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Fall Board Meeting, Annual Dinner and Pentagon Fly-In

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman received the JINSA Henry M. Jackson Distinguished Service Award, and Michael David Epstein the JINSA Leadership Award as the highlight of our Annual Dinner on November 5th. Nearly 500 people, including Israel’s Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai; U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Dennis Reimer, USA; Gen. Joseph Ralston, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Maj. Gen. Eitan Ben-Eliahu, Commander of the Israel Air Force attended the dinner in Washington. The dinner was co-chaired by Board Member Mark Lezell, and Northrop Grumman Corp.

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman received the JINSA Henry M. Jackson Distinguished Service Award, and Michael David Epstein the JINSA Leadership Award as the highlight of our Annual Dinner on November 5th. Nearly 500 people, including Israel’s Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai; U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Dennis Reimer, USA; Gen. Joseph Ralston, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Maj. Gen. Eitan Ben-Eliahu, Commander of the Israel Air Force attended the dinner in Washington. The dinner was co-chaired by Board Member Mark Lezell, and Northrop Grumman Corp. President, Chairman of the Board and CEO Kent Kresa.

In his remarks, Senator Lieberman stressed the importance of a strong United States defense capability, particularly in light of increased non-conventional weapons development evidenced by Iran and Iraq. He remarked that U.S.-Israel security cooperation was an important factor in regional stability. Mr. Epstein noted the threat of violent Islamic ideology and the common interests of the U.S., Israel and certain Arab states. Minister Mordechai and General Reimer also addressed the audience.

The JINSA Board was gathered for its semiannual Directors Meeting. They met with Maj. Gen. Ben Eliahu, who provided a threat assessment focused primarily on Iraq and Syria, and discussed Israel’s planned responses. The Board passed resolutions regarding America’s role in the Arab-Israeli peace process; Jerusalem, supporting U.S. sanctions against companies doing business with Iran; and supporting missile defense.

The Board urged the Administration to “avoid involvement in the details of negotiations” and “focus… on the threats posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile technology, and by the spread of the ideology of violent revolution. On these issues, and on many others, the U.S. and Israel share a common interest and complementary capabilities.” The Board advocated suspending “all forms of financial, political or other material benefits to the PA,” until the PA meets the requirements of the Oslo Accords. Stressing that the Israeli government is the ultimate guarantor of the security of its people, the Board urged the Administration to support Israel’s determination of its own security borders and to support Israeli decisions to track down and destroy terrorist infrastructure.

On the second day of the Board program, 60 people participated in JINSA’s 17th Annual Pentagon Fly-In, hosted by General Reimer and the U.S. Army. JINSA Board Members learned about Army operations in nearly 100 countries, including peacekeeping in Africa and Latin America, and humanitarian demining operations in Laos and Africa. They heard about Army 21, the Army’s approach to information technology and warfare in the 21st Century, and saw an example of future technological innovation in a soldier demonstrating the Land Warrior battle dress. A visit to the Army Operations Center and a discussion about Gender Issues (which was about respect and dignity for all soldiers rather than, women in combat, sexual harassment and the newspaper headlines) rounded out the program.