100 Israeli business chiefs to promote peace at Davos

The delegation includes Ofra Strauss, Rami Levy, Moshe Lichtman, Yossi Vardi, Shlomi Fogel, and Yehudit Bronicki.

A group of 100 Israeli leading businesspeople will go to the World Economic Forum (WEC) in Davos this week to promote peace with the Palestinians on the basis of two states for two nations. The delegation, organized by Breaking The Impasse (BTI) includes Ofra Strauss, Rami Levy, Moshe Lichtman, Shmuel Meitar, Yossi Vardi, Shlomi Fogel, Danny Rubinstein, Prof. Itamar Rabinovich, Ruth Hashin, Yehudit Bronicki, and Morris Kahn.

"We must urgently reach a diplomatic settlement says," BTI. "The conflict is harming everyone, and a diplomatic settlement will have far-reaching consequences on the societies and economies of both sides. We're not engaged in borders or security arrangements, but we know that if Israel wants a stable economy and to enjoy a better future and continued growth, we must reach a diplomatic settlement. The world is losing patience and the threat of sanctions is growing daily. We have a window of opportunity with the arrival of John Kerry to the region, and we must exploit it."

The businesspeople will promote the peace process in the same week that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will try to do the same time at a series of meetings at Davos.

The BTI delegation to Davos is sponsored by WEC chairman Prof. Klaus Schwab. The conference will devote a whole day to an Israeli-Palestinian settlement and its economic effects on Israel and opportunities for regional development. At Davos, the delegation's members will meet statesmen and economic leaders from around the world to discuss the urgency of a diplomatic settlement.

The special meeting, scheduled for Sunday, January 26, will include WEC officials and Israeli and Palestinian businesspeople. US Special Envoy and former Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk, Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni, Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erakat and businessman Munib Masri will speak.

BTI is an apolitical initiative of Israeli and Palestinian businesspeople who believe in the urgency of a diplomatic settlement to the conflict. It has more than 300 members who represent a substantial part of Israel and the Palestinian Authority's GDP.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 20, 2014

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2014

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