Watch an expert conversation on how the United States and Israel – and their emerging Arab partners – can work together to address their growing mutual challenges.
In today’s globalized context, Israel is one of America’s most valuable strategic partners. In addition to sharing myriad U.S. interests and values, it also makes unique contributions to addressing hard and soft security challenges in the fields of artificial intelligence, drone/missile defense, public health, food/water security, climate resilience, and many more. To discuss how the two countries—and their emerging Arab partners—can work together on these growing challenges, The Washington Institute hosted a virtual Policy Forum with Henry Obering III and Samantha Ravich, who will join Institute fellows Michael Eisenstadt and David Pollock, coauthors of the recent transition memo “Asset Test 2021: How the U.S. Can Keep Benefiting from Its Alliance with Israel.” Institute executive director Robert Satloff will moderate the event.
Lt. Gen. Henry “Trey” Obering III retired from the U.S. Air Force with more than thirty-five years of experience in space and defense systems development and operations. Among his numerous posts with the USAF and NASA, he served as director of the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency.
Samantha Ravich is chairman of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Her extensive contributions as a policy advisor and academic include current posts with the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission and the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board’s Artificial Intelligence Working Group.
Michael Eisenstadt is the Kahn Fellow at The Washington Institute, director of its Military and Security Studies Program, and author of its recent paper “Deterring Iran in the Gray Zone: Insights from Four Decades of Conflict.” A specialist in Gulf and Arab-Israel security affairs, he served for twenty-six years as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.
David Pollock is the Institute’s Bernstein Fellow and director of Project Fikra. An expert on regional public opinion and political dynamics, he previously served as senior advisor for the broader Middle East at the State Department. His publications include the 2020 Institute study A Nation Divided: Palestinian Views on War and Peace with Israel.
