Peace Picks | January 27- 31

Demolishing Democracy: How Annexationism is Bulldozing Israeli Institutions| January 27, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM | The Middle East Institute | Register Here

Around the world today, peoples are contending with the “democratic recession” and the rise of illiberalism. In Israel, these phenomena are inextricably linked to and driven by the occupation, settlements, and the quest for annexation.

At the outset of 2020, Israeli annexationists — egged on by fellow travelers in the Trump Administration and the U.S. Jewish and Evangelical communities — appear to be on the cusp of achieving their goal of formal annexation of the West Bank by Israel. The current situation did not arise overnight. Rather, it is the result of a decades-long drive to transform the territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 War into an integral part of sovereign Israel. This drive has inflicted serious damage on the institutions that comprise and are supposed to defend Israeli democracy.

Today, Israel’s democratic institutions are under ever-growing threat, including attacks and delegitimization from Israeli political leaders. With a final push to formal annexation looming, the integrity and viability of these institutions – and with them, the future of Israeli democracy – hang in the balance.

At this critical juncture, Yehuda and Debra will discuss how this happened, what it would take to change course, and what all of this means for Israel’s future and the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Speakers

Yehuda Shaul served in the IDF from 2001-2004 in the West Bank. He founded Breaking the Silence in 2004 with a group of fellow veterans. 

Debra Shushan Director of Government Affairs at J Street. 

Betrayed by an Ally: U.S. National Security in the Middle East | January 27, 2020 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM | Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies | Register Here

Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners have transferred American-made weapons to al Qaeda-linked fighters, hardline Salafi militias, and other factions waging war in the Middle East, putting U.S. national security interests in jeopardy.

Our expert panel will break down the variables surrounding this topic.

Speakers: 

Joel Rubin: Jewish Outreach Director for the Bernie Sanders Presidential Campaign 

Bassima Alghussein: CEO, Alghussein Global Strategies, Former White House Appointed Congressional Advisor

Jeff Stacey: Contributor to the New York Times 

Edward P. Joseph: Broadcast and print commentator, US Foreign Policy Professional, U.S. Veteran

Economic Sanctions: Assessing their use and implications for U.S. Foreign Policy | January 27, 2020 | 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Brookings Institute | Register Here

In the nearly two decades since the 9/11 attacks, the United States has expanded its use of economic sanctions to address a broad range of national security and foreign policy objectives. Through the innovative use of financial penalties and greater integration in the global banking system, sanctions have become the go-to tool of economic warfare. They are widely applicable, scalable, and can be comprehensive or targeted. Yet, with Washington’s increasing reliance on these policy instruments, serious questions remain about their long-term effectiveness and their potential to produce unintended consequences.

For sanctions to achieve strategic objectives they must be adapted to a new era of geopolitical competition and coordinated with other forms of diplomacy. To help make sense of the design, implementation, and implications of sanctions, Foreign Policy at Brookings will host a panel of experts with a combined background in the use of sanctions in Latin America, Europe, North Korea, and the Middle East.

Bruce Jones, vice president and director of the Foreign Policy program, will kick off the event with introductory remarks. He will be followed by a panel discussion with Brookings Senior Fellows Suzanne Maloney, Jung Pak, Ted Piccone, and Tom Wright, moderated by Jim Goldgeier, Robert Bosch senior visiting fellow. The session will conclude with questions from the audience.

Speakers: 

Bruce Jones Vice President and Director at Brookings Institute

Suzanne Maloney Deputy Director of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institute

Jung H. Pak Senior Fellow at the SK-Korea Foundation Chair in Korea Studies at Brookings Institute

On the Horizon: What to Expect in 2020 Wilson Center Experts Weigh In| January 27, 2020 | 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM | The Wilson Center | Register Here

In a world marked by complexity, volatility, and a din of competing agendas, the Wilson Center is the nation’s indispensable resource for decoding today’s most pressing foreign policy challenges. Leveraging its global expertise and perspective, award-winning scholarship and analysis, and a fiercely nonpartisan spirit, the Center informs actionable ideas for policymakers across the political spectrum.

Join Wilson Center experts for a global roundup of what’s on the horizon in 2020—from Russia, to Asia, to the ongoing regional trade negotiations—and what economic, political, and security trends are emerging regionally and throughout the world.

Speakers:

Jane Harman Director, President, and CEO, Wilson Center 

Cynthia J. Arnson Director, Latin American Program 

Robert Daly Director, Kissinger Institute on China and the United States 

Abraham Denmark Director, Asia Program 

James Dickmeyer Acting Director, The Canada Institute

Jean H. Lee Director Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy

Robert S. Litwak Senior Vice President and Director of International Security Studies 

Michael Morrow Senior Diplomatic Fellow

William E. Pomeranz Deputy Director, Kennan Institute

Matthew Rojansky Director, Kennan Institute

Michael Sfraga Director, Global Risk and Resilience Program and Director, Polar Institute

Duncan Wood Director, Mexico Institute

Russia in the Middle East at a Time of Growing Tensions: A View from Israel | January 28, 2020 | 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Woodrow Wilson Center | Register Here

As the targeted killing of Qassem Suleimani is reshaping power alignments in the Middle East, Russia is determined not to let its influence in the region weaken. From Russian weapons deliveries to Turkey and Iran, to the civilian nuclear reactor the Kremlin is helping Egypt build, to Vladimir Putin’s recent surprise visit to Syria: all of these are meant to send a message of the Kremlin’s intention to remain a player in the region. What are Russia’s strategic objectives in this moment of change? Is Russia looking to fill the power vacuum left by a weakening Iran? Two top Israeli analysts offer their perspectives.

Speakers  

Major General (Res.) Amos Gilead Executive Director of the Institute for Policy and Strategy (IPS), IDC Herzliya; Chairman of the IPS Annual Herzliya Conference Series

Ksenia Svetlova Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Policy and  Strategy (IPS),  Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya

Middle East in 2020: A Challenge for World Peace? | January 29, 2020 | 11:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Turkish  Heritage Organization | Register Here

Please join us for a timely panel to assess the recent security developments in the Middle East and implications for the world. 

Speakers

Moderator, Isil Acehan Visiting Professor, George Mason University 

Elena Pokalova Chair, College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University

James Carafano Vice President, Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, E.W. Richardson Fellow, Heritage Foundation

The Future of Multilateral Peacebuilding | January 29, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | United  States Institute of Peace | Register Here

In an era of rapid technological change and fraying traditional alliances, the international order that has overseen one of the most peaceful periods in human history is facing unprecedented challenges. While member states grapple with the utility and relevance of the United Nations in the 21st century, global fragility, conflict, and violence continue to escalate—exacting an enormous human toll. The imperative for collective global action to resolve the world’s most intractable conflicts has never been greater.

In light of these trends, it’s critical that the community of actors committed to global peace and security take stock of the successes, challenges, and innovations in multilateral conflict prevention, mediation, and peacebuilding. 

Join USIP, The Stimson Center, Alliance for Peacebuilding, and the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area for a timely discussion on the future of the multilateral system and the potential for practical, innovative reform with U.N. Undersecretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, the highest-ranking American currently serving at the United Nations and the first woman to hold the position. As a precursor to the U.N.’s 75th anniversary in 2020, this event will consider how the U.N. has modernized its conflict prevention and management resources to address the changing nature of conflict; how reforms of the U.N.’s political and peacebuilding architecture have improved its effectiveness, as well as what steps are still needed; and what practical actions U.S. and international policymakers can take to support more durable multilateral peacebuilding efforts. Join the conversation with #DiCarloUSIP.

Speakers

Honorable Nancy Lindborg President and CEO U.S. Institute of Peace

Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo Undersecretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, United Nations

Ms. Victoria Holt Vice President, Stimson Center

Ambassador Jonathan Moore Acting Assistant Secretary,  Bureau of International Organization Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Ambassador Lynn Pascoe Board Member, United Nations Association of the National Capital Area; former UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs

Ms. Uzra Zeya President and CEO, Alliance for Peacebuilding 

Ambassador George Moose Vice Chairman of the Board, U.S. Institute of Peace; Advisory Council Member, United Nations Association of the National Capital Area

Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula: Different Ways, Same Goal | January 31, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Stimson Center | Register Here

The issue of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula faces diverse challenges, as the US and North Korea are driven by their own strategic goals and perspectives on how to achieve them. Further complicating this issue are the different interpretations and policy solutions by South Korean and US experts. In this time of diplomatic impasse, join experts from the Stimson Center and Korea Nuclear Policy Society for this timely discussion on how to move forward in the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Speakers

Jenny Town Stimson Fellow and the Managing Editor of Stimson’s 38 North

Sang Hyun Lee Senior Researcher at the Sejong Institute in South Korea, and serves as President of the Korea Nuclear Policy Society (KNPS).

Yong-Sup Han Former Vice President and Professor of the Korea National Defense University and a former director of the Research Institute of National Security Affairs.

Il Soon Hwang Chair Professor of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) and an Emeritus Professor in the School of Energy Systems Engineering at Seoul National University.

Clint Work Stimson Fellow, jointly appointed to its Security for a New Century program and 38 North

Humanitarian Aid to Venezuela: The Need for a Global Response | January 31, 2020 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM | Center for Strategic and International Studies | Register Here

Compared to other countries in crisis such as Syria, South Sudan, and Myanmar, Venezuela receives significantly less humanitarian aid from the international community. Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis is yet to be a significant donor priority, despite levels of displacement that rival Syria’s (currently more than 15 percent of Venezuela’s entire population), and disease and hunger levels comparable to those found in sub-Saharan Africa.

This event will feature a high level keynote speech (to be announced). Following the keynote, a panel of CSIS experts will discuss the importance of humanitarian assistance from multiple angles, including the mitigation of destabilizing factors in the region, addressing increasing flows of refugees and forced migrants to other countries, the health implications of this ongoing crisis on the population, and the steps the international community can take to assist Venezuela.

Speakers 

Moises Rendon Director, the Future of Venezuela Initiative and Fellow in the Americas Program

Katherine Bliss Senior Fellow, Global Health Policy Center 

Erol Yayboke Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Project on Prosperity and Development

Jacob Kurtzer Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Humanitarian Agenda