ELNET concluded its third International Policy Conference (EIPC) in Paris between May 8-10, 2023. The title of the conference was “Normalization in the Middle East, War in Ukraine: Challenges and Opportunities in a Changing World Order”. The conference brought together some 500 participants and 70 of the most influential policymakers and leading public opinion-makers from Europe, Israel, the US and Arab countries to discuss and impact the shaping of Europe’s Middle East policy and Europe-Israel relations.
The theme of the conference was ‘A New Era in Europe-Israel Relations,’ and sessions tackled policy areas such as new security challenges, the war in Ukraine and its aftermath, Israeli-Arab normalization, the Russian and Iranian threats, energy and food security, climate change, antisemitism and anti-Zionism.
Keynote speeches were given by Deputy Speaker of the Polish Senate Michal Kaminski, MK Gideon Sa’ar, President of Israel Isaac Herzog, French Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire, Ambassador Michael Oren, Chair of the European Delegation for relations with Israel MEP Antonio Lopez-Isturiz White, Former Prime Minister of France Manuel Valls, Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of Israel Zvi Vapni, Vice President of the European Parliament Nicola Beer, Ambassador of France to Israel Eric Danon, and Former Prime Minister of Israel Yair Lapid.
During the Gala Dinner the Voice of Conscience Award was presented to European Commission Coordinator on combatting Antisemitism Katharina von Schnurbein for her dedicated work to combat antisemitism.