Israel is widely expected to launch a ground assault on Gaza any day now. Gian Gentile, a senior historian at RAND and a former U.S. Army officer, spoke with NPR this week about the challenges facing Israel as it enters a perilous new phase of what many Israelis view as an existential fight.
Gentile discussed the importance of preventing civilian casualties amid the awful urban warfare to come. He also pointed out that it will be critical—albeit difficult—for Israeli forces to deal with Hamas’s vast network of tunnels, which is a hub of power and movement for the group.
While global attention is understandably focused on the impending ground battle and the dire humanitarian situation, Gentile noted that the Israeli government will still face tough choices even if it achieves its objective of eliminating the group responsible for this month’s bloodshed.
“I think they can effectively destroy Hamas,” he said. “But there's going to be a lot of hard fighting and a lot of destruction. And then the question after they defeat Hamas is, what comes next?”
From questioning the sovereignty of ex-Soviet republics, to banning all Japanese seafood imports, China has recently taken what RAND's Jeffrey Hornung calls a “series of several foolish actions.” Beijing's attempts to bully, rewrite, or lie its way to a leading position in the international community may backfire, he says: “Countries will not follow an arrogant China trying to force a version of an international order based on its distorted interpretations.” Read more »
Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This fast-approaching global event is expected to draw 15,000 athletes—not to mention millions of spectators—further complicating L.A.'s already fraught transportation and housing situation. To help address potential problems, RAND's Center to Advance Racial Equity Policy is working with partners in the community to identify equity-centered infrastructure investments. The goal: help ensure the Games have a positive, enduring legacy. Read more »
The Washington Post highlighted recent RAND findings that suggest telehealth was critical to supporting adolescent mental health after the pandemic hit—and remains important today.
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