• American Jewish organization that encourages Israeli concessions to Palestinian militants

Founded in 1993, the New York-based Israel Policy Forum (IPF) is an American Jewish organization "dedicated to mobilizing American Jews in support of sustained U.S. diplomatic efforts in the Middle East." It describes itself as "a central clearinghouse for policymakers seeking to more effectively engage the United States in the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." IPF was created, as Kenneth Levin notes in The Oslo Syndrome, "at the behest of Israel's Labor-Meretz coalition government and placed under the leadership of … Jonathan Jacoby, who had earlier in his career signed a New York Times ad accusing Israel of 'state terrorism.'" Jacoby resigned as Executive Director in 2006 and was succeeded by Dr. David M. Elcott, Director of U.S. Interreligious Affairs for the American Jewish Committee.

IPF's current President is Seymour D. Reich, a Senior Partner at the New York City law firm of Gallet, Dreyer & Berkey LLP. Mr. Reich has also served as Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, President of B'nai Brith International, President of the American Zionist Movement, and Chairman of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations. 

According to IPF, "a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict" will create a "more secure, prosperous and stable" Middle East. "To achieve this goal," adds IPF, "… the United States must remain a consistent and fully engaged partner in the Middle East peace process."

The Israel Policy Forum's activities fall under the following four categories:

Advocacy: "IPF meets regularly with key U.S. policymakers -- in Congress and the Executive Branch -- and with Middle East leadership to continue building the foundation for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. IPF works with other organizations, community leaders and the average citizens to mobilize support for these efforts."

Fact-Finding: "IPF leads delegations to Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East to meet with political and opinion leaders. IPF also conducts research on key issues related to U.S. Mideast policy and incorporates its findings into IPF materials."

Education: "IPF works with scholars, policymakers, security specialists and other regional expers; conducts regular meetings and conference call briefings on development in Israel and the region; distributes weekly publications IPF Friday and IPF Focus; and maintains a website. All of IPF's education programs promote the vision of a two-state solution." The organization also produces opinion surveys that purportedly "document American Jewish support for active U.S. involvement in peace diplomacy."

Network: IPF has created a network of leaders in business, politics, and Jewish philanthropy from across the United States.

Vis a vis the Arab-Israeli war, IPF has consistently urged the U.S. government to press Israel into making ever-greater concessions to Palestinian militants -- in the belief that such a course of action would help bring peace to the region. IPF bases many of its recommendations on the results of polls it conducts of American Jews. According to the Zionist Organization of America, these polls commonly use "vague and deceptive language," "misus[e] statistical evidence," and constitute a "reprehensible misuse of … polling." 

In November 2005, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met in Washington, DC with IPF leaders who exhorted the United States to take "aggressive" action in brokering peace between Israelis and Palestinians. After the meeting, IPF followed up by sending a policy paper to Rice, stating: "The three steps that should be implemented in tandem, rather than in sequence, are as follows: Unambiguous and effective efforts by the PA [Palestinian Authority] to control terror and prevent attacks on Israelis; an Israeli freeze on extending existing settlements, including roads and other associated infrastructure, and removal of unauthorized settlement outposts; and efforts to help grow the Palestinian economy so the Palestinian Authority can provide jobs and basic services for Palestinians. This effort would help strengthen the PA's position among the various Palestinian factions, including Hamas." "The U.S. should embark on these steps immediately and vigorously," IPF emphasized.

Influenced by IFP's recommendations, the U.S. thereafter applied intense pressure on Israel to sign with the Palestinian Authority a new deal that contained the following stipulations: (a) At the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, incoming traffic of Palestinians and others from the Sinai would thenceforth be monitored not by Israelis, but by Egyptians on the one side and Palestinians on the other; (b) Palestinians had permission to build a seaport in Gaza; and (c) At the Karni crossing from Gaza to Israel, which had permitted the passage of 35 Gazan export trucks per day since the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in August 2005, would, by the end of 2006, allow for the passage of more than 400 trucks per day. "The result is easy to see," said former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. "Kassam rockets and mortars will be transported through Judea and Samaria to be launched at Israel." (Netanyahu's prediction proved to be accurate; click here and here.)

IPF President Seymour Reich, who participated in the meeting with Rice, said, "I have no doubt that we bolstered the Secretary of State's instinct and strengthened her opinion that aggressive American involvement was needed to achieve practical results."