More than 75 years of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians have seen periodic outbreaks of hostilities and efforts to bring peace based on a two-state solution. More recently, on 7th October 2023, the Palestinian group Hamas, officially designated a terrorist group by many countries including Israel, the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, commenced an armed assault against Israel.

In this discussion, Dr Yaron Brook will provide a new perspective on the moral dimensions of the Israel-Hamas war. Brook will delve into the historical context, political intricacies, and human rights considerations that underpin this longstanding conflict, and challenge your conception of right and wrong. From civilian deaths to military tactics, from international law to ethical dilemmas, Brook will explain where Israel and Palestine stand on the moral compass. Whether you’re well-versed in the conflict or seeking to broaden your understanding, this discussion promises to challenge assumptions and inspire critical reflection on one of the most contentious issues of our time.

The Henry Jackson Society is delighted to invite you to hear from Dr Yaron Brook as he discusses one of the longest-running conflicts in the world and what has been underpinning it.

Yaron Brook was the Executive Director of The Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) for 17 years and continues as Chairman of the Board of ARI.

Brook was born and raised in Israel. He served as a first sergeant in Israeli military intelligence and earned a BSc in civil engineering from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel. In 1987 he moved to the United States where he received his MBA and PhD in finance from the University of Texas at Austin; he became an American citizen in 2003. For seven years, he was an award-winning finance professor at Santa Clara University.

Brook has co-authored many books focused on capitalism and the morality of real free markets: In Pursuit of Wealth: The Moral Case for Finance (2017), Equal Is Unfair: America’s Misguided Fight Against Income Inequality (2016), and Free Market Revolution: How Ayn Rand’s Ideas Can End Big Government (2012). He is also currently the host of the Yaron Brook Show podcast where he discusses news, culture and politics from the principled perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism.

Marc Sidwell is Director of Research at The Henry Jackson Society. He has worked as a senior editor for the Telegraph and City A.M. and as publisher for the New Statesman. Marc has also written regularly for publications including Telegraph, The Critic, National Review and City A.M. He is a Senior Fellow at the New Culture Forum, and a graduate of Oxford and Warwick.

To register for Online attendance click HERE. To be able to attend In-Person kindly submit the form below.

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EVENT SUMMARY

The Henry Jackson Society was delighted to host an event with Dr Yaron Brook, chaired by Marc Sidwell. Dr Brook began the discussion by emphasising the genocidal intent behind Hamas’s actions and the organisation’s explicit goal to destroy Israel and its population. He criticised the muddled Western response to the conflict, singling out the UK and U.S. for their simultaneous support and criticism of the Israeli government. Brook argued that such positions weaken the moral clarity that is necessary to defeat ideologies which threaten freedom. The discussion then moved onto the consequences of Hamas’ governance of Gaza as Brook underlined the lack of economic development and freedom under the group’s rule. He placed this in stark contrast to Israel’s democratic values and the state’s respect for human rights. Brook concluded by highlighting that peace is unattainable without a decisive victory over Hamas, asserting that a foundation for a lasting peace can only be achieved through the Palestinian’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist. In the following Q&A, questions were raised on the best way to end the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza, whether Yaron was surprised at the level of antisemitism in the West after October 7 and if Hamas considered Israel’s reaction when it planned and carried out the October 7 attacks.

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