While in Israel last week, I had the opportunity to meet with key Israeli government officials regarding the ongoing situation in the Middle East.  As you are aware from previous postings, we are heavily engaged in a number of issues in Israel and the greater Middle East, especially as it relates to religious freedom and national security matters.  

While in Israel, I met with Israeli President Shimon Peres to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.  In addition, I met with Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni to discuss key issues, including academic freedom and an attempted boycott of Israeli college professors by members of colleges and universities in the United Kingdom.  This type of discrimination violates not only the Universal Charter of Human Rights but also is counter to U.N. policies.

I also had the opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert, to discuss the current situation in the Middle East as well as issues dealing with religious freedom.

The other day, I mentioned my friend and colleague, Andrew White, who is the Anglican Envoy to the Middle East.  Andrew and I have worked on a number of sensitive issues of religious liberty and freedom in the Middle East over the past year.  Andrew made national news earlier this week when he reported that at a conference he attended in Iraq, a member of Al-Qaeda made the statement that “the ones who cure you will kill you.”  Unfortunately, this statement proved to be true with the attempted terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom by medical doctors. 

More information will be posted in the coming days.  To see photos of my meetings with Israeli government officials, please click here.