Merridor believes that the U.S. must reduce its oil dependency to stabilize the Middle East.

Sallai Meridor: I think this is a major issue – a major issue for us all. And I think that we have to move fast forward in developing new technologies which will decrease the dependence of western societies and the world as a whole on oil, and especially oil that is coming from regions that are so volatile, vulnerable, and subject to influence of extremist trends. So the more we invest in finding alternative sources of energy, the more we encourage our scientists to focus on this matter, and the more responsible we will be for our children. And I am now wearing my hat as the Ambassador of Israel. This is one of the areas where I hope Israel and the United States could cooperate. We’ve done tremendously in so many areas that are of critical importance both to the United States and Israel. We have – the United States obviously, but Israel too – the best scientists worldwide. And I think that we are to encourage them to sit together and bring promise to the world that our grandchildren will be less dependent on oil than we are.

Recorded on: 7/3/2007 at The Aspen Ideas Festival