American Council For World Jewry

SUMMARY – Israel International Mayors Conference

Monday, 07 May 2012

The 28^th annual International Mayors Conference opened today in Jerusalem bringing together thirty-seven mayors from all around the globe. Jack Rosen the conference's initiator and chairman of the American Council of World of Jewry greeted participating mayors with a warm speech introducing Minister of Intelligence Affairs, MK Dan Meridor. Minister Meridor presented the audience with a comprehensive assessment of Israel's geo-political standing. Minister Meridor fluent in number of languages responded to questions both in English and Spanish.

Amongst the visiting mayors quite a few have come from exotic and special locations, including:

1. Caracas – Venezuela – Antonio Ledezma

2. Little Rock – Arkansas – Mark Stodola

3. Montevideo – Uruguay – Anna Olivira

4. Frankfurt – Germany – Martin Wilke

5. Saltzburg – Austria- Heinz Schaden

6. Kishinev – Moldova – Dorin Chirtoaca

7. Katmandu – Nepal – Kedar Bahadur Adhikari

8. Addis Ababa – Ethiopia – Kuma Demeksa

9. Dar Es Salaam – Tanzania – Didas Massaburi

10. Kampala – Uganda – Erias Lukwago

11. Florence – Italy – Matteo Renzi

12. Warsaw – Poland – Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz

13. Mixco – Guatemala – Otto Perz Leal

14. ḉankaya – Turkey – Bülent Tanik

Foreign Minister MK Avigdor Lieberman hosted the mayors for lunch in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister Lieberman shared with the mayors the importance of a strong Israel in light of its status as the sole democracy in the Middle East. The foreign minister went further to emphasize the joint concern both in Israel and the West regarding Iran and especially the heavy implications of Iran becoming a nuclear power. The foreign minister was introduced personally to the mayors and shook their hands.

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Israel shows off its homeland security technologies to international visitors

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel’s security technologies were on display as the country hosted two separate international contingents.

An Interpol European Regional Conference brought 110 senior law enforcement officers from 49 countries to Tel Aviv, while a homeland security conference drew 37 mayors from two dozen worldwide cities to sites throughout Israel last week.

"Israel has been forced to overcome difficult circumstances, including war and terror, in order to survive," said Alfred Vanderpuije, mayor of the Ghana capital of Accra, following a visit to Elbit Systems, a defense electronics company based in Haifa. "And this has put the Israelis in a unique situation to develop security technologies."

In the decade following the terror attacks of 9-11, Israeli security exports rose from about $2 billion a year to more than $7 billion, according to data supplied by SIBAT, Israel’s Defense Export and Defense Cooperation Agency. Part of the rise was attributed to the growing international demand for more effective homeland security systems.

At Elbit and other security firms such as Magal Security Systems and Elta Group, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, Vanderpuije and the other mayors saw presentations on defense technologies.

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