Israeli leaders speak at the Post Diplomatic Conference
Avigdor Liberman, Ayelet Shaked to explain their latest moves to hundreds of ambassadors.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: NOVEMBER 21, 2018 16:18Conference Diplomatic 2018
Former defense minister Avigdor Liberman, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan and other Israeli leaders will answer questions onstage as the governing coalition remains in political turmoil at today's Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference.Taking place at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem and attended by hundreds of foreign envoys to Israel, the conference, in its seventh year, has consistently provided headlines from Israel’s top political leaders.Following the tumultuous last few days, beginning with an IDF-Hamas altercation in Gaza that led to a severe flareup with hundreds of rockets fired at the south of Israel, a ceasefire deemed unpopular by many, and catapulting into Liberman’s resignation and the resultant political maneuverings between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bayit Yehudi’s Naftali Bennett and Kulanu’s Moshe Kahlon that have left a shaky coalition temporarily intact, the Post conference takes on added significance.In addition to Liberman, Shaked, who together with Bennett, dramatically announced Monday that their party Bayit Yehudi would remain in the coalition, will also be interviewed onstage by the Post’s editor-in-chief Yaakov Katz.Government ministers Erdan, Yuval Steinitz, Yoav Gallant and Israel Katz will all give speeches that will certainly relate to the future stability of the coalition and the prospects of early elections. Opposition leader Tzipi Livni and Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg will provide the rebuttals on the current government.Another highlight of the conference will be an appearance by UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov, who will be interviewed by the Post’s diplomatic correspondent Herb Keinon about the latest round of violence in Gaza.Two panel discussions will take place. The first is on “Women in Diplomacy,” featuring Ambassador of Cyprus Thessalia Salina Shambos, Ambassador of Canada Deborah A. Lyons, Zionist Union MK Stav Shaffir and Likud MK Sharren Haskel. The other panel is on Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, including the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, MK Dr. Michael Oren.A special “Lion of Jerusalem” award will be presented to the founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center, Dr. Mike Evans.Watch the entire conference, beginning at 9:30 a.m., at www.jpost.comFollow Jerusalem Post reporters as they tweet live from the conference.