The new regional balance of power imposed by Israel after the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023 is leading to profound changes and a repositioning of neighboring countries like Egypt, Turkey, the Gulf powers, Iran, Lebanon and Syria. The Trump Plan could favor a truce which might partially alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and put a stop to the massacring of civilians. However, this does not guarantee an end to Israel’s military occupation, nor does it guarantee a political outlook based on the two-state solution or a stable potential for broader regional peace. Many questions remain unanswered that affect the region and the response that other role-players such as the European Union and Spain itself might give. 

To analyze all these major issues, Fundación Alternativas has created a working document titled “The Middle East in Transformation: Challenges for the EU and Spain,” written by well-known experts. 

Schedule 

11:00 a.m.: Welcome speech 

Miguel Moro Aguilar, General Director of Casa Árabe 

11:05 a.m.: Presentation 

Vicente Palacio, Director of Foreign Policy at Fundación Alternativas 

11:10 a.m.: Special address 

Josep Borrell Fontelles, former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (by video)

11:25 a.m.: Colloquium

Ignacio Álvarez-Ossorio, Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies (UCM) 

Rosa Meneses, Assistant Director of the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies 

Elena Valenciano, patron of Fundación Alternativas 

Moderated by Ángeles Espinosa, a journalist at El País who specializes in the Middle East. 

You can watch the event live on YouTube.