Israel-US relations in the shadow of war

Tel Aviv University Alumni Organization, led by Sigalit Ben Hayoun, held a webinar in panel format on "Israel-US relations in the shadow of war" 

The speakers who participated in the panel were:

• Prof. Itamar Rabinovich - the sixth president of Tel Aviv University, former Israel Ambassador to the United States, professor emeritus of Middle Eastern History at Tel Aviv University, and an alumnus of the Faculty of Humanities at the same university.

• Asaf Zamir - former Consul Generals of Israel in New York, former member of the Israel Knesset on behalf of the Resilience to Israel party in the former Blue and White faction, former Minister of Tourism and former Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv, and an alumnus of the Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University.

• Prof. Udi Sommer - professor at the Political Science Department at Tel Aviv University, Founder and Head of the Center for the Study of the United States at Tel Aviv University, and an alumnus of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Tel Aviv University.

• Dr. Yael Sternhell - Head of Tel Aviv University American Studies Program

The panel moderator:

• Dr. Yoav Fromer -  Head of the Center for the Study of the United States at Tel Aviv University, and an alumnus of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the same university.

As part of the panel discussion, Prof. Itamar Rabinovich stated:

"The Hamas attack in Gaza contributed to the United States returning involvement in the Middle East in an effort to curb the Iranian axis."

In his remarks, Prof. Udi Sommer said:

"In the world after the Black Sabbath of October 7, the relationship between the US and Israel deepened in an unprecedented way. The leadership shown by President Biden, which was received with great enthusiasm by the Israeli public, the strategic support at the regional and international level, and moral clarity are crucial for the continuation of the Zionist project. At the same time, Israel's dependence on the US has deepened. The main lesson from the events of recent weeks is that Israel's place in the axis of Western liberal democracies is guaranteed if we are smart enough to protect our democratic institutions. It's that simple."

Dr. Yael Sternhell emphasized that:

"Israelis who celebrate Joe Biden's support for Israel should understand that the moment will come, and it is approaching, when Biden will have to take into account the huge Muslim community in the US as well as the young people in his own party, both of which will demand to stop  unilaterally supporting Israel and  to propose a solution to the war that also takes into account the Palestinians interests and not just the needs of the Israeli government."

The panel moderator, Dr. Yoav Fromer, presented the speakers with many questions that were asked by the audience and which contributed to the fruitful and in-depth discussion that took place between the speakers on such important issues.
 

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