Deradicalizing Gaza is possible but will take decades, counterterrorism expert says

Reichman University ICT director Assaf Moghadam says deradicalizing Gaza after the October 7 war is possible but will take 20 to 40 years. He cites social forces working against deradicalization and says the current generation of Gazan children may be lost. Moghadam also outlines ICT's priorities: broadening scope, expanding international partnerships, and serving as an academic home for Israeli counterterrorism students.

Deradicalizing Gaza after the October 7 war is possible but will take 20 to 40 years, according to Assaf Moghadam, the new director of Reichman University's International Institute for Counter Terrorism (ICT). In an interview with the Jerusalem Post, Moghadam said that while he believes human beings are inherently good, many social and environmental forces in Gaza actively work against deradicalization. He noted that the current generation of Gazan children growing up during the war may be lost to the cause, and that deradicalization requires undermining individuals, states, and institutional ideologies. Moghadam also outlined ICT's three priorities: broadening the scope of counterterrorism analysis, expanding international partnerships with think tanks in Europe and the US, and serving as an academic home for Israeli students who have served in the military and experienced terrorism firsthand. He warned European officials against a singular obsessive focus on Israel, saying it may be worth revisiting given recent riots in Europe from anti-Israel groups.