Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies
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The Begin–Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA Center) is an Israeli think tank affiliated with Bar-Ilan University and supported by the NATO Mediterranean Initiative, conducting policy-relevant research on Middle Eastern and global strategic affairs.
BESA Center publications and policy recommendations are directed towards senior Israeli decision-makers in military and civilian life, the defense and foreign affairs establishments in Israel and abroad, the diplomatic corps, the press, the academic community, leaders of Jewish communities around the world, and the educated public.[1]
Contents
Official narrative
The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA Center) says it "seeks to contribute to the advancement of Middle East peace and security by conducting policy-relevant research on strategic subjects, particularly as they relate to the national security and foreign policy of Israel."[2]
The center sponsors conferences, lectures, and briefings for international and local audiences, bringing together leading experts from academia and public life, from Israel and abroad. The center has developed cooperative relations with leading strategic research institutes throughout the world, from Ankara to Washington and from London to Seoul. The center conducts specialized research on contract to the Israeli foreign affairs and defense establishment, and for NATO.[3]
History
According to the BESA Center website:
- The Center was founded in 1993 by Thomas O. Hecht, a prominent Canadian Jewish community leader. A long-time leader of the Canadian pro-Israel lobby and former president of Israel Bonds and the United Israel Appeal, Hecht also was a close associate for thirty years of the late Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin. Dr. Hecht dedicated the center to the memory of Begin and the late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat — who together concluded the first Arab-Israeli peace treaty.[4]
The Destruction of Islamic State is a Strategic Mistake
In 2016, professor Efraim Inbar published a paper, Destruction of Islamic State is a Strategic Mistake, arguing that "The West should seek the further weakening of Islamic State, but not its destruction," prolonging the life of IS, since "a weak IS is, counterintuitively, preferable to a destroyed IS." He strategized how "IS can be a useful tool" in undermining Iran and Hezbollah. For that reason, Inbar wanted to prolong the war on Syria as long as possible, in order to achieve "positive change".[5]
Known members
8 of the 73 of the members already have pages here:
| Member | Description |
|---|---|
| Edwin Black | |
| Eliot Cohen | Spooky academic labelled "the most influential neocon in academe" |
| Irwin Cotler | Canada's Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada 2003-2006. "Totally unabashed defender and supporter of Israel". Member of numerous spooky think-tanks. |
| Lawrence Freedman | Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London, single Bilderberger |
| Joe Lieberman | Lawyer-Senator whom Sibel Edmonds named in 2006 as one of her "Dirty Dozen". |
| Brian Mulroney | Former Canadian Prime Minister |
| Barry Rubin | Closely affiliated with the pro-Israel lobby in the United States, as well as Israeli think tanks. |
| Norman Spector | Canadian Bilderberger journalist |
References
- ↑ https://besacenter.org/about/mission/
- ↑ BESA Center About Us, BESA Center website, accessed 21 August 2009
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/06/01/530907722/trump-keeps-u-s-embassy-in-israel-in-tel-aviv-for-now-and-most-israelis-shrug
- ↑ BESA Center About Us, BESA Center website, accessed 21 August 2009
- ↑ https://besacenter.org/destruction-islamic-state-strategic-mistake/
