Dr. Lars Hänsel will present the findings of a recent survey study conducted by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, which analyzes the roles of the United States and Germany in the Middle East as perceived by representative samples of respondents from Israel, the United States and the Palestinian Territories. The study also examines the impact of current events such as the upcoming US elections, the refugee crisis in Europe and the Iran Nuclear Deal on the relations between Germany, the United States and Israel and the way in which they are perceived.


ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Dr. Lars Hänsel is the director of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Washington, D.C., a major public policy organization with close ties to the Christian Democratic Union of Chancellor Angela Merkel. Dr. Hänsel’s responsibilities include the promotion of transatlantic dialogue between the United States, Canada and Europe to enhance understanding and cooperation. Previously, he served for six years as the director of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Israel. While in Jerusalem, he led efforts to facilitate peacebuilding, integration and cooperation with a number of Israeli, Palestinian and German partner NGOs and institutions. Prior to this, Dr. Hänsel held a number of positions at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s headquarters in Berlin, Germany. Dr. Hänsel pursued Theology, Jewish History and Interreligious Studies at Universities in Leipzig, Tübingen and Jerusalem. He concluded his academic pursuits with a doctoral thesis on Historical Aspects of the Social and Justice Systems of Ancient Israel and Persia.

Stefan Biedermann is Deputy Consul General and Consul for Cultural and Press Affairs at the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Los Angeles. He studied History and Japanese Studies in Berlin, Kyoto and Tokyo, and received his double Master’s degree from the Free University of Berlin. From 1988 to 1993, he worked as a journalist, and covered the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification for Japanese TV in Berlin. In 1993, he joined the German Foreign Service, serving in Japan, Cameroon and, since July 2012, Los Angeles.

Shira Efron is a special advisor on Israel and associate policy researcher at the RAND Corporation Center for Middle East Public Policy (CMEPP). Efron has conducted research on geopolitical trends in the Middle East, as well as domestic policies in Israel. In her role as special advisor, Efron will further expand RAND's research portfolio in Israel through multiple channels, including collaboration with nonpartisan Israeli institutions.Prior to joining RAND, Efron was the policy director and country representative of the Institute for Inclusive Security in Israel. She also was a policy analyst at the Center for American Progress, where she edited the Middle East Bulletin. In addition, Efron served as a research analyst at a hedge fund in New York, an editor at the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz and as a reporter in the Israeli Defense Forces. Efron holds a Ph.D. in policy analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School, an M.A. in international relations/international business from New York University and a B.Sc. in biology and computer science from Tel Aviv University.

This event has been made possible with support from Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS).

Cost : Free and open to the public. RSVP required for admission.

Sponsor(s): Center for European and Russian Studies, Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS)