Side-event

Winning Without Illusions: Israel’s Lessons for Small-State Defence

September 23, 08:00-09:30

Venue: Creative Hub Courtyard Tower

Israel’s recent wars reveal both the power and the limits of military force. Drawing on the first hours of October 7, the campaigns that followed, and comparisons with Ukraine, this panel will examine how small democracies with limited strategic depth can challenge their own assumptions, define achievable war aims, learn and adapt faster than their adversaries, and sustain public legitimacy, citizen-soldier forces, industry, and the economy through prolonged conflict. It will distinguish lessons Estonia and NATO’s eastern flank can use from those rooted in Israel’s unique geography, society, and regional security environment.