The Iran War and its Aftermath | What’s Changed for Israel, the Middle East—and What Comes Next?
Featuring two of America’s foremost voices on Israel and the Middle East
At a pivotal moment for Israel and the Middle East, David Makovsky and Ghaith al-Omari bring two deeply informed and complementary perspectives to a conversation about what comes next. How has the Iran War changed Israel’s strategic position? What new challenges—and opportunities—could emerge for Israel, regional cooperation, the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-Israel relationship, and the Israeli-Palestinian landscape?
Followed by a community dessert reception
catered by 518Kosher & supervised by the Vaad Hakashruth of the Capital District
Tickets are required to attend
To purchase tickets, visit jewishfedny.org/tickets-makovsky-alomari
THE TOPIC
The military confrontation between US, Israel and Iran marked a watershed in the Middle East, but its ultimate significance will depend less on what occurred during the fighting than on what follows. Did the conflict fundamentally weaken Iran's regional position, or merely set the stage for another cycle of confrontation?
This presentation examines the strategic consequences of the war across the region. How much damage was inflicted on Iran's military and nuclear capabilities? Has Tehran's deterrence been significantly eroded, or will the regime adapt by relying even more heavily on asymmetric tools, proxy networks, cyber capabilities, and missile forces? What lessons have Israel, the Gulf states, and Washington drawn from the conflict?
The discussion also explores the broader regional landscape. How have Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Iranian-backed groups been affected? Can Arab states capitalize on Iran's setbacks to deepen regional cooperation, or will uncertainty encourage hedging among America's partners? What role will Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and emerging regional alignments play in shaping the next phase of Middle Eastern politics? How likely is Saudi Arabia to pursue the Abraham Accords with Israel after the upcoming Israeli election.
Finally, the presentation addresses the implications for U.S. policy. Has the conflict reinforced American deterrence, or increased the risks of future escalation? Can diplomacy still constrain Iran's nuclear ambitions, or has the region entered a prolonged period in which military preparedness and economic pressure will remain the dominant tools?
Rather than offering easy conclusions, this presentation provides a framework for understanding how the Middle East is being reshaped—and the critical indicators to watch as the region enters its next chapter.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
David Makovsky is a distinguished fellow and director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Project on Arab-Israel relations. He formerly worked at the office of the US Secretary of State and is an adjunct professor of Middle East Studies at John Hopkins University's Paul lNitze School for Advanced International Relations (SAIS). He is the host of the Decision Points Podcast, which is on their sixth season.
PBS Newshour Appearance in June: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-iran-and-israels-escalation-means-for-efforts-to-end-regional-conflict.
David has been invited to speak at NYC's prestigious Streicker Cultural Center Lecture series at Temple Emanu-El on Thursday, October 22, to discuss the Israeli elections the following week and the future of Israel. Others invited alongside him are Dan Shapiro, Dan Senor, Dahlia Scheindlin, and Bret Stephens.
Recently, David spoke at the prestigious Herzliya conference in Israel. On his panel was Tamir Pardo, former head of the Mossad; Amikam Norkin, former head of the Israeli Air Force; Tzachi Hanegbi, most recently head of Israel's National Security Council based in the Prime Minister's Office.
David has spoken at two General Assemblies hosted by Jewish Federation of North America.
Ghaith al-Omari, the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Senior Fellow in The Washington Institute's Irwin Levy Family Program on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Relationship, is the former executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine. He served as advisor to the negotiating team during the 1999–2001 permanent-status talks in addition to holding various other positions within the Palestinian Authority.
Sponsor: Jewish Federation of NENY