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 Energy Ministers of Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority met in Cairo in mid-January 2019 to discuss the establishment of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, which will serve as the umbrella for cooperation and dialogue regarding the development of gas resources in the region. While the subject of energy is the basis for the forum, there are also broader geostrategic processes that led to its establishment, and they reflect the regional states’ shared perceptions regarding the importance of...
In September 2017, the European Union (EU) updated its 2013 Cyber Security Strategy. The new version is intended to improve the protection of Europe’s critical infrastructure and boost the EU’s digital self-assertiveness toward other regions of the world. To prevent conflicts from spiraling out of control in cyberspace, the EU agreed on a so-called Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox in October 2017, which sets out possible countermeasures in case of an external cyberattack and raises the costs for perpetrators. The framework encompasses the...
The international arena has been marked by upheaval since President Donald Trump entered the White House, and policies and measures adopted by the US administration in 2018 have exacerbated the tension. In response, the other key international players, particularly Russia, European countries, and China, have had to adjust their policies to ensure that the unfolding dynamic does not damage their interests. These developments have directly affected the behavior of the international actors in the Middle East, and shaped the global...
President Trump has announced his intent to terminate the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, a major US-Soviet arms control treaty that eliminated an entire category of nuclear weapons in the final years of the Cold War. The expected withdrawal comes in light of ongoing US accusations of Russian violations of the treaty, first by testing and later (allegedly) deploying a limited number of missiles prohibited by the treaty. Expert opinion in the US on the expected pullout is split, as the move would have a...
The year 2017 marked 60 years since the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which was designed to realize the vision of a united European community. The treaty and the European Common Market represented the continuation of a complex and perhaps unique process in which the founding nations, and those that were subsequently admitted, agreed to give up elements of their sovereignty in favor of supranational European institutions. Over the years the member states have dealt with the unending tension between the desire to preserve their...
This chapter charts the response of Jewish communities to the atmosphere of political uncertainty prevalent throughout the European Union, examining the links between broader societal trends and rising anti-Semitism. It demonstrates why recent manifestations of anti- Semitism differ from previous occurrences, as European Jews now find themselves in a complicated relationship between the “new” left and the resurgent populist right in Europe. How Jewish communities have reacted to the new political instability and recent elections is...
Economic trade between Israel and the EU countries has flourished over the past decade. Despite political disagreements, Europe is still Israel’s largest and most important market, both for exports and for imports. This dominance is particularly reflected in the Israeli food market, in Israel’s import of vehicles, in the pharmaceuticals market, and in technological and scientific cooperation. The immigration crisis and the terrorist threats in Europe have spurred a significant increase in defense exports from Israel to Europe, and in...
The phenomenon of Israel’s delegitimization in the international arena has persisted for over a decade, and is primarily propagated by civil society activists who have organized transnationally and across borders to isolate Israel internationally. With the aim of gauging this phenomenon in a limited geographic area and timeframe, the current article asks “What are the central milestones in the phenomenon of Israel’s delegitimization as manifested in Europe in 2017?” The article’s central claims are that efforts to delegitimize Israel...
Historically Europe has been sidelined as a broker in the Middle East peace process, playing second fiddle to the United States. However, Europe plays an important role in any future scenario, and the internal social and political changes now underway will affect how it will engage with Israel in the coming years. This article provides an overview of European engagement in the peace process and proposes recommendations to promote a two-state solution using multi-faceted approaches to build a shared vision for peace. These emphasize:...
The nuclear agreement with Iran, which was followed by the lifting of sanctions, marked the beginning of a new chapter in Iran’s relations with Europe, in which both sides set out to rebuild their political and economic relations. The Iranian economy is in need of major investments, particularly in the infrastructure, transportation, energy, and civil aviation sectors. European companies, for their part, view Iran as a large market that was opened to them after years of being denied entry. The potential presented by the opening of...
Various motives have led the EU to strengthen its relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the regional bloc that includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait. To this end, the EU has over the years even presented a long list of diplomatic initiatives and policy measures. However, despite the potential for stronger relations, achievements have been limited and many of the initiatives never bore fruit. Consequently, notwithstanding the strategic importance of the Gulf, the European...
