Plenary Sessions
Plenary Sessions: September 11-12
This session will focus on the various terrorist threats afflicting Israel; aiming to examine the threat of different terrorist organizations, lone actors and more. The goal of the session is to raise and analyze the trends, and the threats inherent within them, and if possible- to offer potential solutions.
*This session will be conducted in Hebrew and simultaneously translated into English.
What is lone wolf terrorism? Who are the lone wolf attackers? Do they exist or are there always part of a bigger network? Is there a rise in this phenomenon and how much of a threat does it actually pose? All these and more will be discussed during the plenary session on lone wolf terrorism. Attempting to understand the phenomenon, its global implications and variations, and to consolidate a coherent and effective response, this session will bring together academics and practitioners, allowing for a comprehensive brainstorming.
Sixteen years, three presidents, two major wars and countless terror attacks later; this session will review the changes in the United States’ counter-terrorism since the September 11th attacks in 2001. This panel will analyze the strategy, its evolution (or lack thereof), attempting to understand what the strategy is, how and why it has changed, and whether certain elements are more effective than others.
As more and more areas in Iraq and Syria are liberated from ISIS, as the fall of Mosul and Raqqa draws near, the question of “what follows” becomes increasingly relevant. Will pressure on the organization in one place, like a half filled balloon, cause an expansion into another area? Will the demise of one head, like a mythological hydra, cause the growth of multiples? Or, will the defeat of such a symbolic nature bring the organization to its knees? Such questions will be discussed by experts in the field; all attempting to understand what ISIS, and terrorism in general, will look like once the organization is defeated in Iraq and Syria.
In partnership with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Israel
Terrorism is fought not only on the battleground, in the banks, in mosques and in courtrooms, but also on the diplomatic level. A panel hosting present and former ambassadors, all who will give their diplomatic perspective on terrorism and counter-terrorism. Allowing for a uniquely global analysis, this session will look through a prism never before used, attempting to shed new light on an old phenomenon.
Plenary Sessions: September 13-14
Is the relationship between Israel and Hamas comfortably stable? Is the dynamic, despite changes and shifts along the way, still the same? Will changing leaderships, updated charters, new technologies, and shifts in the Arab world change the course of history? Or, does the more the threat of Hamas change, the more it stays the same? This session will offer a critical review of the threat Hamas poses to Israel; tactical, strategic and political. With a distance of three years from the last major clash between the two, the panel will analyze the situation; the explosiveness of it, the mitigation and response options, and perhaps- the possibilities of diffusing it.
Slightly more than a decade since the last war between Israel and Hezbollah, and we are still asking ourselves whether a third Lebanon War is not a question of if, but rather when. While Iranian disinclination, and Hezbollah involvement in Syria push back the possibility of war, the increasingly armed areas surrounding Israel’s northern borders have military generals on edge. This session will attempt to understand the dynamics of the Third Lebanon War; the situations in which it might break out, and the situations which might prevent it.
In a world becoming increasingly global and constantly changing, no region has changed as much, or garnered as much attention, as the Middle East. Characterized by fluctuating stability, twists and turns, dead-ends and short cuts, the relations and relationships in the Middle East can only be considered a maze. This session aims to examine this maze, to analyze the bi-lateral relations Israel has with its neighbors, in an attempt to understand, normalize and improve these relationships.