The dramatic escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine should prompt not only horror, grief, and dismay, but also reflection and action toward lasting peace and justice.

This virtual panel will provide expert perspectives on past and future prospects for peace and justice in Israel and Palestine. The event will include a moderated discussion with members of the audience.

The goal of this conversation is to deepen understanding by creating a space for dialogue between scholarly experts and individuals with a variety of perspectives and experiences. Our conversation will center humanity and the possibility of future repair, and encourage good faith participation, while also recognizing the trauma and grief that so many in our community are experiencing. Our ability to speak and learn is accompanied by a responsibility to listen and respect human life. We will stand firmly against any attempt to intimidate, threaten, or harass any member of our community, as we continue to seek possibilities for peace and restorative justice.

Panelists

Uriel Abulof, Associate Professor, Politics, Tel Aviv University Leena Dallashesh, Independent ScholarIan Lustick, Professor Emeritus, Bess W. Heyman Chair in Political Science, University of PennsylvaniaModerator
Rebecca Slayton, Judith Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies Director and Associate Professor, Department of Science & Technology, Cornell University

Register to join this virtual event

Event Host
Judith Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, part of the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies

Cosponsors
Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies
Department of Near Eastern Studies

Laidlaw Scholars at Cornell will share their summer research and leadership-in-action experiences at this annual symposium.

Beginning in the Klarman Hall Auditorium, a panel of scholars will share their work and experiences. The presentation will be followed by poster presentations throughout the Groos Family Atrium.

The Laidlaw Undergraduate Leadership and Research Scholarship Program provides generous funding to first- and second-year undergraduates over two years as they pursue internationally focused research, engage in leadership training and a leadership-in-action experience, and join a global network of like-minded peers.

Learn more about the program, which is administered by the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies with leadership training support from the David M. Einhorn Center for Community Engagement.

The Department of Near Eastern Studies will offer a panel discussion, “Understanding Events in Israel – Palestine” from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26 in Room 165 of McGraw Hall (Note: Location has changed to allow for greater occupancy, but seating is limited)

Panelists will provide historical context for the recent developments in the region and respond to questions from the audience.

Panelists will include:

Ross Brann, Milton R. Konvitz Professor of Judeo-Islamic Studies & Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow, Department of Near Eastern Studies (A&S);

Alexandra Blackman, assistant professor, Department of Government (A&S); and

Paul Kohlbry, postdoctoral associate, Department of Anthropology (A&S).

Deborah Starr, professor and chair in the Department of Near Eastern Studies in the College of Arts & Sciences, will moderate the panel.

PACS Distinguished Lecture

Dmitri Alperovitch, a leading national security expert, will explain why he believes that China's Xi Jinping is preparing to conquer Taiwan in the coming years—and the dire stakes for the world if he is not deterred. Alperovitch makes the case that we are already in the midst of a second Cold War with Taiwan as the perilous strategic flashpoint of this new conflict. The conflict risks triggering a devastating war between major nuclear powers in a similar role that West Berlin nearly played during the first Cold War.

Laying out a comprehensive strategy to deter war and maintain the United States' status as the world's leading superpower in the face of rising China, Alperovitch breaks down the significant weaknesses that can prevent China from surpassing the U.S. and the key policies that will enable America to maintain primacy even as China ramps up its efforts. As Alperovitch explains, we must play to our strengths and address our weaknesses, using our leverage as the strongest nation on the planet to tactfully navigate the next Cold War.

About the Speaker

Dmitri Alperovitch is an internationally recognized thought leader on geopolitics and national security. He is co-founder and executive chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, a think-tank focused on policy solutions in national security, trade and industrial security, and ecological and economic security. He is also the co-founder of the leading cybersecurity company CrowdStrike Inc.

Alperovitch serves on the Homeland Security Advisory Council of the Department of Homeland Security and as a founding board member of the U.S. government's Cyber Safety Review Board. He has previously served as a special advisor to the Department of Defense. He is the host of Silverado's "Geopolitics Decanted" podcast and author of an upcoming book, World On the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the 21st Century.

Event Host

Judith Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, part of the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies