Saban Forum 2017: “America First” and the Middle East
Past Event
A video address by Prime Minister of the State of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu
A video address by Prime Minister of the State of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu
A keynote conversation with Jared Kushner
Welcoming Remarks and Keynote conversation with John R. Allen
Before Sunset: The Iran Deal and What to Do About it
The Future of Saudi Arabia and its regional role
As the American administration nears its first anniversary, we are witnessing an approach that is new and different. “America First” naturally raises questions among allies and partners abroad about the scope and depth of U.S. involvement in world affairs. Allies are reassessing their own policies in the face of an America with dramatically different priorities. The Forum’s discussions and webcast sessions focused on the U.S.-Israel relationship, the future of the Middle East, and much more.
Over the past 14 years, the Saban Forum has become the premier platform for frank dialogue between American and Israeli leaders from government, civil society, business, and the media. The Forum has become a central venue for generating new ideas and shaping the future of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
The Saban Forum has hosted many distinguished leaders in the past, including President Barack Obama, President George W. Bush, President William J. Clinton, Israeli Prime Ministers Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu, HM King Abdullah of Jordan, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, and Secretaries of State John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Condoleezza Rice.
Agenda
Friday, December 1
Welcoming remarks and introduction
Friday, December 1
A keynote conversation with John R. Allen
John R. Allen
President, The Brookings Institution
Friday, December 1
Before sunset: The Iran deal and what to do about it
Sunday, December 3
A video message from the Prime Minister of the State of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu
Sunday, December 3
The future of Saudi Arabia and its regional role
Bruce Riedel
Senior Fellow - Foreign Policy, Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, Center for Middle East Policy
Director - The Intelligence Project
Sunday, December 3
A keynote conversation with Jared Kushner
Jared Kushner
Senior Advisor to the President of the United States
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I think probably that the lesson that [Kim Jong Un is] learning is that he doesn’t have to give up anything and yet people will be scrambling for summits with him. ... The longer we have these drawn-out talks, these summits, bilaterals, trilaterals, quadrilaterals, the more it buys time for them to reinforce their claimed status [as a nuclear power] but also to continue with their R&D. But I do think that there is an element of trying to mitigate the sanctions, and also Kim took all those discussions about military strikes seriously enough to try and take the wind out of the sails. ... I find it difficult to envision how or why he would give up his nuclear weapons, which have pretty much given him what he’s wanted: which is the strategic relevance, the international prestige, and deterrence.