More than 1,300 people to attend Israeli American Council conference in Washington • Speaker list includes wide array of top Israeli and American leaders • "Conference will be a show of international support for Israel," IAC chief executive officer says.

Yoni Hersch

Against the backdrop of the ongoing Palestinian terror wave in Israel, the Israeli American Council kicked off its second annual national conference in Washington on Saturday. The conference will last until Monday.

The IAC was founded with the goal of uniting the community of Israelis who live in the U.S. This year's conference was to feature addresses by wide array of prominent Israeli and American leaders, including Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Minister Yuval Steinitz, Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog and House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce. Congressmen Brad Sherman, Peter Roskam and Eliot Engel were also to address the conference.

The U.S.-Israel relationship and the battle against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement were expected to be among the main topics of conversation at the conference.

More than 1,300 people registered to attend the conference.

"The conference will be a show of international support for Israel on U.S. soil," Shoham Nicolet, the chief executive officer of the IAC, said before the start of the conference. "We are excited about what will be another historic event for the Israeli American community in the U.S."

IAC board member Shawn Evenhaim said, "This is an event which will bring a wide range of opinion makers from across the political spectrum to the capital of the U.S. and send a clear message of unity, demonstrating the vital importance [of the IAC]."

Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson were set to play a key role in the IAC conference. As the largest contributors to the IAC, the Adelsons have been instrumental in increasing the IAC's activities in the U.S. and they are now hoping to expand its operations around the world.