Israel’s Evolving Security Challenges and Relations with the United States

In our first program, Ambassador Dan Shapiro and Dr. Sarah Feuer sit down to discuss Israel’s Evolving Security Challenges and Relations with the United States -Recent moves on the part of the Trump Administration implicating the Israeli-Palestinian arena, and the strengths and potential vulnerabilities of the U.S.-Israel relationship moving forward. How likely is a deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and how might such a deal affect Israel’s relationship with Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. How is Israel assessing the northern broader threat from Iran, both in terms of its potential nuclear capabilities and its destabilizing activities throughout the region? In the Israeli-Palestinian arena, how does the current American administration’s approach differ from those of its predecessors and what are the prospects for a breakthrough in the event the Trump White House unveils a new peace plan? Finally, to what extent might a decline in support for Israel among certain key American constituencies, and a decreased American involvement in the Middle East, affect the U.S.-Israel relationship in the near to medium term?