November 10th, 2025 / 7:00-8:30 p.m. / Moltke Hall, Federal Ministry of Defense, Fontainengraben 150, 53123 Bonn

Recent developments have given rise to cautious optimism that the war against Israel unleashed by Hamas two years ago, with its devastating consequences for the civilian population on both sides, could be curbed, at least temporarily. The American peace plan negotiated by US President Donald Trump and the diplomatic efforts of numerous states have currently made a ceasefire possible, which may pave the way for further negotiations.

Regardless of the deep-rooted historical conflicts in the Middle East and the ongoing debate about the causes and effects of the spiral of violence, a remarkable shift in public perception has been observed over the past two years: The initial horror at the shocking massacres perpetrated by Hamas against the Israeli population has increasingly given way to international, and in some cases also Israeli, criticism of the military operations in the Gaza Strip. It became clear that a careful distinction must be made between expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian civilian population affected by the war and an apologetic or even supportive attitude toward the terrorist organization Hamas, which was repeatedly accompanied by openly anti-Semitic demonstrations on German streets.

Against this backdrop, we would like to discuss the security and foreign policy situation in the region, current developments, and their implications for Europe and Germany with a former member of the military diplomatic service at the German embassies in Brussels, Paris, and Tel Aviv.

The Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS) at the University of Bonn, in cooperation with the Society for Security Policy (GSP), the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), and the Clausewitz Society (Regional Circle West), invites you to a joint lecture event at the Federal Ministry of Defense.