AIA Seminars & Conferences

Our target audience includes UK government officials, members of both Houses of Parliament, leading personalities from the electronic and printed media, the heads of faith communities and members of non-governmental organisations including Christian Aid and Pax Christi.

We engage our audience in seminars and briefings on an individual or small group basis appropriate for the provision of professional, balanced and dispassionate analysis. We are advised in many of these encounters by Prof. Shai Feldman, Director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies, Brandeis University, Boston. Prof. Feldman was formally director of the Jaffee Institute of Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University.

We are also active on major university campuses and, with Prof. Feldman’s help recently extended our programme to include the provinces.

The Third Ambassadors’ Round Table, 3 November 2011
By Jonny Paul

Over 60 scientists, engineers, diplomats and parliamentarians gathered at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall on November 3 for the Third Ambassadors’ Round Table.

Titled “The Challenges and Opportunities of Moving from Innovation to Entrepreneurship: The UK and Israeli Perspective”, the day-long conference allowed British and Israeli delegates to engage in topical debate and discussion and share ideas and best practice techniques. Participants deliberated and looked at ways in which the UK and Israel can work together on science and share working experience on how to best stimulate innovation and transfer technology to the marketplace.

Organised by the Anglo-Israel Association (AIA), a London-based charity that plays an active role in advancing Britain’s relationship with their Middle East ally, participants delved into an array of topical issues with a view of how to increase collaboration and get the best out of their respective scientific and engineering communities. Delegates looked into areas such as how to deal with the crucial issue of technology transfer, protection of intellectual property as well as how to recognise enterprise and help scientists and engineers get their ideas into the marketplace.

In a welcome address, Lord Bew, chairman of the AIA, paid tribute to Israel’s scientific community for its standard of intellectual and technical enterprise and record as a start-up nation. He said that what Israel has achieved, in the face of the issues faced on a daily basis, makes its achievements even more commendable.

“It is extremely difficult to achieve these standards in any circumstances, if there is however a context of terrorism or violence or threats, it actually makes it more difficult,” Lord Bew said.

Beginning proceedings, Professor David Clary, Chief Scientific Advisor at the British Foreign Office, said that both the UK and Israel have an excellent science base. The challenge however is how to turn science into innovation and into businesses and jobs.

Brian Graves, Director of Business Development at Imperial Innovations at Imperial College London, added that it is about not only having great science and research but being able to translate it into something the market might need. Then, he said, you need good management and capital to translate the idea into a business.

Giving an insight into the landscape in Israel, Professor Moti Herskowitz, Vice- President and Dean for Research and Development at Ben Gurion University, said the venture capital community play a major role in driving start up.

“The infrastructure for entrepreneurs is excellent in Israel,” Prof. Herskowitz said. “The government gives a great deal of support. There is support for research and development, and the universities.”

Dr Richard Jennings, from Cambridge Enterprise at the University of Cambridge, spoke about the important role universities play as incubators for innovation.

The morning session ended with a poignant message about what is missing among today’s engineers and scientists.

Dr Mark Talesnick, Associate Professor of Structural Engineering and Construction Management at the Technion, said that the engineering and scientific community needs to install in the engineers and scientists of today a social conscious to deal with the crucial issues impinging on the future of the planet.

“If we don’t we are in danger of cutting off the branch we are sitting on,” Dr Talesnick said.

With so much focus on the western world, which makes up around 10 percent of the global population, and with such devastating issues affecting the remaining 90 percent in the developing world, issues such as acute poverty, malnutrition, high infant mortality, no access to clean water, lack of basic sanitation for example.

“With an estimated two billion people about to join the planet in the next 20 years, who will join the 90 percent, we need to empower engineering and science students with the skill set, a social conscious, to deal with these issues. We need to create a new breed of engineer – the global engineer,” Dr Talesnick said.

Dr Talesnick also said we need to create leaders from the engineering and scientific community, to allow them to impact on the state of the world. If we input a social conscious into their studies – de facto, you generate leaders he said.

“It was a first step towards getting closer ties. I think that the Israeli side clearly said what is needed – a joint fund to help both. Hopefully something like that can be found, said Professor Shy Arkin, Vice-President and head of research and development at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of University College London Business, said the conference was a good opportunity to make contacts.

“We shall certainly be investigating collaborative business opportunities over the next few months,” he said.

Other speakers included Professor Haim Garty, Vice President of the Weizmann Institute; Simon Kay, Director of the British Council in Israel; Noah Shani, Minister of Commercial Affairs at the Israeli Embassy in London.

Closing remarks were given by Britain’s ambassador to Israel, His Excellency Matthew Gould.

“The Conference was exceptionally well timed,” the Ambassador said. “Just as Britain and Israel are stepping up collaboration in science and technology, this was an excellent moment to discuss how to convert innovation into industry, and how universities can make best use of the ideas they develop.

“The participants were well chosen – leaders in their field and representatives of some of the top universities in both countries. The discussion was high quality and expert. As ever, the conference was well run and expertly chaired. It will have given a boost to UK/Israel collaboration at an important moment,” he added.

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This House Believes in an Academic Boycott of Israel

Prof. Daniel Hochhauser, Co-Vice Chairman of the AIA participated in a debate at the LSE convened by the LSESU Palestine Society and LSESU Israel Society ‘This House believes in an academic boycott of Israel’. The motion was defeated by Daniel’s eloquent performance.
The debate took place on Thursday 13th January, 2011 at the Old Theatre, Old Building of the LSE. The speakers were; Dr John Chalcraft for the motion and Professor Daniel Hochhauser against the motion. Professor Kevin Featherstone was in the Chair.

Part 1 - Introduction by Professor Featherstone
Part 2 - Dr Chaicraft
Part 3 - Professor Hochhauser
Part 4 - Dr Chaicraft
Part 5 - Professor Hochhauser

To play each part of the debate click on the links below:

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Over 150 people participated in the Anglo-Israel Association’s Second Ambassadors Roundtable conference at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Tuesday 26th October, 2010.
The one-day conference looked at problems and issues relating to media coverage of Israel, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and wider Middle East and brought together a host of eminent journalists, media commentators, scholars and parliamentarians from Israel and the UK.
One of the morning sessions included an in-depth look at media bias, the threshold between what pro-Israel observers see as media bias against Israel and critics of Israel see at biased in favour of Israel.
During the afternoon, there was an insightful and frank discussion on the fine line between the legitimate criticism of Israeli policy and what is considered the delegitimisation of Israel.
Among the participants were John Lloyd, contributing editor of the Financial Times; Aluf Benn, editor-at-large of Haaretz; Jon Williams, BBC’s world news editor; Ian Black, Middle East Editor of the Guardian, veteran Middle East commentator Ehud Yaari; Nachman Shai MK, Kadima Party Knesset Member; Nahum Barnea, political columnist for Yedioth Achronot; Ben-Dror Yemini, opinion editor for Maariv and Mark Damazer, head of St Peter’s College, Oxford and former BBC controller.

Sir Andrew Burns, Chairman of the Anglo-Israel Association commented:
“The purpose of the AIA is to generate a wider, more positive and more informed understanding of Israel. This year’s Ambassadors’ Roundtable brought together some distinguished and deeply experienced journalists and media commentators from both countries to look at ways of overcoming the stereotyping of both Israel and the Arab-Israel dispute. This was seen to be leading to a demonisation and threatening delegitimisation of Israel in intellectual and cultural circles in the UK and in the minds of many young and politically active parts of the British population.
“We were particularly worried about developing attitudes in student and academic life, and within the voluntary and NGO sectors, where knowledge of the issues can be rather thin and lacking in an historical perspective. In a very candid and lively discussion a wide range of concerns were addressed and a much deeper understanding reached of how the practice of objective impartial journalism is affected by the twin pressures of finance and global competition in the age of the internet.”

Nachman Shai MK, Kadima Party Member of Kneset, commented:
“The conference was very important and focused on a very critical issue, how the media deals with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the way Israel is portrayed by the liberal press in Britain. We have a lot of questions on how the British media treats Israel and why Israel is treated differently. The conference delved into these issues and provided an excellent insight into these concerns.”

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House of Lords on 16th February 2011, hosted by Lord Anderson

A lunch attended by over 80 people was held at the House of Lords on Wednesday 16th February, hosted by Lord Anderson where the guest speaker was Simon Sebag Montefiore speaking about his new book 'Jerusalem the Biography'. The author gave a most amusing speech about his family and how he came to write the book. In a dazzling narrative, Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals this ever changing city in its many incarnations, bringing every epoch and character blazingly to life. Drawing on new archives, current scholarship, Montefiore illuminates the essence of sanctity and mysticism, identity and empire in a unique chronicle of the city that is believed will be the setting for the Apocalypse. The luncheon also proved a good opportunity for our outgoing chairman Sir Andrew Burns to introduce and welcome our new chairman Lord Bew to many of our members.

AIA/Sternberg Award

This is an annual award given for lasting contribution to the furtherance of good relations between Britain and Israel’.

Ambassadors’ Roundtable

24th June 2009 held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London.

Professor Shai Feldman was invited to debate at the Oxford Union on 30th April 2009.

The motion was "This House would negotiate with Hamas". Speaking in Proposition were Dr Brian Iddon MP, Gabrielle Rifkind, Mr David Aaronvitch, Speaking in Opposition Sir Malcolm Rifkind, Professor Shai Feldmen, Ran Gidor.

Israel after the Elections: Alternative Scenarios

International Institute for Strategic Studies, London
Debate with: Professor Shai Feldman

Israel at 60: What Happened to the Zionist Dream?

Institute of Ideas, London, UK, Nov 2nd, 2008
Debate with: Professor Susser
Despite its leaders' sometimes bellicose rhetoric and international reputation for intransigence, on closer examination Israel seems to be having an identity crisis in its sixtieth anniversary year.
Never-ending political crises and growing economic inequalities beg the question - does Israel risk imploding from within? - Battle of Ideas

Conference at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
The Second Lebanon War: Lessons for Modern Militaries

Session I: Baseline: Israel’s Performance in the 2006 War.
Chair: Professor Michael Clarke, Director, The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
Prof. Shai Feldman, Director, Crown Center for Middle East Studies, Brandeis University
Ofer Shelah, Ma’ariv and Israel TV Channel 10
In retrospect, what were the strategic outcomes of the 2006 War? When applying a net-assessment analysis of the war’s consequences, what were the different parties’ gains and losses as a result of the war? In the end, who won the 2006 war in Lebanon? This session will address these important questions and serve as the starting point for the other sessions of the conference by providing a synopsis of the Winograd Commission’s findings. The main conclusions reached from other unclassified accounts of the war will also be elaborated.

Session IV: Technology and Counter-Insurgency.
Chair: Professor Shai Feldman, Director, Crown Center for Middle East Studies, Brandeis University
VADM (ret.) Yedidya (Didi) Ya’ari, CEO of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and former Commander of the Israeli Navy
Are there particular conclusions that can be drawn from the Second Lebanon War regarding the role of technology and the efficacy of specific weapons technologies in counter-insurgency operations?

Session V: Concluding Remarks: Lessons for Modern Militaries.
Chair: Professor Shai Feldman, Director, Crown Center for Middle East Studies, Brandeis University
Ofer Shelah, Ma’ariv and Israel TV Channel 10
Maj. Gen. (ret.) Giora Eiland, Institute for National Security Studies, former Director, National Security Council and former Commander, Planning Branch, IDF
Brig. Gen. (ret.) Shlomo Brom, Institute for National Security Studies, former Director for Strategic Planning, IDF
VADM (ret.) Yedidya (Didi) Ya’ari, CEO of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and former Commander of the Israeli Navy

Talk at the London School of Economics

Israel and the Palestinians: Domestic Developments and Prospects for Talks
Speaker(s): Professor Shai Feldman; Dr. Khalil Shikaki;
Chair: Professor Lord Wallace
This event was recorded on 13 Jun 2007 in the Old Theatre, Old Building
Professor Shai Feldman is director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University, Boston. From 1997-2005 he served as head of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. In 2001-2003 he served as a member of the UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters. Dr. Khalil Shikaki is director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR), Ramallah

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The Seminar

Talk at the FrontLine Club

Insight with Professor Shai Feldman: Israel at Sixty - What Chance for Peace?
Moderated by: Paul Adams (BBC)
Location: 13 Norfolk Place, London W2 1QJ
May 14th marks the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel. We talk to Professor Shai Feldman, one of the world's leading experts on the Middle East, who talks about the political and ideological challenges that face Israel in its 60th year.

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The colloquium follows the pattern of several other similar encounters between Britain and other countries. Each year, it brings together some of the UK’s and Israel's most distinguished personalities in a wide range of disciplines, for two days of intensive meetings in an informal atmosphere. In the ten years since its launching, the Colloquium has played an important role in bringing prominent British and Israeli personalities together, and has helped to promote an atmosphere of mutual understanding and create a platform for a valuable exchange of views and knowledge.

The First Colloquium was held in 1997 at Wiston House, Sussex, on the Topic “The Politics of Heritage”.

The Second, in 1998 was at Beit Gabriel, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee on the topic “Arts and Culture – Whose Responsibility”.

The Third, in 2000 was at Kibbutz Ma’aleh Hahamisha in the Judean Hills, on the topic “Power and Responsibility: the role of the Media in the Information Age.”

The Fourth, in 2001 at Balliol College, Oxford was devoted to the topic “The Universities – What Are They For and How Can We Afford Them?”

The Fifth was held in 2004 in the small town of Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev Desert, a fitting location for the topic “Ensuring a Healthy Environment for Future Generations: is Development Sustainable?”

The Sixth Colloquium in 2005 was held at Kibbutz Ginosar, on the Sea of Galilee, on the topic “Multiculturalism – a Comparative Perspective”.

The Seventh Colloquium was held in November 2007 at Kibbutz Kfar Blum in the Northern Galilee on the topic “Wealth and Happiness in Israel and the United Kingdom”.

The Eighth Colloquium was held at Kfar Maccabiah from 10 – 13 September 2009 under the joint chairmanship of Baroness Ruth Deech, a distinguished academic lawyer, and Viscount David Samuel on the topic of ‘In Loco Parentis – who should raise our children?’ For a report by David Elliott the UK Co-ordinator CLICK HERE.

The Ninth Anglo-Israel Colloquium was held from 8 – 11 September 2011 at Neve Ilan, Near Jerusalem. Anjana Ahuja who is a former science writer for the Times attended. To read the article CLICK HERE.