Fourth Estate Room of the National Press Club
(529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20045 on the 13th floor).
Foreign policy experts will gather at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., from 8-10:30 a.m. Sept. 30, to discuss internal Palestinian security concerns, challenges to Israeli-Palestinian joint security, and the role of external actors in Israel-Palestinian security. Hosted by the University of Maryland’s ICONS Project, the event is free and open to the public and news media. The agenda and list of panelists are below.
The discussion centers on a recently conducted study (to be rolled out at the Sept. 30 event) seeking to evaluate strategic risks and identify knowledge gaps regarding potential future security environments and their implications for Palestinian security sector reform. Among the key elements reflected in the white paper was a unique collaboration among teams of social scientists to develop and run an ICONS simulation exercise designed to identify the key flash points that might result from an increase in autonomy for the West Bank in light of differing security requirements. The study and simulation were conducted for the U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (USSC) through the J-39 Strategic-Multilayer Assessment (SMA) Office of the Department of Defense.
The event will be held in the Fourth Estate Room of the National Press Club (529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20045 on the 13th floor).
- Members of the media interested in attending should contact Jessica Rivinius at rivinius@start.umd.edu.
AGENDA
Introduction and Summary: Jonathan Wilkenfeld – ICONS/University of Maryland
Operational Perspective: COL Brian Lamson -formerly with United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (USSC)
I. Challenges to Palestinian Internal Security
- Internal Palestinian Security Dilemmas: Abigail Desjardins – NSI
- Challenges and Opportunities for Sovereignty in a State of Limited Arms: Lauren Barr – formerly of ICONS/University of Maryland
- Governance and Security Challenges of non-Contiguous States: A Historical Perspective: Lauren Barr - formerly of ICONS/University of Maryland
II. Challenges to Israel-Palestinian Joint Security
- Competing Security Challenges: Mariah Yager – NSI
- Legitimacy and Sovereignty in an Environment with Competing Security Requirements: Allison Astorino-Courtois – NSI
III. The Role of External Actors in Israel-Palestinian Security
- Third Party Monitoring Missions: Best Practices for Building Legitimacy, Trust, and Transparency: Lauren Barr – formerly of ICONS/University of Maryland
- Optimizing the Impact of International Community Investment in Security, Economy, and Governance to Support a Functioning State: Allison Astorino-Courtois – NSI
IV. The ICONS Simulation: Challenges, Risks, and Opportunities for Legitimacy and Sovereignty between Neighbors with Competing Security Requirements: Devin Ellis – ICONS/University of Maryland
V. The Arabic Twittersphere and International Security Forces in Palestine: A Social Media Analysis: Jacquelyn Manly – Texas A&M University
VI. Neuroscience and Psychology: Helping International Actors Understand the Minds of Others: Nicholas Wright – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
About ICONS
For 30 years, the ICONS Project has been nexus of innovative training and research using participant driven simulations. From policy planning exercises on national security, to training programs for crisis management and basic research in political science, education, and psychology, ICONS simulations have supported and contributed to a wide range of disciplines. ICONSnet, the Project’s online simulation platform, supports simultaneous participation in exercises from many geographic locations.