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Conflict and Cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean

The European Roundtable-Series

On December 13th, 2018 the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Israel together with the Europe Institute of Bar-Ilan University organized the third European Roundtable Session on the topic of “Conflict and Cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean”.

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On December 13, 2018 the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Israel together with the Europe Institute of Bar-Ilan University organized the third European Roundtable Session on the topic of “Conflict and Cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean”.

After a short welcoming speech by the organizers, the first lecture discussed the development of the terror organization Al-Qaeda and presented its long-term strategic goals: The liberation of the Muslim community (“Umma”), the overthrowing of disloyal regimes in the Arab world and the expulsion of infidels from the Islamic world. Additionally, the terrorist attacks on the US embassies in Kenia and Tansania as well as the invasion of the so-called Islamic State in 2014 into Syria and Iraq and the subsequent proclamation of the caliphate were also highlighted. According to the experts, the success of Anti-ISIS war coalition and sinking oil prices heavily reduced the terrorist groups’ resources, which resulted in ISIS’ failure of governing the caliphate.

The ensuing lecture discussed Israel’s strategic challenges in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Beside the monopoly on the use of force within the state and legitimacy among the population, access to the sea is vital and essential to Israeli sovereignty. Since more than 90% of the total world trade takes place via maritime supply routes, more and more states recognize the security implications of the sea access. The Chinese “Belt and Road Initiative” was equally mentioned, which affects around 62% of the world's population and 35% of the global economy and might highly contribute to the transformation of international relations. The axis Tehran - Moscow – Damascus, as the lecturer concluded, emerged invigorated from the last years of the Arab Spring. Iranian engagement in Syria did not only lead to a mass exodus of war refugees but also increased the Iranian threat to Israel. Syria has already been making its navy available for Iranian arms sales to the radical Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip, while in return Iran is logistically supporting and training Syrian troops. In the past, the Israeli navy has been able to detect large quantities of Iranian arms deliveries during routine inspections, which were also intended for the Shiite Hezbollah.

The Round Table ended with a lively Q&A session, which was continued at a joint dinner with the speakers and participants.

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