On Monday, September 16, the New Israel Fund held a conference on the intersection of security and politics in partnership with Israel’s newspaper of record, Haaretz, and the political-security joint program run by the Berel Katznelson Foundation and the Mitvim Institute.
The unequivocal message that emerged from a series of panel discussions and high level speakers was that there are profound limits to what military power can accomplish, and that Israel’s security rests on its willingness to seek out a diplomatic path towards peace.
Dr. Omer Zanany, a Lieutenant Colonel in the IDF reserves who heads the political-security unit of the Berel Katznelson Foundation and Mitvim Institute, criticized the approach of the Israeli government. “The alternative exists,” he said. “But in Netanyahu’s Israel, only force brings security.”
Multiple speakers noted that the notion that Israel must forever live by the sword is inherently defeatist and that Israel would be better off if it pursued diplomatic options that can provide lasting security. Such a security framework could undergird the flourishing of all people – Palestinians and Jews alike. In contrast, the notion that Israel can simply “manage” the conflict was proven to be a failure by the terrible events of October 7.
In her speech at the conference, NIF President Rachel Liel spoke directly to this point. “Millions of Israelis these days feel existential fear and great anxiety for their personal security,” she said. “If we are interested in leading a real change in how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is treated [in the public discourse], we must take these fears seriously and provide them with a convincing answer.”
The commitment to democracy and human rights, Liel added, in no way contradicts a commitment to people feeling safe in their homes, towns, and country.
The conference gathered speakers from the Israeli opposition, the Palestinian political class, and other activists, leaders, and journalists for in-depth discussions.