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Just days after Israel's President Isaac Herzog reassured the Biden administration about the state of democracy in Israel and praised the importance of bilateral relations with the US in his speech before the US Congress, the Knesset passed a portion of the controversial judicial reform shortly before its parliamentary summer break in late July. The debates surrounding the reform, which its opponents view as a threat to the democratic nature of the state, along with protests from various groups, have significantly heightened societal polarization in Israel over the past few months. Additionally, security experts have increasingly warned of risks to Israel's internal and external security. These concerns were seemingly confirmed when, in the course of the last few weeks, more and more reservists declared their refusal to serve - in protest against the government's plans. Fears of a progressive erosion of social cohesion and consequently diminishing national resilience, which is considered by Israelis as an essential component of both internal and external security, are finding their foreign and security policy equivalent in the tense security situation on Israel's northern border, an escalating spiral of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, a more aggressive settlement policy under the current government, as well as closed doors for Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington and in the Arab Gulf. Israel's Prime Minister, who in the past was attested by supporters and opponents alike to have an excellent sense of foreign and security policy – often referred to as "Mr. Security" – has propelled himself into a predicament in this area as well; his hardline political coalition partners have played a not inconsiderable role in this. An overview of the current regional foreign and security policy developments highlights the various areas of tension.
Besides the Taiwan issue, the South China Sea is currently the geopolitical hotspot in the Indo-Pacific. China's ultimate claim to nearly 90 percent of the sea area is causing territorial disputes with Southeast Asian littoral states and fueling tensions with power rival the United States in the region.
Russia's expanded and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine since February 2022 continues to determine NATO's course. While the response to the vaguely formulated Ukrainian membership perspective in NATO varied widely after the recent summit in Vilnius, the allies' positioning against Russia's aggression is supported by a broad consensus. Both, the measures agreed upon by the allies in the summits' communiqué and further bilateral agreements reached in recent months, leave no doubt: NATO partners stand together.
A battle between the world's two most populous states is looming on the border between India and China: at the end of 2022, a violent confrontation once again occurred between the two nuclear powers. The consequences of this conflict could be more far-reaching than German politicians have suspected so far. In any case, Germany started late in considering the Indo-Pacific as a security-relevant region. But instead of now consistently applying the conclusions of the turn of the times to India - especially against the backdrop of the Ukraine war - it remains mostly with declarations of friendship.
Debatte mit Innenminister Stübgen im Braugewölbe Fürstenwalde
Bericht zu unserem Online Mittagsgespräch mit Dr. Patrick Bronner über KI, ihren Potentialen und Risiken und darüber, wie sie sinnvoll in den Unterricht integriert werden kann
Mali has asked the U.N. Peacekeeping mission in the West African country to leave. The military government is focusing on its partnership with Russia to battle jihadists. While the army has regained some territory with the help of Russian mercenaries and Russian-made helicopters central Mali, a hotspot of violence, but is unable to keep territory.
The fourth article of the publication series deals with the interconnectedness of terrorism and transnational organised crime in West Africa.
The third article of the publication series deals with the linkage of regional terrorist groups (JNIM, ISWAP and ISGS) with terrorist networks outside the region (North Africa, Central Africa and East Africa).
The second article of the publication series deals with the current state of terrorist threats. It focuses on the development of the Islamic State (IS) in the region and the current operational capabilities of ISWAP and ISGS.
