anyway, thank you all for being here and inviting me to join you this morning. it's an honor. it's truly an honor to address such a distinguished group. met me start by thanking all of you here today for the work that you do every day through the anti-defamation league to advance and protect our most fundamental american freedoms and values. for nearly 100 years you've been on the front lines of the freedoms that americans cherish weather by combatting anti-semitism here and around the world by standing up against hate crimes or by speaking out against anti-muslim bigotry. your work is in the finest american tradition and your voice is an important contribution to our discourse, our national discourse on all of these issues. yet all of your impressive achievements of all of them perhaps none is as important as the work that adl has done to protect the security of israel.

in a world of changing threats that task has never been more urgent or challenging. so this morning i would like to focus my remarks on the obama administration's approach to advancing israel's security. now for more than 60 years since israel's founding during periods of war and peace, calm and crisis, u.s. administrations of all stripes have worked to safe gord israel's security, republican and democrat. but i would maintain that no administration and no president has done as much as president obama has done to promote israel's security and i say this having served in every american administration but one since ronald regan was in office i bring a personal perspective to this as well as an analytical and descriptive perspective. thus, prime minister net new has

said that our security situation with israel is unprecedented. that was his word for it. if you have relatives or friends in southern israel they can tell you what this has meant in practical terms in recent months. for in addition to the record levels of security assistance the united states was already providing israel, our administration secured an additional $205 million to help produce the short range rocket defense system iron dome. the purpose of this money was to enable israel to accelerate production of iron dome batteries. well, during the recent attacks from gaza, iron dome intercepted nearly 0% of the rockets it tried to engage. and that's dozens of deadly explosions done by otherwise have taken place at hospitals, schools, or homes.

it's been a god send for besieged communities along israel's border with gaza and the department of defense i'd like to say has announced recently or intent to provide israel with additional support for this critical defensive system. in addition, we continue to work with israel on the arrow weapons system to intercept medium range ballistic missiles and david sling the shorter range missile defense system. against these procan you remember programs we continue to collaborate on a powerful system linked to an early u.s. warning system that could buy israel valuable time in the event of a missile crisis. but it's not just about material and technology. and i hassen to add this. it's also about relationships. and it's a web of relationships of which i'm a part.

so i can speak to it with some familiarity and even intimacy. we have launched the most kompb hencive and meaningful and operation ol consultations across all levels of our government in the history of the u.s.-israeli relationship. and bear in mind i go back to the regan administration. i do believe that this is drew. later this year, for example, our nation's armed forces will conduct their largest ever joint military exercise with israel austere challenge. this will involve thousands of u.s. troops in and around israel working with israeli military personnel. in 2011, the last year that we have a complete count obviously, nearly 200 senior level department of defense officials visited israel and senior israeli officials visited the u.s. just as often. this is a very thick network of

ties and very intense collaboration. and despite tough -- excuse me. i can't get the words out whenever i have to say the words fiscal times. it's my personal experience. but despite tough fiscal times president obama has requested $3.1 billion in military assistance for 2013 which is the most ever. [ applause ] standing up for israel's security also remains -- also remains an important issue in the area of israel's legitimacy. because it's been a priority for this administration to stand up to attempts by anyone who delegitimize israel in the international arena. as president obama has said,

including in this speech he gave in cairo toward the beginning of his administration israel's legitimacy is not a matter for debate. that is why we were the only country, only country to vote in the human rights council this spring that's a u.n. agency against the establishment of a fact finding mission on set elements and why we have opposed unilateral palestinian efforts to circumvent notions by per suing statehood in multilateral organizations. and that is why we stood up strongly for israel's right to defend itself after the gold stone report was issued in -- about the 2009 gaza war. and that is why when israel was isolated in the aftermath of the flotilla incident we supported them, when no one else did, i might add.

that is why we refuse to attend events that reduce or commemorate the flawed 2001 world conference against racism and we will always, i repeat always reject attempts to equate si zionism with racism. [ applause ] and that is why we are working literally around the clock and around the world to prevent steps taken at the u.n. or its agents because as the president has said there's no shortcut to peace. no shortcut. these issues can only be revolved through negotiations not through action of the u.n. that is why we're so focused to do everything we can to prevent this from happening. now we know that israel sees the threat posed by iran as exten shl and make no mistake an iran

warmed with nuclear weapons would pose a direct and serious threat to the security of the united states as well. this is about both allies israel and the united states not just about israel and not just about the united states. and that's why our policy is not to contain iran, but to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon. [ applause ] now you've all heard a lot of loud talk about iran and you will hear more in the coming months. this quote unquote loose talk of war as president obama describes it has an unintended effect. it benefits the iranian government by driving up the price of oil, which they depend upon to fund their nuclear program. it's ironic but there it is. so for the sake of israel's security america's security and the peace and security of the world our approach has been

different. we believe now is the time to speak softly but carry a big stick to let our increased pressure sink in, to sustain the broad international coalition that we have built and to engage iran in good faith as the window for diplomacy shrinks. and it is shrinking. because the united states and israel both assess that iran does not yet have a nuclear program, and let me assure you that we are exceedingly vigilant in monitoring their program both we and the israelis there remains time for space. there remains time and space for diplomacy backed by pressure obviously to succeed. iran's lieders still have the opportunity to make the right decision and abandon their current course. though as the president has clearly stated, time is running short. we have backed up that

commitment by building an unprecedented coalition to impose the most far-reaching sanss that iran has ever faced as a result iran finds itself increasingly isolated from the international community. it finds it harder than ever to acquire the materials for its nuclear weapons programs and to conduct transactions in dollars and euros. it is unable to access 70% of its foreign currency reserves as this point. it has struggled to buy refined petroleum and the goods its need to modernize its goal and gas sector. already, already close to $60 billion in iranian energy related projects have been put on hold or simply shut down. no funds. world leading companies are deciding to stop doing business there. i'll give you a list because

it's pretty impressive. it's a partial list, shell, total, eni, stock oil, rep sol, luke oil, which is russian, that's significant in and of itself, kia, toyota, siemens and many others. this is true too, by the way of the foreign subsidiaries of the u.s. firms such as ge, honeywell, caterpillar and a number of others. now most recently the administration worked with congress to make sanctionable a host of transactions involving the central bank of iran. we are now working with partners to implement this new law in a way that maximizes pressure on the iranian regime. and the regime is feeling the pressure. there's no doubt about that. in fact, you don't have to take my word for it. here's what iran's president ahmadinejad said about sanctions

to iran's parliament late last year. this is the guy who a year before had told the same audience that western sanctions were a hanky that he blows his nose in. this is -- he's not exactly a refined guy. but anyway, this is what he said much more recently. the west has imposed the most extensive and dastardly sanctions ever. every day our banking agreements and transactions are being monitored and blocked. this is the heaviest economic onslaught on a nation in history. that's ahmadinejad. now the purpose of this pressure is not punishment. it's not what we're trying to do. it is to convince iran that the price to be paid for pursuing a nuclear weapons capability is just too high and the time is now to make good on its

commitment to the international community. but iran's leadership have no doubt about the resolve of the united states or about israel's sovereign right to defend itself. as the president has said, we take no options off the table. of course, iran's nuclear program is not the only regional issue that is of concern to israel or its leaders. in a period of sweeping regional change that brings new opportunities but also new challenges and uncertainties, the united states will continue to bear israel's security in mind as we develop and implement our foreign policy in response to these challenges. concerning israel's neighbor syria, we believe that the longer assad remains in power the greater the risk that his brutal tactics will destabilize syrian and possibly the region.

for that reason we are working with our international partners to pressure assad to step down as soon as possible so that a syrian led stable and democratic transition can get going. in egypt this will continue to be a bumpy ride. as egyptians debate the politics for many decades. it's now just thawing out. as egyptians begin to build the institutions that will secure their future, amid these ups and downs as we support universal principals of democracy and individual rights, we will also continue to do all we can to protect the egypt-israel peace treaty and the relationship between israel and egypt that has anchored regional security

for so long. in conclusion, let me turn briefly to middle east peace one of the most critical and probably one of the more elusive of america's foreign policy goals. israel's own leaders just take as a baseline understand the imperative of peace and they speak about it. the prime minister, defense minister, the president have each called for two states. a secure israel that lives side by side with an independent palestinian state. that vision is profoundly in israel security interest and the best solution to the host of challenges it faces from shifting demographics that will eventually jeopardize its status as a jewish democracy to eamericaing weapons technologies to the challenges afoot in the region. peace is also the only sure way

for the palestinian people to realize their legitimate and long standing aspiration for a state of their own. as vice president biden has said, and president abbas and prime minister fie ad israel has partners who share the goal of peace. all that said as you know as well as i do peace will be very difficult to achieve. but america too has a profound interest in peace in both israel and the palestinians continue to believe that our involvement is important to making progress. both israel and the palestinians want the reitz to persevere. so as president obama said recently while there are those who question whether this goal will ever be reached, we will make no apologies for continuing to pursue peace. and that is why from the president down, we remain deeply engaged with israel and palestinians who continue to

work toward the resumption of direct negotiations. earlier this year king abdullah's government hosted a series of discussions between the parties in jordan. in a more recent example of direct contact between the parties a pair of palestinian envoys carried a letter from president abbas to the prime minister on april 17th. we believe that such contacts are essential for progress and we're encouraged by the fact that the parties put out a statement following that meeting reaffirming their commitment to peace. at the same time of course, syria's challenges remain and were not oblif nous to them. we've made to concern about the greelts of fattah and hamas that were announced in doha. our policy on hamas has not changed. it is designated as a foreign terrorist organization. and to play any role in achieving peace and building an

independent state it must renounce violence, recognize israel and adhere to previous agreements. we believe that president abbas remains committed to these principals and he has told us that any government he leads will remain committed to them, too. president obama has also made clear that there will be no lasting peace unless israel's security concerns are met. period. to summerize, the u.s. government has done more to ensure israel's security under the president's leadership than under any previous administration. from providing record level security assistance that is saving lives to leading vigorous diplomacy that is defending israel at the u.n. to championing sanctions against iran our record is rock solid. based in my own firsthand experience working these issues day in and day out, i can assure

you that israel's security is at the top of the agenda of president obama's national security team. and as for the -- [ applause ] and as for the president himself, he said he has israel's back and he meant it. and that's one of the reasons why i'm very proud to serve in this administration. thank you very much. [ applause ]

>> can everyone be seated please. >> welcome back to the morning session of the national leadership conference of the anti-defamation league. one of the nation's premier civil rights and human rgt relations agencies. thank you again for being here this morning. i'd like to introduce our experts round table on this next topic and to call on national commissioner and regional board chair from new england michael sheets. [ applause ] >> okay. good morning, again. the intense focus on promoting arab-israeli peace that once dominated america's middle east policy agenda has taken a backseat to concern about

seismic shifts underway in places like egypt and syria. the arab uprisings have brought about profound political and regional upheaval. it will be years before we can truly assess its lasting impact, but for now, the uprisings have shaken out some of the foundation upon which u.s. policy has been based. at the same time, leaders across the international community find their attention shifted to iran's march nuclear weapons capability and the often heated debate over options to confront him. we just heard from president obama's top advisor on national security in the middle east. and now we're privileged to have with us a panel of veteran policy analysts. each with share with us their views of the challenges facing the administration and their vision for the best way for the

u.s. to move forward. dr. aaron david miller who's second to my left is a public policy fellow at the woodrow wilson international center for scholars where he wrote his fourth book the much too promised land america's elusive search for arab israeli peace. he served six secretaries of state as an advisor on meld east peacemaking and u.s. policy throughout the region. dr. miller also served as a senior member of the state department's policy planning staff and in the bureau of intelligence and research. david ma cough ski at the end to my left is the distinguished fellow and director of washington's institute project on the middle east peace process. he co-authored the book "myths, illusions and peace" finding a new direction in the middle east. before joining the washington

institute, he was and award winning journalist based in israel where he covered the peace process for the jerusalem post and usa news and world report. daniel pletka third from my left is vice president for foreign and defense policy studies at the american enterprise institute. before joining the institute, she served for ten years as a very professional -- staff member for near east and sous asia on the senate foreign relations committee. she writes frequently on national security matters with a focus on domestic politics in the middle east and south asia. u.s. national security and terrorism and weapons proliferation. adl first began working with miss pletka when she worked for the late senator helms crafting important counterterrorism legislation at a time when the threat of terrorism against americans was seen as remote to all but a few courageous

legislatures. we're also gratified to have with us washington bureau chaef of the jewish tell graphic agency. he covers his issues in the halls of government day in and day out. his blog capital j is a must read for beltway insiders following politics and issues of importance to the jewish community. ron will give the floor to the panelists and engage them in discussion before he takes questions from the audience. please consider which questions you'll have. make sure when you ge up to ask a question that you give us your name and your region. thank you all for taking time to be with us today. [ applause ] >> our order today is going to be aaron, danny, david. add, which is appropriate.

so we're going to start with danny -- sorry, aaron. >> it's an honor and privilege for me to be here. a shout to abe fox. an extraordinary american. he established a close personal relationship with my father, abe, it's really, really good to see you. and finally to barry from cleveland. barry, we're going to see you guys tomorrow night. i can't imagine anyone with more integrity and more passion to assume the responsibilities. adl is an extraordinary organization and i'm really, really pleased and happy about

your new role. [ applause ] i've had the honor and privilege over the course of a quarter century providing both good and bad advice to half a dozen secretary of states. when the advice was bad it flowed from one primary mistake that is to see the world the way that i or we wanted it to be rather than the way it was. we do not have the luxury, the time or frankly the power in this country anymore to harbor delusions. delusions in life can be very, very dangerous. they're endearing because you cannot just see the world the way it is. if we all saw the world the way it was om, noeg would change. but if you choose to see the world the way you want it to be without taking into account the way it is and policy and i speak from great experience, we'll fail. i want to make three general observation and then deal quickly with a situation in iran, the arab israeli peace process and the arab spring and

i promise to do this in under ten minutes. number one, we are in an investment trap. we are a great power in an investment trap in this broken, dysfunctional, angry region. we cannot fix it and we cannot extricate ourselves from it. this is the worst position in my judgment for a great power, the greatest power onneth to be in. forget transformation. american interests in policy in the middle east is not about transformation. it's about transaction. it's about survival and protecting core interests. frankly we'll be lucky and fortunate if we can do that. core interests preventing another attack on the united states. if you can't protect your homeland, you don't need a foreign policy. 9/11 was the second bloodiest day in american history. 9/11 is not a footnote. it is not a historical memory. it is a reminder of our

vulnerabilities. many weapons of mass destruction, maintaining access to energy security for the state of israel. i would argue you strip it all away these are the core interests. the other two promotion of arab israeli peace maybing and trying to do what we can to bring greater transparency, plurality, humanism, respect for human rights, gender equality to an arab world in the process of change to me is going to be a very tough proposition. if you cannot change history, you'd better be very careful. if you don't get out of its way, you can easily be run over. we need to keep this in mind as we deal with these issues. number two, street credibility. street credibility in this region is everything. and frankly we are very low on it. we are extricating ourselves now from the two longest wars in american history. they were arguably after the first year in afghanistan and my judgment discretionary wars. they were not wars of necessity.

they were wars of choice and in wars of discretion you'd better know what you're doing because the standards for success in a war of discretion rather than a war of necessity are very high. i would argue to you in both of these wars what we have paid for what we have received there's a huge disconnect. victory for us means not can you win, but when can we leave? and for a great power this is the worst possible set of consequences because it is resulted in the situation and helped to promote a situation where we are neither admired, feared nor respected in this region as much as we need to be. finally, leadership. in my judgment leadership forget leadership in washington for a moment. forget leadership in washington for a moment. i'm talking about leadership out there. if i were to tell you that between 1920 and 1950, six human beings wersp