jointly convene a major international conference focusing on “Strategic Challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean” at Bar-Ilan University in Israel on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18.
 
“The eastern Mediterranean is the border between civilizations,” said B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman. “It is a zone where many critical problems are coming to the fore, including the advance of radical Islam, refugee issues, superpower competition and Iranian expansionism.”
 
Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin noted: “We are pleased to be partnering with the experts of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies to take a critical look at regional threats, and opportunities for regional cooperation, including economic ties, among key eastern Mediterranean countries and actors.”
 
Among the key participants will be the Greek minister of defense, former Greek minister of internal security, former Italian foreign minister, EU and NATO representatives and top officials and experts from France, England, Turkey and the United States.
 
Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, director of Policy and Political-Military Affairs at the Israel Ministry of Defense, will address the conference closing. Leaders of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations will participate in the conference closing session as well.
 
Saltzman and Mariaschin will chair conference sessions.  
 
From the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, key participants include Maj. Gen (res.) Yaakov Amidror, Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman, Ambassador Arye Mekel and Professor Efraim Inbar.
 
The conference will be held in the Nano-Technology Auditorium (Building 206) on the Bar-Ilan University campus in Israel from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18. The proceedings will be in English, with a simultaneous Hebrew translation, and broadcast live at: www.besacenter.org
 
Click here to see the program.
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