One of America's most influential diplomats on Middle Eastern affairs in recent history will speak at what's billed as the "biggest Jewish and pro-Israel advocacy event ever to hit Western Canada".

Dennis Ross—who worked at very high levels in the Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Obama administrations—will be among those giving presentations on May 5 at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs' Western Regional Policy Conference. It will be held at SFU's Segal Graduate School of Business in Vancouver.

Ross was special adviser to former secretary of state Hllary Clinton for the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia. This position put him at the centre of U.S. policies regarding Iran and Afghanistan.

Over the years, Ross has sometimes been criticized for being too pro-Israel. When he announced he was leaving the State Department, Time magazine reported that he had been demoted "in response to concern over Ross's positions on Iran". 

"In a new book co-authored by Ross called Myths, Illusions & Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East, Ross argues that tougher policies toward Iran—'either militarily or meaningful containment—will be easier to sell if diplomacy is attempted first," wrote Time's Massimo Calabresi and Michael Scherer.

One of Ross's highest-profile positions was as the Middle East envoy for former president Bill Clinton. In this role, Ross worked directly with Israeli prime ministers and foreign ministers, helping to bring about a peace treaty with Jordan.

In the George H.W. Bush administration, Ross was director of the policy planning staff for the State Department, dealing with everything from the reunification of Germany to the 1991 Gulf War.

During periods outside of government, he was based at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and chaired the Israel-based Jewish People Policy Planning Institute.

Ross was among those who supported the U.S.-led attack on Iraq in 2003, but later criticized the George W. Bush administration for not engaging in direct talks with the government of Iran. He has also urged Israel to provide housing to lure that country's settlers away from living in the West Bank.