The IAF Europe Delegation, Josh Reinstein (President IAF) and Leo van Doesburg (Executive Director, IAF Europe), visited Albania to launch the 25th European Israel Allies Caucus in the Albanian Parliament. We warmly welcome our new caucus chairs, MP Romina Kuko of the Socialist Party and MP Gazment Bardhi of the Democratic Party. We are looking forward to a fruitful cooperation! 

IAF Europe also participated in high-level meetings with the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, the Foreign Minister, Elisa Spiropali, and former Foreign Minister Edmond Panariti, to strengthen the bond between Israel and Albania. 

In the evening Reinstein and Van Doesburg were welcome by friends, businessmen and artist for a dinner event. During this dinner the delegation had meaningful conversations about Albania, Israel, common challenges and opportunities to improve cooperation and stand together in the face of further radicalization on the European continent. 

Welcome to the IAF Europe family, Albania! 

On 29 September, IAF Europe organised a conference featuring internationally renowned speakers on the strategic perspectives on Israel in a changing Middle East. The event was chaired by Raouf Leeraar, the Policy Director of IAF Europe. The speakers shared their strategic insights on Israel and the region with more than 150 attendees.

The conference began with welcome remarks from the Executive Director of IAF Europe, Leo van Doesburg, and the new Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands, Zvi Avner Vapni. More than ten years ago, Loay al-Shareef experienced a personal transformation after meeting a Jewish family in Paris. Since then, al-Shareef has travelled the world to promote peace in the Middle East, build bridges between Muslims and Jews, and warn against the rise of Islamic radicalism in Europe. Maj. (Res.) Andrew Fox visited Israel and the IDF Command Centre regularly after the outbreak of the war on 7 October 2023. He demonstrated how the IDF sought to spare innocent civilians in Gaza and emphasised that the army took more precautionary measures than required under international law. Prof. Geoffrey Corn, a specialist in the law of armed conflict, discussed how the actions of the IDF in Gaza should be assessed legally and noted that Israel is often accused of violating the laws of war without substantiated evidence. Finally, Wierd Duk (De Telegraaf), Matthijs van Schie (Elsevier) and Maaike van Charante (independent media researcher) participated in a panel on biased media reporting about Israel and the war in Gaza. All three expressed deep concern about the role of many mainstream media outlets and the impact this has on public perceptions of the Jewish state and Jews in general.

The conference concluded with closing remarks by Leo van Doesburg.

Global IAF leaders to convene in Washington for high-Level diplomatic Summit

From December 9-12, Chairmen of the Israel Allies Foundation parliamentary caucuses from across the world will gather in Washington, D.C. for the annual IAF Chairmen’s Conference. This flagship event brings together leading pro-Israel lawmakers from Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and Asia for strategic dialogue and coordinated diplomatic action in support of Israel and shared democratic values.

Over the course of three days, delegates will participate in high-level policy briefings, strategic roundtables, and official meetings with senior members of the U.S. Administration and Congress. The conference will focus on strengthening global faith-based diplomacy, advancing international cooperation against antisemitism, and defending Israel amid ongoing geopolitical challenges and diplomatic pressure.

With lawmakers representing dozens of national parliaments and millions of citizens worldwide, this summit reinforces the central role of the IAF network in promoting international solidarity with Israel and safeguarding democratic norms on the global stage.

Stay tuned for updates from Washington and for key announcements from this year’s historic gathering.