The American Israel Public Affairs Committee announced Monday that its 2022 policy conference would be canceled due to COVID-19.
AIPAC President Betsy Berns Korn said in an official statement via Twitter that ''[W]e hoped that by now we would have had greater certainty, more clarity, and the definitive answers needed to determine whether we can safely host a Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. in 2022. The health and safety of our conference delegates is our top priority each year. Unfortunately, there are still too many questions that remain unanswered to move forward responsibly, and thus we have made the decision to cancel the 2022 AIPAC Policy Conference.''
The statement continued, saying that ''[W]e are now at the stage of planning that requires us to make those financial commitments. After considerable review, we feel strongly that signing contracts at a time of such continued uncertainty about the safety of the conference and our delegates would be an irresponsible use of the resources you entrust us to use wisely.''
AIPAC maintained, however, that its mission will continue regardless, saying that ''[W]hile we will not host a Policy Conference in 2022, our vital and sacred work of strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship continues,'' and that ''[T]his year, we will demonstrate even greater ingenuity and will expand upon the innovations we introduced over the past year to advance our mission and strengthen our community. Our lobbying for pro-Israel legislation will be as robust as in previous years — and even more so — with new and creative ways to engage members of Congress and their staff.''
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.