Bar-Ilan University’s Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (The BESA Center), in partnership with the Department of Political Studies and Bar-Ilan University’s International School, hosted a briefing over Zoom for the foreign diplomatic community in Israel almost two weeks after the brutal, unprecedented terror attack committed by Hamas on Israel’s southern communities around the Gaza strip.
The briefing’s objective was to provide the diplomatic community with a deeper understanding of the political and strategic implications of the Israel-Hamas war.
Approx. Thirty-five senior officials and military attachés participated in the briefing, including representatives from Turkey, the Netherlands, Rwanda, Spain, the EU, the US Embassy in Ankara, and Brazil.
The BESA Center is an independent, non-partisan think tank conducting policy-relevant research on Middle Eastern and global strategic affairs, particularly concerning Israel’s national security, foreign policy, and regional peace and stability.
Prof. Moshe Lewenstein, BIU’s Deputy President, welcomed the delegates and spoke about how closely the university has been affected by the attacks:
- Thirty civilians and soldiers, including students, alumni (that we know of), and immediate family of faculty members and administrative staff, were murdered or died while fighting.
- Three immediate family members of faculty and students are among those who were taken hostage.
- Many were injured, and some lost their family homes.
Prof. Eitan Shamir, BESA Director introduced the five researchers from the BESA Center, who were going to present topics related to their specific research areas.
Prof. Shamir spoke on “Israel’s War Objective,” while Dr. Elai Rettig from the Department of Political Studies and a BESA Senior Research Fellow, covered “The Gaza War, Energy, and Geopolitics.”
“The Path to a Decisive Military Outcome” was presented by Col. (res.) Shay Shabtai, BESA Deputy Director, and Prof. Jonathan Rynhold, Head of the Department of Political Studies, spoke about the “International and Regional Implications of the Gaza War.”
The final speaker, CDR. David A. Levy, USN (Ret.), a BESA Senior Research Fellow, covered the “US Forces, Messaging, and Purpose.”
The presentations were interesting and enlightening, and the BESA Center plans to host regular discussions about the current war with Hamas.
Articles
Below, you will find links to thought-provoking reports written by the different researchers relating to their abovementioned topics and a few more.
The End of Mowing the Grass: If Israel Wants to Continue to Exist, It Must Uproot Hamas from Gaza
– Prof. Eitan Shamir
Cutting the Electricity Supply to Gaza – Consequences and Implications – Elai Rettig.
Iron Swords I: A Fundamental Miscalculation on Both Sides That Must Lead to the Defeat of Hamas – Col. (res.), Shay Shabtai
Iron Swords II: ‘It is a New Regional Order, Stupid’, and it must include the Demilitarization of Political Islam – Col. (res.), Shay Shabtai
Hamas Leadership and America’s Extradition Option – CDR. David Levy
URGENT: An Israeli Strategy for a Post-Hamas Gaza – Prof. Jonathan Rynhold and Dr. Toby Greene, lecturer in the Department of Political Studies
Electronic Interviews
Prof. Jonathan Rynhold was interviewed on JW3 – Israel Briefing @ JW3 with Prof. Jonathan Rynhold
The following interviews took place on ChaiFM, the Jewish radio station in South Africa.
Discussing the Comments Made by the United States Government that the IDF is Not Ready for a Land Incursion Yet – Prof. Eitan Shamir
Possible Reason for the Delay in the Land Incursion by Israel – Prof. Eitan Shamir
The Effects of the War on the Oil Price In the Middle East – Dr. Elai Rettig
Will the War Impact the Israel and Saudi Normalization Deal? – Prof. Jonathan Rynhold
