One project brought together young leaders of the Israeli Likud Party and the Palestinian Fatah. Although tensions existed at the outset, participants discussed a range of common problems and recognized the importance of working together to deal with them. The Mission The E Bureau builds mutual understanding between people of the United States and other nations through a wide range of international exchange programs, including the Fulbright Scholar and Student programs, International Visitor program and Citizen Exchange program. These programs build a foundation for conducting U.S. foreign policy and advancing the country's national interests. Many U.S. Ambassadors consider exchange programs one of the most important tools in conducting foreign relations.
Exchange programs are a critical element of public diplomacy.
Because they are required by law to present a balanced view of America's diverse society and opinions, these programs create the understanding and trust that help people all over the world put U.S. policies in context and create confidence in American leadership. E Bureau programs address many issues of importance to the United States. The Likud-Fatah program, for example, supports foreign policy initiatives. For many years Israelis and Arabs have been brought together through a variety of projects that build a foundation of trust for the United States as an honest broker for peace. The bureau's programs, covering a broad range of foreign institutions, give the U.S. access where a formal presence would be unwelcome.