On October 27, Israel will hold what may be its most consequential election in decades.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces his first electoral test since October 7, 2023. Recent polls suggest the anti-Netanyahu parties could gain a majority in the Israeli Knesset but may find it difficult to form an alternative coalition to replace the incumbent government. How might different election outcomes shape Israel’s approach to Iran, Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria? What could be the impact on relations with the United States, countries in Europe, and old and new partners in the region, including Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates? How would the makeup of the next government affect domestic policy, from relations between the judiciary and the legislature to the issue of Haredi conscription, to growing fiscal strains after years of war?
The discussion will feature three experts on Israeli policy and politics, Dr. Shira Efron, Distinguished Chair for Israel Policy and a Senior Fellow at the RAND corporation, Neri Zilber, veteran journalist and correspondent for the Financial Times, and Dr. Natan Sachs, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute.
Speaker Biographies
Dr. Shira Efron is the Distinguished Chair for Israel Policy and a Senior Fellow at RAND. A leading expert in Israeli and Middle Eastern affairs, Dr. Efron brings two decades of experience in policy analysis and research in a variety of Washington think tanks. She had previously also advised Israel’s Ministry of Defense and its National Security Council and was a consultant for the UN focusing primarily on Gaza.
Neri Zilber is a veteran journalist and analyst covering Middle East politics. He is currently a correspondent for the Financial Times, and also serves as an advisor to Israel Policy Forum, where he hosts the Israel Policy Pod.
Dr. Natan Sachs (Moderator) is a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute and an adjunct lecturer at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His research and commentary on US foreign policy, Israeli foreign policy and domestic politics, and Middle East affairs have been widely published and frequently quoted in outlets such as The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, CNN, BBC, PBS, NPR, Yediot Aharonot, and Haaretz.
