Forum of Strategic Dialogue

Zohar Palti

Chair
Zohar Palti retired from government service in 2022 after four decades in some of the most sensitive positions in Israel’s national security establishment. Among his positions, he served as director of the Policy and Political-Military Bureau at Israel's Ministry of Defense, where his responsibilities included conducting Israel’s defense ties with strategic partners around the world and directing defense and security relationships with foreign countries. He let the Mossad Intelligence Directorate and was the counterterrorism chief of the organization. Before that, Palti served for twenty-five years in the IDF Intelligence Corps. In addition to his roles in Israeli military and intelligence, he held several research positions, including senior research fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center and as a visiting military fellow with The Washington Institute in 2004. In a rare honor for a foreign official, upon his retirement Palti was awarded the U.S. Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, in recognition of “his major contribution to bolstering U.S.-Israel strategic defense relations.” Palti is member of the Advisory Board of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). He is also a consultant for private U.S. companies.

Pascaline Wagemans

Director
Former Deputy Director (2017 to 2022) and Project & Research Manager (2014 to 2017) at the FSD, Project & Research Coordinator at ELNET (2013 to 2014), and an evidence-based consultant (2010 to 2011) and Business Analyst (2008 to 2009) at IMS Health, a leading global information and technology services company. Ms. Wagemans holds an MA in conflict resolution and mediation from Tel Aviv University, as well as an MA and a BA in Business Engineering from Solvay Business School.

Mission

ELNET’s Forum of Strategic Dialogue (FSD) organizes and facilitates high-level strategic dialogues between Europe and Israel, focusing on the major geopolitical issues facing both parties and on Israeli-European relations. The FSD provides a unique platform for “Track 1.5” dialogues involving governmental and non-governmental participants in brainstorming and exchanges that go beyond the constraints of formal inter-governmental dialogues.

Goals

  • To promote an in-depth dialogue between Israeli and European officials and experts in the fields of national security and foreign policy
  • To enhance mutual understanding and advance joint interests
  • To establish professional ties and personal relations

Gallery
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Former Chairs

Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin

Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin, served as Head of the Israeli Defense Intelligence, Director of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), and is a senior security and foreign policy expert. He served 41 years in the IDF, as a member of the General Staff, Deputy Commander of the Air Force, Commander of Combat Squadrons, and Commander of Air Force Bases. Formerly an IDF attaché to the United States, Maj. Gen. (res.) Yadlin served as Head of the Defense Intelligence Directorate from 2006-2010. In 2015. Among Yadlin’s academic credentials are degrees in economics and business administration with honors from Ben Gurion University of the Negev, as well as a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University. Major General (ret.) Amos Yadlin joined the Belfer Center at Harvard University as a senior fellow in September 2021 and also serves as a consultant to international companies.

Amb. Michael "Mike" Herzog

Mike Herzog retired from active duty in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as brigadier general in 2010, after a long and distinguished career. His service included heading the Strategic Planning Division of the IDF and working with four ministers of defense as senior military aide and chief of staff. Since 1993, Herzog has actively participated in nearly all of Israel’s peace negotiations with the Palestinian, Syrians and Jordanians, including in the last round of Israeli-Palestinian talks in 2014. With the signing of the Abraham Accords, he oversaw the launching of ELNET’s Europe-Middle East Forum, a new platform bringing together Israeli, European, and Arab leaders aimed at strengthening regional normalization. In 2021, Mr. Herzog was nominated as Israel's next Ambassador to the United States.

Dialogues

ELNET established a total of 12 strategic dialogues. The first Strategic Dialogue, between France and Israel, was launched by ELNET in 2010. The success of this event led to collaboration with additional prestigious European and Israeli think tanks and governmental institutions, and to the establishment of the FSD in 2013.

Today, the FSD carries out annual Israeli-European bilateral dialogues with key countries, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain. The FSD has also established multilateral dialogues, including with the EU, NATO, the US-Europe-Israel Trilateral Strategic Dialogue, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Europe-Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Forum.

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