Prof. Moshe Maoz, a world renowned expert on Syria and former Director of the Truman Institute at te Hebrew University, spoke at the JPC about Syria after the Russian Departure. Prof. Maoz, who was one of the few experts who, from the beginning of the Syrian civil war, predicted that President Assad will stay in power, said that both the Russian deployment and withdrawal came as surprise to everybody. He assessed that President Putin aims at positioning himself as the only broker in Syria, perhaps even aspiring to become a player in reducing Sunni-Shia tensions in the Middle East. Prof. Maoz lamented the fact that Israel doesn’t have a clear strategy vis-a-vis Syria, and recommended that Israel support the mainstream Syrian opposition, even if silently.
About the speaker:
Prof. Moshe Ma`oz is Professor Emeritus of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a previous Director of the university’s Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. Prof. Ma’oz is renowned for his expertise in Arab and Middle East affairs, and has published extensively on Islam and on the and history and politics of the Middle East. He is a leading expert on Syria. Prof. Ma’oz has been a visiting professor, scholar and fellow at many leading universities and institutions around the world. He has served as an advisor on Arab Affairs for Israel’s Knesset, and was a member of official advisory committees that counseled Prime Ministers Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.
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