Elai Rettig is the Israel Institute Teaching Fellow in Israeli and Environmental Studies at Washington University. In this three-part series, Rettig will explore the interplay between energy security and foreign policy in Israel from 1948 to the present.

Each Zoom session is from 7 to 8 p.m. Cost for the series is $18.

The first session on March 1, “Angry at Moses – Israel’s Quest for Oil Since 1948,” will explore how securing reliable oil imports has been a top national security priority for Israeli decision makers since the country’s establishment. How did Israel manage to obtain oil supplies during numerous embargoes, and how did this shape its foreign policy and global weapons trade?

During a March 8 talk, “Peace Pipelines or Energy Wars? Israel Gas Politics in the Mediterranean Sea,” learn how major offshore natural gas discoveries in 2010 created many economic and foreign policy opportunities for Israel, but also set in motion a series of escalating clashes between the countries of the region. 

The March 15 talk, “Land of Milk, Honey, and Sunshine – Promises and Challenges for Renewable Energy in Israel,” will illuminate how the world faces increasing environmental threats due to climate change and how Israel was marked as a promising source of technological innovation in solar energy. What happened to that promise, and what are Israel’s chances of decarbonizing its own energy market?

For more information or to register, visit www.jfedstl.org/events/rettig.