October 7 and the New Middle East: The Builders and the Destroyers

 

The October 7 Hamas attack was the deadliest against Jews since the Holocaust, forcing Israel into an unprecedented war. How did Hamas launch such a devastating surprise attack against Israel’s supposedly impenetrable defenses? Why would they provoke a war they couldn’t win? And what does this mean for the Abraham Accords and the future of the region? This lecture unpacks the intelligence failure, military response, and wider geopolitical and philosophical implications, leaving audiences with a framework to understand the emerging Middle East.