European Friends of Israel

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European Friends of Israel (EFI) is an Israel lobby group formed in September 2006 to "improve the overall relationship between the European Union and Israel." EFI aims to convince European parliamentarians (either MEPs or MPs) to lobby for Israeli interests primarily in the European Union, but also at the individual European country level. EFI's objectives are well characterized by Michel Gur Ari, EFI's chief executive, who stated: "We have set ourselves a target to turn Europe into Israel's ally." The organizers hope that "the lobby will one day enjoy the influence that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has in Washington". Initially (2006), it was reported that 150 MEP/MPs had joined EFI.

Activities

Launch

EFI's inaugural dinner was reportedly attended by 'approximately 200 European parliamentarians'. High ranking EU officials present included Benita Ferrero-Waldner, then European Commissioner for External Relations and Elmar Brok, then chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. Israeli Knesset representatives in attendance included Speaker Dalia Itzik and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

Hosting 'Arabs for Israel'

In 2009 EFI organised a visit to Europe by Nonie Darwish of Arabs for Israel along with Tawfik Hamid, a former militant and author of Inside Jihad: Understanding and Confronting Radical Islam.

Visits from Israeli politicians

EFI has organised visits for several Israeli politicians to visit major EU institutions, including Colette Avital, who has attended several EFI events, according to journalist David Cronin.

Targeting UNRWA

In November 2008 European Friends of Israel sponsored a gathering of pro-Israel European parliamentarians and Israeli members of Knesset in alliance with the Israel Allies Caucus Foundation, the international arm of the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus. Held in Paris, the conference targetted UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, in particular blaming it for allegedly prolonging the conflict by extending refugee status to the children of Palestinian refugees.

Speaking at the event, EFI member Paulo Casaca focused on the alleged 'misuse' of the refugees by 'those who are dealing in the industry of hate' and keeping refugees on 'a hate-machine'. It is unclear whether he counts UNRWA a part of this industry.

Tzipi Livni addressed the guests and urged them to more aggressively pursue Iran, claiming that Iran is not a threat because it challenges Israel's dominance in the region, but because it allegedly threatens the "entire" world:

Any sign of weakness or lack of determination in order to stop Iran, this can lead to kind of a domino effect of states trying to appease Iran in the understanding that Iran is going to be a regional power in the future..Let's understand together that time works against us, that there is a very small window in terms of time and the determination of the international community in stopping Iran or avoiding a nuclear Iran. It's not an Israeli problem, this is a problem of the entire region and the world."

Principals

Secretariat

• Dimitri Dombret – Director of EFI
• Meital Goor – Israeli Affairs Officer
• Fabian Cohen – Intern

Source

Steering Committee

Marek Siwiec MEP, Chairperson of EFI (2011- )	Frédérique Ries MEP, Vice-Chairperson of EFI	Alejo Vidal-Quadras MEP, Member of Executive Committee EFI
Helga Trüpel MEP, Member of Executive Committee EFI	Hannu Takkula MEP, Member of Executive Committee EFI
Source

See also

• EFI original list of principals September 2006

Supporters

• Benita Ferrero-Waldner EU commissioner for external relations and former Austrian Foreign Minister. (attended EFI's Gala event and sang the praises of the organization)
• Elmar Brok MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee for Foreign Affairs
• Jana Hybaskova, chairman of EP interparliamentary delegation for relations with Israel

Former members

• Gunnar Hökmark, MEP, former Chairman of EFI (2006-2011)
• Monika Benova, MEP
• Paulo Casaca, MEP
• Patrick Gaubert, MEP
• Katalin Levai, MEP
• Hartmut Nassauer, MEP
• Antonio Tajani, MEP
• Charles Tannock, MEP

References, Resources and Contact

Contact

Website: www.efi-eu.org

Telephone: +32 2888 8456

Fax: +32 2235 7271

Related Articles

• Ryan R. Jones, "EU Gets Its Own Pro-Israel Lobby," All Headline News, 06 September 2006.
• Yossi Lempkowicz interviews Dimitri Dombret, A structure for EU parliamentarians friends of Israel, European Jewish Press, 11 September 2006.

References

• Carrie Sheffield, "MKs launch new alliance with European parliaments," Jerusalem Post, 03 August 2009, accessed 18 October 2010.
• Conservative Friends of Israel, CFI Parliamentary Chairman, James Arbuthnot MP helps launch European Friends of Israel (Word doc), 15 September 2006.
• EFI, About Us, accessed 18 October 2010.
• EFI, Executive Committe EP, accessed 16 October 2012.
• EFI, Secretariat, 10 October 2007, accessed 05 December 2010.
• EFI, Steering Committee EP, updated 23 September 2007, Web Archive, accessed 05 December 2010.
• Etgar Lefkovits, "EU MPs urged to rethink refugee issue," Jerusalem Post, 10 November 2008, accessed 05 December 2010.
• European Friends of Israel, Press Release, 20 June 2007, accessed 16 March 2008.
• Gunnar Hökmark, Press Release – European Friends of Israel, 20 June 2007, accessed 16 October 2012.