On December 3, 2025, the Jan Koum Israel Studies Program at CDDRL hosted Dr. Emmanuel Navon, a French-born Israeli international relations scholar and author of The Star and the Scepter: A Diplomatic History of Israel, for a wide-ranging discussion on Israeli foreign policy spanning 3,500 years of history. Navon, who lectures at Tel Aviv University and serves as a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, explored the enduring tension between political realism (the "scepter") and idealism (the "star") that has shaped Jewish diplomatic thought from biblical times through the modern era. Drawing on figures from Vladimir Jabotinsky to David Ben-Gurion, Navon argued that October 7, 2023, marked a profound paradigm shift in Israeli strategic thinking, as the "iron wall" doctrine of deterrence collapsed both physically and conceptually in the face of ideologically-driven enemies willing to sacrifice everything for Israel's destruction.

Navon emphasized that Israel's post-October 7 reality requires moving beyond containment strategies toward active dismantlement of existential threats, while simultaneously witnessing a spiritual reawakening among Israelis who have rediscovered the meaning of Jewish identity in the face of implacable hatred. He contextualized current challenges within broader civilizational struggles in the West, noting how Israel has become a focal point in debates over Western values, democracy, and resistance to Islamist ideology. Addressing questions about antisemitism, information warfare, and the blurring lines between Israeli foreign policy and diaspora concerns, Navon outlined how adversaries employ sophisticated propaganda through "inversion" — projecting their own colonial ambitions and human rights abuses onto Israel while speaking the language of justice and self-determination. The conversation underscored the necessity of historical understanding in navigating Israel's complex geopolitical environment and the ongoing struggle to balance military strength with diplomatic vision in an increasingly hostile international landscape.

A full recording of the webinar can be viewed below: