2013 John Gandel Symposium
Danny Ayalon began by addressing the two “mega-trends” affecting world current affairs – economic integration and political disintegration – and the implications of these phenomena on Israel’s security and regional stature. Ayalon emphasized that, as a technological power defined by a spirit of innovation and creativity, Israel has managed to achieve a unique “cross-pollination between academy, industry and innovators.” Ayalon opined that this technological might is translated into political power, particularly on the bilateral level – “because we have something to bring to the table with countries like China, who need and want our technology.”
While globalization and economic integration present Israel with the means to exert influence on the global stage, political disintegration – the other phenomenon that Ayalon cited as defining the world today – also plays into Israel’s hands, as there is no clear alliance of Arab countries that can coalesce against the Jewish state. The downside, Ayalon remarked, was that the weakening of the region’s centralized governments is leading to the breakdown of longstanding security arrangements on Israel’s borders, particularly along the Golan Heights and Sinai frontier.
On Iran, Ayalon stated that he doesn’t think the Iranians will become a nuclear power, primarily due to international pressure – implying that the increasing isolation of the regime coupled with its internal problems will force it to abandon its drive towards nuclear weaponization. Regarding the Palestinian issue, Ayalon, traditionally seen as a hawk, asserted his belief that “it is very much in Israel’s interest to bring this conflict to finality, and I think that the two-state solution is agreed upon by everyone, including the Likud, whether they say so or not. The only question is the price and the road to get there.”