Washington Forum 2011: Keynote Address

Ambassador Ron Prosor is Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. With over two decades of experience in Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Prosor served as Israel’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2007-2011, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2004-2007, Chief of Staff to the Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom from 2003 to 2004, and Senior Deputy Director General of the Ministry in 2004. As an officer in the Artillery Division of the IDF, Mr. Prosor attained the rank of Major and is a graduate of the IDF Battalion Commanders.

Video unavailable.

Puneet Talwar

Puneet Talwar is the Senior Director for the Gulf States, Iran and Iraq at the White House National Security Council. He is responsible for overseeing U.S. policy in Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman. He works closely with his counterparts in foreign governments and throughout the federal government. He advises President Obama, Vice President Biden, National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough, and Homeland Security Adviser John Brennan. A foreign policy veteran with more than 20 years of experience, Mr. Talwar previously served as the chief Middle East advisor to Vice President Biden during his tenure on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As a chief interlocutor with top government officials throughout the Middle East, Mr. Talwar played a prominent role in the Iraq War debate and the ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention in the Senate.

FDD President Clifford D. May Closing Remarks

Clifford May is President of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He has had a long and distinguished career in international relations, journalism, communications and politics. Mr. May spent nearly a decade with The New York Times as a reporter in both New York and Washington, an editor of The New York Times Sunday Magazine and as a foreign correspondent. He is a frequent guest on national and international television and radio news programs including CNN and MSNBC, providing analysis and participating in debates on national security issues. He writes a weekly column that is nationally distributed by Scripps Howard News Service and is a regular contributor to National Review Online, The American Spectator and other publications.