Top Israeli analysts to speak in Melbourne and Sydney
Maj Gen (res) Yaakov Amidror will headline a group of senior analysts who are coming to Australia later this month for the Be’er Sheva Dialogue, an annual military to military exchange facilitated by the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA) in Israel, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) and the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC).
Ehud Ya’ari, Efraim Inbar and Maj-Gen (res) Yaakov Amidror
Members the community will have the chance to hear from Amidror, BESA director Prof Efraim Inbar and prominent Israeli journalist Ehud Yaari at panel discussions in both Melbourne and Sydney.
The topic for these public events is “Israel in a changing and challenging Middle East”.
Maj Gen (res) Amidror is a former IDF major-general and National Security Advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He was also head of the Research Department of Israeli military intelligence. Rosshandler Senior Fellow at Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA).
BESA director Prof Efraim Inbar is a professor of Political Studies at Bar-Ilan University, an expert on Israeli strategic doctrine, US Middle East policy, US-Israel relations and on the Middle East balance of power.
Ehud Ya’ari is an international fellow of The Washington Institute, Middle East commentator for Israel’s Channel Two television, a former associate editor of Jerusalem Report and the author of eight books on the Arab-Israeli conflict as well as Peace by Piece: A Decade of Egyptian Polity and Sinai: The New Front?
“This is unmissable opportunity to hear from three of Israel’s brightest minds about the complexities of the region,” AIJAC executive director Colin Rubenstein said.
“We are at this time witnessing geopolitical shifts that will affect the Middle East for decades to come. The intervention of Russia has seen the Syrian civil war begin to turn in the regime’s favour, while Iran, invigorated by the P5+1 nuclear deal, is vying to increase its influence across the region. In the meantime, Israel has seen new avenues of communication open up with one-time foes that share her concern about Tehran’s belligerence.
“The perspectives of these three experts will help in understanding exactly what is occurring and what the longer-term effects may be.”
The annual Be’er Sheva dialogue is in its second year after successfully launching in Israel last year.
Former IDF commander Maj Gen (res) Gershon Hacohen, co-founder of the Washington-based Hudson Institute Dr Max Singer, BESA researcher Dr Alon Levkowitz and BESA Senior Research Associate Dr Eitan Shamir are also coming to Australia to participate in the defence and security exchange.
“The Dialogue is a valuable opportunity for top Australian and Israeli minds to collaborate on areas of mutual interest and further solidify the close relationship between our two countries,” Rubenstein said.
Last year, prominent Australians including Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, Western Australian Senator Linda Reynolds, former ASPI chairman Stephen Loosley and former senior Australian Army officer Maj Gen Jim Molan (ret) travelled to Israel for the Be’er Sheva Dialogue.
The Melbourne event is on Sunday, October 30, 7:30 pm at Beth Weizmann Community Centre. Admission: $8 ($5 concession). Enquiries: (03) 9681 6660.
The Sydney event is on Wednesday, November 2, 7:30pm at Central Synagogue. Admission: $10 ($5 concession). Enquiries: (02) 9360 5415.
