Reut Institute
The Reut Institute is an Israeli think tank based in Tel Aviv. It describes itself as an "an innovative policy group designed to provide real-time, long-term strategic decision-support to Israeli leaders and decision-makers."[1] It was established in 2004 by first and current president Gideon Grinstein and Noa Eliasaf-Shoham "as an answer to the weakness of Israel's political system and the complex challenges Israel faces in a volatile and constantly changing environment" and describes itself as a "non-partisan Zionist organisation that provides its work to the government of Israel pro bono".[2]
Writing in The New York Times in 2007, Thomas Friedman called the Reut Institute "Israel's premier strategy policy group".[3]
Contents
Activities
According to its founder's biography, the vision that drives the Reut Institute is '21st Century Zionism' which focuses on "enhancing Israel's security, democracy and thriving Jewish identity".[4] Reut says it addresses "only those issues which pose a strategic threat or opportunity to the security or the wellbeing of Israel or the Jewish world."[5] It works for Israeli government agencies free of charge and states that its shortest project, commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lasted 60 hours from assignment to delivery. [6]
Two key areas are national security and 'Israel 15' which calls for Israel to become one of the fifteen leading nations in terms of quality of life within fifteen years.[7]
Part of its strategy for making "a lasting impact on the security and well-being of the State of Israel and the Jewish People, is to recruit and train Israel's future strategic thinkers".[8] It also established the Reut Policy Network to utilise the "untapped intellectual potential" of researchers around the world interested in identifying “strategic trends that jeopardize Israeli national security”.[9]
'Eroding Israel's legitimacy'
In January 2010, the Reut Institute published an article highlighting activities "portrayed as protesting against Israeli policies", when "in fact they are frequently manipulated in order to blur the difference between valid criticism of Israeli policies and attempts to undermine Israel's right to exist."[10]
Examples cited included the UN Goldstone Report, attempts to prosecute Israeli officials for war crimes, and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.[11]
History
Affiliations
People
President
Gideon Grinstein co-founder and president.
Board
David Alexander | Noa Eliasaf - Shoham | Michael Orenstein | Yoav Shapira | Noam Bardin[12]
Original Steering Committee
The Reut Institute's 2004 Annual Report lists the following members:
- Pini Meidan-Shani – Foreign Policy Advisor to PM Barak (2000-01)
- Arnon Pearlman – Chief Spokesperson for PM Sharon (2001-03)
- Dalia Rabin – Deputy Minister of Defense (2001-02)
- Prof. Uriel Reichman – President of the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya
- Uri Shani – Chief of Staff of PM Sharon (2001-02)
- Adv. Gilead Sher – Chief of Staff and Chief Negotiator of PM Barak (1999-01)
- Baruch Spiegel – Special Advisor to Minister of Defense Mofaz, and Deputy Coordinator of Activities of the GOI in the West Bank and Gaza (1995-98)[13]
Funding
The Reut Institute operates under the Israeli law of non-profit organisations ('Amutot') and is funded by a network of private donors. Any donation that could potentially create a conflict of interest is said to “require a formal and public discussion and decision” by the Board of Directors.[14]
Reut's Charter states that it will “make every effort to secure funding for its activities from nongovernmental benefactors” and that it will only raise funds “from individuals or funds that support its vision”.[15]
Reut states that it will not accept any contribution that exceeds 15% of its yearly budget, nor any donations from government agencies (Israeli or foreign).[16]
Before it was launched in 2004 the earliest financial contributions included the first donation from Israel in July 2003 from Jewish Agency board member [17] Avi Naor and the first from the US by Reagan Silber in September 2003.[18]
American Friends of the Reut Institute
American Friends of the Reut Institute (AFRI) is a nonprofit organisation registered in the United States (Federal ID # 20-3585888) and based in Beverly Hills, California.
Its stated mission is to "advance a vision of a prosperous and secure Israel". AFRI is the single largest supporter of the Reut Institute, and the Reut Institute is the chief recipient of AFRI's donations.[19]
Clients
Reut says it was "established to serve Israeli government agencies and decisionmakers...from top-ranking politicians to government professionals, who hold positions of authority, leadership or influence".[20]
Publications
The Delegitimization challenge
In February 2010, the Institute produced a report entitled 'The Delegitimization Challenge: Creating a Political Firewall'.[21] This analysed "the erosion in Israel's diplomatic status over the past few years, which reached its peak with the Goldstone report" and the "frustrating outcomes of the Second Lebanon War (07/06) and Operation Cast Lead (01/09)."[22]
An executive summary of this report interpreted the situation in terms of two forces, a 'Resistance Network' composing Islamist and Arab nationalist opponents of Israel, and:
- The Delegitimization Network, primarily comprising organizations and individuals in the West - mostly Arab and Islamic groups, so-called post-Zionist Jews and Israelis, and elements of the radical European political left - negates Israel's right to exist based on a variety of political and philosophical arguments.
- Both groups take their inspiration from the collapse of the Soviet Union, East Germany, and apartheid South Africa.[23]
The summary argues that "Israel must embrace a network-based logic and response by: Focusing on the hubs of delegitimization such as London, Toronto, Madrid, or the Bay Area and undermining its catalysts".[24]
One activist criticised by the Reut Institute, Ali Abunimah, commented on this report:
- It blames "delegitimizers" and "resisters" for frustrating the two-state solution but ignores Israel's relentless and ongoing settlement-building drive -- supported by virtually every state organ -- calculated and intended to make Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank impossible.
- It never considers for a moment that the mounting criticism of Israel's actions might be justified, or that the growing ranks of people ready to commit their time and efforts to opposing Israel's actions are motivated by genuine outrage and a desire to see justice, equality and an end to bloodshed. In other words, Israel is delegitimizing itself.[25]
Contact
- Address: 126 Yigal Alon St., Tel Aviv 67443, Israel
- Phone: +972-(0)3-6950090
- Email: office@reut-institute.org
- Website: www.reut-institute.org
Resources
Notes
- ↑ About Reut, Reut Institute, accessed 26 February 2010.
- ↑ About Reut video, Reut Institute, accessed 28 May 2012.
- ↑ Many Plans, No News, Thomas L. Freidman - The New York Times, accessed 28 May 2012.
- ↑ Gideon Grinstein biography, Reut Institute, 28 May 2012.
- ↑ About the Reut Institute: FAQs, Reut Institute, accessed 28 May 2012.
- ↑ About Reut: Methodology, Reut Institute, accessed 28 May 2012.
- ↑ Gideon Grinstein biography, Reut Institute, 28 May 2012.
- ↑ About Reut: Training, Reut Institute, 28 May 2012.
- ↑ Reut Policy Network, Reut Institute, 28 May 2012.
- ↑ Eroding Israel’s Legitimacy in the International Arena, Reut Institute, 28 January 2010.
- ↑ Eroding Israel’s Legitimacy in the International Arena, Reut Institute, 28 January 2010.
- ↑ Managing Board, Reut Institute, accessed 26 February 2010.
- ↑ Annual Report 2004, Reut Institute,28 May 2012
- ↑ About Reut: FAQsReut Institute, 28 May 2012
- ↑ Reut Institute Charter,Reut Institute, 28 May 2012
- ↑ About Reut,Reut Institute, 28 May 2012
- ↑ Board of Governers - A. Naor, Jewish Agency, May 28, 2012
- ↑ Reut Timeline, Reut Institute, May 28, 2012
- ↑ About the Reut Institute: FAQs, Reut Institute, accessed 28 May 2012.
- ↑ About Reut, Reut Institute, 28 May 2012
- ↑ The Delegitimization Challenge: Creating a Political Firewall, Reut Institute, 14 February 2010.
- ↑ The Delegitimization Challenge: Creating a Political Firewall, Reut Institute, 14 February 2010.
- ↑ The Delegitimization Challenge: Creating a Political Firewall, Reut Institute, 14 February 2010.
- ↑ The Delegitimization Challenge: Creating a Political Firewall, Reut Institute, 14 February 2010.
- ↑ Ali Abunimah, Israel's new strategy: "sabotage" and "attack" the global justice movement, The Electronic Intifada, 16 February 2010.
