Dear Merav, Ori and Ariane,
Thank you again for agreeing to take part in this special panel at Washington University in St Louis. This is just a reminder that the event will begin tomorrow (November 17) at 10am Central Time (which is 11am in Washington DC and 6pm in Jerusalem). I would appreciate it if you can log in at least 10 minutes ahead of time so we can make sure that everything is working properly.
Regarding the structure of the event: I will first begin by introducing the event and the Environmental Studies Program at WashU. I will then introduce each speaker before she talks. You will then each have between 10-15 minutes to give a presentation (including PPT slides is always encouraged, but not obligatory). I will then open things to discussion among the panelists and take questions from the audience for about 20 minutes.
Regarding the order of speakers:
1. Amb. Merav Zafari-Odiz will go first and talk about the growing interest in the Middle East for nuclear energy (not necessarily weapons), how Israel's views this development, and what is its policy towards it.
2. Dr. Ori Rabinowitz will then focus specifically on nuclear weapons and their spread in the Middle East. The various problems, interests and constraints this imposes on the countries of the region.
3. Dr. Ariane Tabatabai will then focus on Iran, how it views these nuclear developments in the region, how it sees its own nuclear policy, and how recent elections in Iran affected these trends.
In case you don't address this in your talks, during the Q&A I will probably ask how you think the new US administration will affect these trends (as well as other external powers - China, Russia), and whether you believe it is possible to advance nuclear energy in the region without fear of weaponizing it.
Please make sure you register to the event now through the following link, and it will send you the actual personal link to the event immediately after:
Feel free to send this registration link to whoever you'd like.
If you have any questions, I'm available at all times.
Best,
Elai
--
Elai Rettig, PhD
Israel Institute Teaching Fellow
- Department of Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies
- Environmental Studies Program
Washington University in St Louis