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. 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.
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.