This is happening a few months after it became illegal for Israel to use an image of the Western Wall to advertise its Touristic Industry in the UK under the pretext that it violated the "truth in advertisement" legislation because the Western Wall is in occupied territory.

While most member countries of the OECD agreed to send delegations, it is very likely that neither Spain nor the UK will. What's the issue? The Conference will take place in Jerusalem. You could say they are trying to make a political point about what they consider the illegal Israeli occupation of Jerusalem. The only problem is that the Conference was scheduled to happen in Western (pre-67 Israel) Jerusalem and Israel made a commitment not to take the delegates to any part of Eastern Jerusalem.

There is an ongoing Campaign to delegitimize Israel in the family of Nations and make it a pariah, and the threat is serious. The support once enjoyed by Israel in Western Europe has eroded almost to the point of collapse, and the only staunch supporters Israel has left are the US and Canada.

The American Jewish Community needs to respond to the attempts by the "de-legitimizers" to erode support for Israel here as well, a campaign that has been very active in college campuses, intellectual circles and the media. This is NOT about blocking criticism of Israeli policies, for that criticism is a valid function of the Democratic discourse. What is needed is to stop those who are attempting to make Israel look as a reenactment of Appartheid South Africa that needs to be isolated and dismantled; to stop those who are calling for "the failed Israeli experiment to be dismantled" (David Irving, 2006).

The Federation Movement is stepping up to the plate in coordinating a wide coalition of groups including the religious movements and a wide variety of other groups, from the right to the left of the political spectrum. The initiative is called "the Israel Action Network" (IAN).

The first Age of Israel was the struggle for Independence; the second Age was marked by the struggle to absorb refugees from Europe and the Arab World while fighting terrorism and the Arab neighbors' hostility; the third Age was the age of consolidation that followed the 67 war; the fourth Age was the post-cold war era that included the Oslo agreements. We are in a new Age, an age in which, ironically, we need to go back to fight for the very same original issues Israel had to fight during its first Age: the recognition of the right of the Jewish people to self-determination.

We were not there before 48', but we are here now - this is our chance, step up to the plate. If you want to help, contact me at director@jewishdutchess.org