Ambassador Dennis Ross, Co-Chairman of the Jewish People Planning Institute (JPPI) spoke today at the Jerusalem Press Club (JPC) on the recent report of JPPI, which had been presented to the Israeli Cabinet earlier today. Amb. Ross remarked that “BDS is about ending Israel’s existence not its occupation of the Palestinians. But so long as Israel’s settlement activity does not appear consistent with a two-state outcome, Israel will find it difficult to blunt the de-legitimization movement.”
Other highlights of the report:
- Upcoming U.S. elections offer Israel an opportunity to turn a new page in its relationship with Washington. JPPI recommends positive action to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict within a regional framework, on the basis of a two-state solution, and in coordination with the U.S.
Other main findings:
- French Aliyah – Although 40% of French Jews are considering Aliyah (200,000) number of French olim down 30% this year due to absorption impediments (employment, housing and educational difficulties).
- Jerusalem – Israeli government should consider new measures to ensure Jewish majority in its capital: Better employment and housing opportunities to reduce negative migration; Explore expanding municipal boundaries westward, and narrowing the north-eastern borders with no changes to sovereignty.
- JPPI’s new Pluralism in Israel Index shows: 72% of Israelis reject exclusion of Reform Jews; 79% have no objection to gay and lesbian politicians serving in Knesset.
About the speaker:
Ambassador Dennis Ross served as a special assistant to President Obama and NSC Senior Director for the Central Region. For more than 12 years (1988-2000), Amb. Ross played a leading role in shaping US involvement in the Middle East and was the point man on the peace process in both the George W. Bush and Bill Clinton Administrations. From 2002-2008, he was part of the founding group of JPPI and served as its first chairman. Currently he serves as a counsellor at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He is the author of several influential books on the Middle East and US foreign policy including the recently published “Doomed to Succeed: the US-Israel Relationship from Truman to Obama” winner of the 2015 National Jewish Book Award, History Category.
The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) is an independent professional policy planning think tank incorporated as a private non-profit company in Israel. The mission of the Institute is to ensure the thriving of the Jewish People and the Jewish civilization by engaging in professional strategic thinking and planning on issues of primary concern to world Jewry. Located in Jerusalem, the concept of JPPI regarding the Jewish People is global, and includes aspects of major Jewish communities with Israel as one of them, at the core.
