Dear MEPIN Readers,
I have just returned from two weeks in Israel, where I met with intelligence, defense, and political leaders; spent time with the Israeli Navy in Ashdod and IDF intelligence in the Jordan River Valley; viewed the devastation in both southern Lebanon and Gaza; visited the main humanitarian zone in Gaza at Kerem Shalom; and spoke with the IDF lawyer defending Israel in The Hague against charges of genocide. I also met with war correspondents such as my friend Jonathan Spyer, held off-the-record conversations with IDF soldiers—including an ultra-Orthodox unit—and much more.
The second half of my visit was spent leading the annual MEPIN/Keshet seminar with my friend and colleague Yitzhak Sokoloff, whose deep knowledge of Israel and the region is extraordinary. Our last seminar took us to Qatar, Oman, and Dubai—where, in Doha, we met the Qatari Ambassador to Gaza who oversaw monthly payments to Hamas in exchange for quiet. As history has shown, that strategy failed.
Please take a few minutes to watch this four-minute video, (along with some photographs from my site visits) where I share some key takeaways from my trip—insights that often fly under the radar.
Best regards, Eric
