The annual Herzliya Conference began Sunday, with the first session held in the Knesset. Activists and social organizations see a dangerous precedent.

The privately-funded conference, which handpicks politicians and policy-makers to address the issues of the day, was the venue at which former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon first unveiled his Unilateral Disengagement plan, which involved withdrawing the IDF from Gaza and destroying 25 Jewish towns in Gaza and northern Samaria.

Participants in this year’s conference will discuss the status of Jerusalem, a recent "patriotism survey" and the upcoming Winograd Committee report, among other things.  The conference will continue Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in Herzliya.

Social organizations, left-wing youth groups, and some Members of Knesset plan to protest outside the Knesset building during the conference Sunday.  MK Shelly Yechimovich (Labor) said she plans to protest, explaining that she opposes a privately-funded conference being hosted at the Knesset. A privately-funded event in the Knesset, she said, poses “a danger to parliamentary democracy.”

Funders include philanthropist Ronald Lauder, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (“a non-profit organization with its roots in the German and International Social Democracy”), the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, the Jewish National Fund, the Abraham Fund Initiatives (“a social change organization working to promote Jewish-Arab coexistence, cooperation and equality”), the American Jewish Committee, the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, United States Embassy Tel Aviv - Office of Public Affairs, Raytheon (“an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, business aviation and special mission aircrafts”) and Lockheed Martin.

Conference founder Uzi Arad of the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center dismissed protesters' concerns, pointing out that several such events take place at the Knesset every year.

Of all the policy conferences, however – Sderot, Caesaria, the Jerusalem Conference and others – this is the first to be hosted by the Knesset, with the Prime Minister’s speech aired live as a sort of state of the union address.

This year’s Herzliya Conference will hold discussions on the following topics:

* Beyond Bali: Climate Change and National Security

* The Challenge of Radical Islam

* Negotiating the Final Status Agreement

* Assessing Iran's Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities

* Can a Nuclear Iran be Prevented?

* Can a Nuclear Iran be Deterred?

* The Sunni-Shiite Rift – Origins and Strategic Implications

* The Next 60 Years: Goals and Directions for Israel and the Jewish People

* Reforming Education and Higher Learning

* Arab Israelis and National Service

* Israel-Diaspora Relations

* Jewish Secularism in the 21st Century

* Trends in the Connection of the Diaspora's Young Generation to Israel

* Government Responsibility for Jewish-Arab Equality and Integration

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will deliver his Herzliya address at the closing dinner, 8 PM Wednesday night.

Live broadcasts with English translation of most sessions can be viewed by clicking here.



The Besheva newspaper's annual Jerusalem Conference will take place February 19-20. Click here for this year’s program.