A war game simulating a large scale outbreak of the coronavirus in the Gaza Strip underscored that Israel has no way to prevent a spread of the pandemic in Gaza, but it can take steps to alleviate the situation. Among the principal proposals: Israel should already transfer vital medical aid to the Gaza Strip; work with the World Health Organization and other relief agencies to mobilize medical resources for the area; avoid obstructing any initiative to establish an emergency government by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas; and...
It is no exaggeration to say that this is the first time since World War II that such large parts of the world’s population have faced a multi-system crisis with severe and long term consequences as those of the coronavirus pandemic. In the early days of the spread of the virus it was already clear that even though the world is aware of the dangers of nuclear, chemical, and biological war and has even adopted treaties and conventions with the purpose of restricting the production and proliferation of such weapons, it is not...
The UN Security Council recently published its periodic report on Resolution 1701 (2006). Against the backdrop of severe security incidents and political challenges in Lebanon, and alongside traditional formulations, there are some salient new elements in this report: extensive and relatively detailed attention to the restriction on freedom of movement and access of UNIFIL forces in South Lebanon; exposure of the active role played by the Lebanese government and military in violating 1701 and impeding the implementation of the UN...
What role do civil society agents play in diplomatic processes in an era defined by increasing civil power? The current paper analyzes civil society action in the UN Human Rights Council vis-à-vis Israel during 2016 as a case study to assess civil society action conducted by activists who venture into diplomatic processes once reserved solely for professionally trained, official diplomats. The paper’s central claims are that official players and civil society actors share the same spheres of activity, and that alongside any military...
In mid-October 2019, against the background of increasing anti-semitic incidents – demonstrated most vividly in the shooting in Halle, Germany on Yom Kippur – Ahmed Shaheed, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, presented a report to the UN General Assembly entitled “Elimination of All Forms of Religious Intolerance,” focusing on anti-semitism. The 19-page report, a comprehensive effort to deal with anti-semitism on a global scale, warrants attention not only because it...
July 12, 2019 will mark the thirteenth anniversary of the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War; August 14 will mark the anniversary of its end under Security Council Resolution 1701; and discussions will be held at the United Nations headquarters regarding a renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate for another year. Resolution 1701 called for a ceasefire, prevention of renewed hostilities, and establishment of the area south of the Litani River as an area free of non-governmental arms, and called on Lebanon to impose its sovereignty over its...
The INSS 12th annual international conference addressed the web of challenges and opportunities Israel faces at the start of 2019. As in previous years, we chose strategic issues from the different spheres – domestic, regional, and international – that make up Israel’s strategic reality, and examine these individually and in context of one another. Continuing a trend from our previous conferences, we approached Israel’s national security priorities critically from a variety of perspectives.
The most salient topic in the UN secretary-general’s recent report on the implementation of Resolution 1701 are Hezbollah’s attack tunnels dug from Lebanon to Israel, exposed and neutralized during IDF Operation Northern Shield. Israel’s efforts in this regard, from actions on the ground to diplomatic activity, exposed additional dimensions of the challenging reality in southern Lebanon, particularly Hezbollah’s coordination of activity with the Lebanese government and its armed forces. In light of evident restrictions on UNIFIL’s...
According to the report presented by the Commission of Inquiry (COI) established by the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate the use of force surrounding the events at the Gaza fence, there are reasonable grounds to believe that in the vast majority of cases the use of live ammunition by Israeli soldiers against the demonstrators was unlawful and may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity. The report claims that the demonstrations were civilian in nature, had clearly stated political aims, and despite some...
The Six Day War was a formative event in the history of the State of Israel. From the perspective of fifty years, it is clear that many of the lessons to emerge from the war are multi-faceted, and many are fraught with tensions and complexities that deserve close analysis. This essay focuses on the effects of the war and its outcomes on Israel’s geostrategic position in the Middle East, its status with respect to the superpowers, and its national security policies. While there are issues that are as valid today as they were in 1967,...
On August 31, 2018, the Trump administration announced that the United States will cease funding UNRWA, citing the organization’s operational-business model as unsustainable, given its “endlessly and exponentially expanding community of entitled beneficiaries.” This decision is no less than historic. Although the Palestinians view it as a serious blow, if it is presented as a necessary step on the path to Palestinian statehood, it has the potential to harbor long term, positive implications. While Israel should certainly...
In recent weeks there has been a flurry of activity on issues pertaining to Israel at the United Nations, and the United States has regularly come to Israel’s aid. The article looks at three developments that provide a stark example of the strategic asset that the special relationship with the current US administration lends Israel, along with the limitations of this alliance. While the benefits are clear, particularly in the Security Council, Israel must consider scenarios in which the special relationship does not or cannot...
