Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin Delivers Fourth Annual Schiff Memorial Lecture
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | April 1, 2011
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WASHINGTON -- Weeks of revolution and turmoil across Arab states underscore the fact that Israel is not the central focus of Arab politics, retired major general Amos Yadlin, Israel's former top intelligence official, told a standing-room-only crowd at The Washington Institute's fourth annual Zeev Schiff Memorial Lecture earlier this week. Cautioning against both euphoria and gloom in assessing the implications of the "Arab Spring," he instead urged a methodical country-by-country analysis of how popular protests and regime reactions are likely to affect regional security.
"I think that there is a new understanding, not in Israel, not in the United States, but in the Arab Street, that Israel is not the core problem of the Middle East," said Yadlin, who just completed five years' service as head of Israeli military intelligence. "We must be very careful in our response to provocation. It would not be wise to play into the hands of those who want to divert the attention from the real problems of the Arab world to Israel." His remarks were delivered to a standing-room-only crowd attending The Washington Institute's fourth annual Zeev Schiff Memorial Lecture on Middle East Security.
A much decorated fighter pilot who served as deputy commander of the Israeli Air Force and as Israeli defense attache in Washington, General Yadlin argued that democratic change in Syria and Iran would provide the greatest improvement to Israel's security situation. Iran, he noted, was most likely surprised by the show of force displayed by the Obama administration in committing military power in Libya. At the same time, General Yadlin -- who just joined The Washington Institute as its new Kay Fellow -- raised concerns that Iranian leaders may seek to speed up their country's nuclear weapons program as a way to deter other nations from contemplating Libya-style intervention in support of anti-regime protesters.
The Washington Institute established the Zeev Schiff Memorial Lecture series to honor the late Israeli journalist and longtime Institute associate Zeev Schiff, who passed away in 2007. Previous Zeev Schiff Memorial Lectures have been delivered by IDF Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, IDF Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Moshe Yaalon, and Israeli minister of defense Ehud Barak.
Audio, video, and transcript available online.
About the Washington Institute
The Washington Institute is an independent, nonpartisan research institution that advances a balanced and realistic understanding of U.S. interest in the broader Middle East. Drawing on the research of its fellows and the experience of its policy practitioners, the Institute promotes informed debate and scholarly research on U.S. policy in the region.