Join us for our annual Headliner Series Major Gifts* dinner, featuring an intimate opportunity to meet and engage with David Makovsky & Ghaith al-Omari, two of America’s foremost voices on Israel and the Middle East.
$52 pp | dinner catered by 518Kosher & supervised by the Vaad Hakashruth of the Capital District
Households receive a complimentary photo opportunity with Makovsky & al-Omari. Photos taken by Joan Heffler Photography.
You will have the opportunity to privately make a gift to support your Jewish community.
*Minimum gift of $5,000 to the Federation Annual Campaign or $100,000 commitment or gift to the Jewish Community Endowment Fund.
Please register by Wednesday, September 9: jewishfedny.ticketspice.com/headliner-2026
The Iran War and its Aftermath | What’s Changed for Israel, the Middle East—and What Comes Next?
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 lies ahead.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?
Together, they will offer firsthand insight, historical context, and a candid look beyond the headlines—examining how the region has changed, what these shifts mean for Israel and its neighbors, and what may come next.
At 7:30 p.m., the evening opens to the entire community for Makovsky and al-Omari’s presentation, followed by a dessert reception.
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 the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations. He is also an adjunct professor in Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and president of the board for the National Library of Israel's U.S. affiliate (NLI-USA). In 2013-2014, he worked in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of State, serving as a senior advisor to the Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations.
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