Arab-Israeli Relations

Video

The UAE-Israel Breakthrough: Bilateral and Regional Implications and U.S. Policy

Former diplomats and experts discuss what steps each party should take after the historic White House signing ceremony, and how to bring the Palestinians and other actors into the fold.

Sep 14, 2020

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Ebtesam al-Ketbi
Dore Gold
Barbara A. Leaf
David Makovsky

Policy Analysis on Arab-Israeli Relations

Audio

Brief Analysis

Podcast: A Military and Political Assessment of the Gaza Conflict

Middle East PolicyCast

In this episode of the Middle East PolicyCast podcast, Grant Rumley & Neri Zilber share their assessments of the factors that sparked and escalated the May 2021 Gaza conflict and share advice for policymakers who seek to prevent the renewal of major violence between Hamas and Israel.

Jun 7, 2021

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Grant Rumley
Neri Zilber

Articles & Testimony

Israel and Hamas After Gaza War

From expelling UN officials to giving Jews unsolicited relocation advice, Hamas has once again shown its true colors, even as Israeli politicians prepare to form a new multiethnic coalition government.

Jun 5, 2021

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David Pollock

Israeli politicians Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett

Brief Analysis

Israel’s Proposed Power-Sharing Government: Policy Implications and Prospects for Survival

Even if the consensus-based coalition is sworn in, the big question mark hanging over Bennett and Lapid is whether Palestinian developments or Netanyahu’s relentless opposition will produce irreconcilable internal differences.

Jun 3, 2021

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David Makovsky

Brief Analysis

How Iran Fuels Hamas Terrorism

After playing a key role in the group’s military development for years and navigating deep ideological rifts, Tehran has renewed its extensive sponsorship in ways that contributed directly to the recent bloodshed in Gaza.

Jun 1, 2021

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Ido Levy

President Joe Biden speaks on the phone in the Oval Office of the White House

Articles & Testimony

Biden Must Manage the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

The administration should take a three-track approach: provide a formula of reconstruction with no rearmament, bolster the PA through assistance conditioned on reform, and broker Arab outreach to open the horizon.

Jun 1, 2021

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Dennis Ross

New York Times front page depicting Palestinian casualties of the 2021 Gaza conflict

Articles & Testimony

What’s Wrong with the NY Times’ Report on Children’s Deaths? So Much.

By failing to provide essential information on sourcing, the reporting environment, the victims’ proximity to legitimate military targets, their family connections with combatants, and other matters, the article presents a skewed, sensationalist image of the Gaza conflict.

May 31, 2021

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Robert Satloff

Police walk past the Palestinian Legislative Council in Ramallah

Articles & Testimony

Palestinian Politics Are More Divided Than Ever

Fatah and Hamas have tried every conceivable power-sharing mechanism to no avail, and many Palestinians now feel alienated from both brands of authoritarianism.

May 27, 2021

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Ghaith al-Omari

Chinese and U.S. flags flutter at a trade meeting in Shanghai

Articles & Testimony

Beijing Is Social Media Trolling Biden Over Gaza

China’s "wolf warrior" diplomacy has discovered the Middle East, catching Washington unprepared.

May 26, 2021

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Michael Singh

Articles & Testimony

Why Blinken Will Have a Tough Sell

The Biden administration cannot solve the Israeli-Palestinian problem today, but it can shrink the conflict by helping both sides take small steps toward a two-state solution.

May 25, 2021

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David Makovsky

Iron Dome rockets intercepting Hamas missiles over Tel Aviv

Brief Analysis

A Military Assessment of the Israel-Hamas Conflict

Both sides employed new methods in this round, and while Israel’s were more effective in military terms, the true measure of success will depend on how quickly Hamas can rebuild its warfighting capabilities and exploit any political gains.

May 25, 2021

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Grant Rumley
Neri Zilber

Brief Analysis

When the Tansiqiya Speaks in AAH's Absence

Militia Spotlight

The May 20 Gaza protest in Baghdad saw the Tansiqiya speak in the notable absence of any Asaib Ahl al-Haq members, and the event was conspicuously ignored by AAH channels.

May 24, 2021

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Hamdi Malik
Crispin Smith

Brief Analysis

Winning the Gaza Ceasefire: Critical Decisions for the Biden Administration

Hamas may not have realized it when firing its first salvo against Jerusalem, but the challenge of its rockets didn’t end with a ceasefire—the administration now faces complex and urgent decisions that could affect the direction of its overall foreign policy.

May 21, 2021

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Robert Satloff

Articles & Testimony

The Real Impact of the War Between Hamas and Israel

The latest round of fighting may have come to an end, but the broader regional struggle over issues such as Sunni political Islam, normalization, and Iranian encroachment will continue for the long term.

May 21, 2021

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Sarah Feuer

Articles & Testimony

After the Gaza Cease-Fire, What Next?

From calling out Qatar and Turkey to encouraging direct Israeli aid, Washington should pursue bolder initiatives that boost the chances of avoiding bloodshed.

May 20, 2021

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David Pollock

Articles & Testimony

How the World Could Help End the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict—and Prevent Future Clashes

To make the ceasefire a lasting one, Washington should pursue discreet Israeli-Saudi normalization discussions and force Hamas to choose between its rockets and reconstruction.

May 19, 2021

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Dennis Ross

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh gestures to supporters

Articles & Testimony

Israel-Gaza Violence Means Biden Must Avoid Emboldening Hamas in Any Cease-Fire Deal

Boosting aid and addressing provocative policies will need to be discussed soon, but doing so prematurely would only further the terrorist group’s power struggle against the nonviolent Palestinian Authority.

May 18, 2021

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Ghaith al-Omari

Brief Analysis

How Cairo Can Help Ease the Israeli-Palestinian Crisis

Washington should welcome Egypt’s desire to restore its role as a peace mediator, but only if both governments are willing to formulate a constructive approach that avoids repeating the mistakes of the Mubarak era.

May 18, 2021

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Haisam Hassanein

Photo showing the Iron Dome defense system intercepting Hamas rockets over Ashkelon, Israel, in May 2021.

Video

Brief Analysis

Hamas-Israel Violence: Context and Trajectory

What caused the latest Israeli-Palestinian crisis? What does each side seek to gain from it? And how can Washington help deescalate the fighting? Watch video or read a summary of this expert panel discussion.

May 18, 2021

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Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen
Ehud Yaari
Ghaith al-Omari

Brief Analysis

How the Iraqi Muqawama Are Exploiting the Gaza Conflict

Militia Spotlight

Hamas's example could embolden Iraqi factions to accelerate attacks on U.S. facilities at home, as well as seek some reflected glory by claiming Syria-based attacks against Israelis.

May 16, 2021

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Hamdi Malik

Articles & Testimony

How Fighting With the Palestinians Gave Israel’s Netanyahu a Political Lifeline

The most imminent threat to his rule has fizzled since the shooting began, but domestic anger toward him remains widespread.

May 14, 2021

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Neri Zilber

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Featured experts

Ghaith al-Omari

Ghaith al-Omari is a senior fellow in The Washington Institute's Irwin Levy Family Program on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Relationship.

Mohammed Dajani

Mohammed S. Dajani Daoudi is the former Weston Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and is Director of the Wasatia Academic Institute in Jerusalem.