Watch Webinar – Three Years Since October 7: Reflections and the Threats Ahead
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October 7, 2023, was without parallel in Israeli history. Invading Hamas forces indiscriminately killed more than 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped and wounded hundreds more. In the three years following the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust, Israel conducted major military operations across seven fronts that severely degraded Iran’s military and nuclear programs, as well as its proxies Hezbollah and Hamas. The United States and Israel also took bilateral security cooperation to new heights in the wake of October 7, culminating in unprecedented joint operations against Iran earlier this year.
An eighth front has also arisen behind these military successes, as Israel’s enemies have spearheaded a global information warfare campaign—one that often blends into antisemitism and, at times, violence against Jews worldwide. Some critics have even alleged that Israel tried to commit genocide in Gaza , a claim which over 75 retired U.S. military leaders forcefully reject in a newly released JINSA letter.
To reflect on October 7 and its consequences, JINSA hosted a webinar with several leading experts to discuss the tragic attack, the multifront war that followed, and the future of the region, Israel’s self-defense, and its partnership with the United States.
The webinar featured JINSA Distinguished Fellow IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, former head of Israel’s National Security Council; JINSA Distinguished Fellow IDF MG (ret.) IDF MG (ret.) Amikam Norkin, former Commander of the Israeli Air Force; MAJ John Spencer, USA (ret.), Executive Director of the Urban Warfare Institute; and JINSA Randi & Charles Wax Senior Fellow John Hannah.
The discussion was moderated by JINSA President and CEO Michael Makovsky, PhD.
IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror is a Distinguished Fellow at JINSA. Prior to joining JINSA, MG Amidror was the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel, as well as the head of Israel’s National Security Council. Among other distinguished postings, MG Amidror also served as Director of Israel’s Intelligence Analysis Division. |
IDF MG (ret.) Amikam Norkin IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror is a Distinguished Fellow at JINSA. Prior to joining JINSA, MG Amidror was the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel, as well as the head of Israel’s National Security Council. Among other distinguished postings, MG Amidror also served as Director of Israel’s Intelligence Analysis Division. |
MAJ John Spencer, USA (ret.) MAJ John Spencer, USA (ret.) is the Executive Director of the Urban Warfare Institute. He he served as an advisor to the top four-star general and other senior leaders in the U.S. Army as part of strategic research groups from the Pentagon to the United States Military Academy. |
John Hannah John Hannah is the Randi & Charles Wax Senior Fellow at JINSA. Hannah served in a range of U.S. government positions, including National Security Advisor to the U.S. Vice President and Senior Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State. |
Michael Makovsky, PhD Michael Makovsky, PhD, is President and CEO of JINSA. Makovsky is a former senior Pentagon official and is a leading policy expert on U.S.-Israel defense ties, U.S. Middle East policy, and the role of energy in U.S. national security policy. |