Until recently, Iran, leading a Shi’a Islamist theocracy, posed a critical threat to Israel’s national security through its radical Islamist proxies—Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Popular Mobilization Units, and the Houthis. Hezbollah, at the forefront of the so-called “axis of resistance,” sought to encircle Jerusalem with a hostile ring of fire. Israel’s decisive strikes against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and the Assad regime in Syria triggered a surge of Sunni Islamism in Syria, now backed by Turkey, Qatar, and Sunni Islamist movements across the Levant, North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. Despite Israel's enhanced border security, uncertainty remains over the diverse threats posed by Islamist and Salafi-jihadi groups. This lecture explores the rise of Sunni Islamism in the Levant, its global connections, and its ideological stance toward Israel.
Dr. Robert G. Rabil is a professor of political science at Florida Atlantic University and a leading expert on Salafism, radical Islam, and U.S.-Arab-Israeli relations. An internationally recognized scholar, he holds a doctorate from Brandeis University and has received numerous honors, including an honorary doctorate and FAU’s Scholar of the Year award.
"Dr Rabil is an authority on Middle East history which helps you to understand the current situation going on over there. His personal experience and extensive studies are incredibly helpful in his lectures" OLLI Patron
Live In-Person with Video Catch-up. Available 2-3 business days after the live lecture.
