On the eve of the celebration of Israel's 50th Anniversary, ADL expressed its full support of the Middle East peace process, and urged the leaders to play a constructive role in moving it forward. In addition, ADL emphasized the need for the Palestinian Authority to improve its security cooperation with Israel, and crack down on Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The League continued to educate the American public and policy-makers about Israel's strategic importance as an ally in the volatile Middle East.

An ADL mission went to the Middle East to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Jordan's King Hussein and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasir Arafat.

In discussions with Prime Minister Netanyahu, ADL raised its concerns about conversion legislation in Israel.

The delegation implored the Arab leaders not to use the United Nations as a forum for raising anti-Israel resolutions, describing such acts as reminiscent of the pre-Oslo Middle East, and therefore detrimental to improving ties among Israel and her neighbors.

JERUSALEM TASK FORCE

With the issue of Jerusalem coming to the forefront of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, ADL created a task force composed of lay leaders to communicate to the American public, government officials and the media the importance of Israel's continued sovereignty over an undivided Jerusalem.

20 YEARS IN ISRAEL

A host of important Israeli leaders, media figures and diplomats joined ADL officials in Jerusalem to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the opening of the League's office there. ADL's involvement in Israeli issues over the years includes: leading the effort to pass legislation in the U.S. to prohibit American businesses from cooperating with the Arab economic boycott of Israel; improving Israeli-American relations; establishing the Center for the Study of Anti-Semitism at Tel Aviv University, and implementing anti-bias training in Israel through the A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute.

IN ISRAEL ADL's Israel Office, in cooperation with the BESA Institute of Bar Ilan University, sponsored an Israel Conference on Terrorism in the Middle East that explored the nature and consequences of Middle East terrorism, as well as methods used to thwart terrorists.

RESOURCES

Israel Record. Marks Israel's 50th Anniversary with a wealth of information on the history of Zionism and the State of Israel. Filled with archival photographs and first-person journal entries about historical events, it has a Teacher's Guide. Prepared by ADL Middle Eastern Affairs Special Projects.

Towards Final Status: Pending Issues in Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations. A guidebook to the main final status issues: Jerusalem, settlements, borders and refugees. Prepared by Middle Eastern Affairs and International Analysis Department.

International Notes. Published periodically, it focuses on pressing issues facing Israel and the international community. A recent edition assesses the tumultuous history of Israel at the United Nations, with a focus on the world body's renewed efforts to single out Israel.

Jerusalem Journal. Periodic publication from the Israel Office assessing current developments in the Middle East from an Israeli perspective.

Anti-Semitism in the Egyptian Media. Details the extent of the Egyptian media's anti-Semitism, both in the government-sponsored and the opposition press. Prepared by the ADL Israel Office and the Middle Eastern Affairs Department.