Israeli Perspectives on the Post-October 7 Middle East Crises

Israel has been transformed by the interlocking but, to some extent, independent series of crises arising from the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel. With the war in Gaza, skirmishing against Hezbollah, and heightened tensions with Iran due to deadly attacks on U.S. forces by pro-Iranian militia groups and attacks in the Red Sea by the Houthis, Israeli foreign policy, national security doctrines, and regional diplomacy have been thrown into disarray. Security failures on October 7 and major controversies about the war in Gaza and fate of the hostages have weakened Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s already frayed political standing. Israel’s political scene and regional role appear deeply altered by the Hamas-led attacks and the aftermath.

To examine these changes and evaluate Israel’s emerging strategic outlook and regional position, AGSIW has assembled a panel of Israeli voices representing a range of perspectives. The panel will examine how Israel’s thinking about its security has changed and what has remained consistent. It will consider whether Israel is achieving its goals, and whether, in fact, there are any consensus goals at all. How have Israel’s regional relations evolved since October 7, and what is the status of its peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, recently normalized relations with Abraham Accords countries, and, especially, prospects for the normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia? How have attitudes toward the Palestinians and Palestinian statehood developed? And what do Israeli policymakers think of U.S. policy toward the region, which emphasizes Palestinian statehood more than ever given the potential for annexation and even the expulsion of Palestinians in Gaza and, more precisely, the West Bank? How will Israel seek to balance its growing territorial ambitions in the occupied Palestinian territories with its long-sought goal of broader regional and international acceptance? And what impact will international reactions, such as U.S. policy and South Africa’s genocide case at the International Court of Justice, have on Israel’s policies and prospects?

The views represented herein are the author's or speaker's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of AGSI, its staff, or its board of directors.