Policy Analysis

Prime Minister Netanyahu will likely accentuate the positive in his response to President Trump’s initiative to end the war, but key details—let alone Hamas’s response—could decide whether the plan ultimately succeeds or falls prey to another “yes but” cycle.

Amman and Jerusalem need to worry about maintaining peace, not new arrangements in the West Bank.

The 21-point U.S. plan offers an alternative to Hamas governance, but the president will have to ensure an interim administration meets its disarmament commitments—and support Israeli responses if Hamas reemerges.

Annexation would transform Israel’s legitimate military occupation of the West Bank into an illegitimate land grab, while dismantling the entire edifice of Middle East diplomacy for no discernible strategic benefit.

Although regional peace agreements have survived the Gaza war and other recent crises, the increasingly explicit red lines being laid down by Arab capitals need to be taken seriously in Jerusalem and Washington.

Despite Morocco’s growing diplomatic momentum and recent U.S. cuts to the UN peacekeeping budget, prematurely ending the Western Sahara mission would be a mistake given the important practical role it plays in maintaining the de facto ceasefire.

Whether Washington opts for complete withdrawal, a smaller, Kurdistan-based presence, or a 180-degree shift to business and energy initiatives, it needs to be mindful of the risks and keep the focus on America’s paramount strategic interests.

After meeting with Sharaa and returning from an extensive research trip in Syria, a Washington Institute expert sheds light on the president’s UN speech, near-term plans, and views on the U.S. role.

The Turkish president has shown he will use harsh tactics to suppress the popular opposition party, but his future decisions could still be swayed by domestic protests, economic factors, and geopolitics.

Far from rewarding terrorism, France’s recognition is an attempt to salvage the two-state solution before it’s too late.

The deal seems mostly symbolic given that Riyadh is a major trading partner with India—Pakistan’s main adversary—but the implications may nevertheless be significant for regional proliferation concerns, nuclear energy ambitions, and related U.S. diplomacy.

An Israeli legal expert, a Palestinian political activist, and a French journalist explore the many shortcomings of recognition, including its failure to address Israeli fears and promote reform in the PA.

Baghdad’s oil dependency is a risk for long-term stability, but making the necessary changes will mean confronting political elites who benefit from the status quo.

The Houthis pose even more of a risk to U.S. and Gulf interests than they did before the Gaza war, so Washington and its regional partners need to develop an approach that is more fit for purpose.

To balance competition and global responsibility, the Trump administration should combine its welcome reinterpretation of the MTCR with updated nonproliferation standards and robust safeguards.

Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan were unable to agree on crucial water-sharing rights in the fraught years leading up to the GERD’s inauguration, raising the specter of escalating tensions unless the Trump administration engages more actively.

Given Tehran’s long record of using maritime provocations to counter increased international pressure, the United States and its partners must be ready to respond swiftly and forcefully against ship seizures, mine warfare, suicide drones, and more.

A panel of former ambassadors and decorated journalists discuss the impact of the landmark normalization agreement and what its future holds given ongoing hostilities in Gaza and growing Arab-Israeli diplomatic turmoil.

The voting patterns highlight Israel’s worsening international isolation, with even some of its longtime defenders leaving the fold.

Restoring the oil-for-fuel program would avert a near-term crisis and potentially provide a platform for more ambitious reform—though it is unlikely to succeed without greater transparency, international monitoring, and subsidy changes.