LECTURE WITH Q&A Israel’s War with Hamas: Lessons Learned from Asymmetric Warfare

This talk reflects on the lessons learned from Israel’s three wars with Hamas in 2008, 2012, and 2014, and the tensions that continue today. Dr. Yael Aronoff, Chair of Israel Studies and Associate Professor at Michigan State University, will examine the challenges that Israeli leadership faces in navigating the difficult dilemmas posed by conflict with non-state actors, who often dress as civilians and wage war among civilians.   She explores how Israel’s army manages the tension between deterring combatants while also responding to various pressures to act with restraint. The war that the United States is fighting with ISIS raises similar dilemmas and offers a useful framework for comparison.