Top British think tank's Mideast chief meets Israeli officials
Dr. Claire Spencer, head of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House, was guest of WJC chief Ronald Lauder for week-long trip.
Dr. Claire Spencer, head of the Middle East and North Africa Program at prestigious London think tank Chatham House, met with Michal Grayevsky, the Israeli representative of World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder, and Zionist Union co-leader Tzipi Livni in Tel Aviv last week.
Spencer, who is responsible for the overseeing of all research, seminars and publications relating to the Middle East and is a known critic of Israel's policy towards the Palestinians, was Lauder's guest for a week-long visit that included meetings with political, legal, economic and security leaders as well as a helicopter trip over Israel's borders.
"There's nothing like seeing the country and meeting the personalities here in order to show the positive sides of Israel that are rarely written about," Grayevsky said.
"Chatham House is one of the leading strategic research centers in the world and it's important to present Israel in this light," she added.
Dr. Spencer was a guest of both the WJC and the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy at IDC Herzliya.
