Arab-Israeli Relations

Policy Analysis on Arab-Israeli Relations

A Palestinian views a building reduced to rubble in Gaza - source: Reuters

What the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire in Gaza Means for the Middle East

Netanyahu likely wanted to start off on a good foot with Trump—not just out of fear, but because Israel has its eyes on a much wider allied agenda in the region.

Jan 17, 2025

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David Makovsky

Articles & Testimony

How Trump Can Remake the Middle East

If he uses his major regional leverage to curtail the Iranian nuclear threat and end the Gaza war, he will be well-placed to resume other important tasks that have been sitting on the back burner—including Israeli-Saudi normalization.

Jan 16, 2025

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Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Replacing UNRWA Is an Opportunity Trump Should Not Miss

The incoming U.S. administration has no intention of strong-arming Israel into working with such a problematic organization, so officials should focus on pressing other UN agencies to take on its job in Gaza—or risk cuts to their own funding.

Jan 15, 2025

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Robert Satloff

Articles & Testimony

The Current and Future Houthi Threat to the Middle East

An effective response to the group's persistent aggression should include strengthening the United Nations verification and inspection mechanism, preparing sanctions against actors who violate UN resolutions, and taking steps to interdict arms transfers.

Dec 29, 2024

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Michael Knights

Brief Analysis

Syria Is the First Major Aftershock of October 7—With More to Come?

From stability in Jordan to the future of Kurdish autonomy, Lebanese sovereignty, and Iranian nuclear proliferation, officials must prepare quickly to prevent or manage—and in some cases even encourage—further shocks in the Middle East.

Dec 11, 2024

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Zohar Palti

Photo showing smoke clearing from Beirut during the 2024 Hezbollah-Israel war.

Video

Brief Analysis

The Hezbollah-Israel Ceasefire and U.S. Leadership: What Comes Next

Four experts discuss the agreement’s detailed security provisions, the prospects for successful implementation, and the potential impact on other regional players.

Dec 4, 2024

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David Schenker
Hanin Ghaddar
Assaf Orion
Matthew Levitt

Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. president Donald Trump at the White House - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

The Trump Administration Will Have Avenues for Constructive Palestinian Engagement

Mahmoud Abbas seems willing to work with the incoming administration, but will his final legacy be one of diplomatic success, or will he be forced to return to his only remaining tool of “political resistance”?

Dec 3, 2024

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Neomi Neumann

Articles & Testimony

How to End the War in Gaza: Lessons from Lebanon

The Lebanon deal shows how Washington and Israel can use their newly gained leverage to resolve the Palestinian crisis.

Dec 2, 2024

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Stuart Eizenstat
Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

30 Years of Israel-Jordan Relations

Despite the wartime rancor, the peace treaty continues to deliver invaluable economic and security dividends to both states.

Oct 26, 2024

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David Schenker

Isaeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin shakes hands with Jordanian King Hussein in front of U.S. President Bill Clinton at the White House in 1994.

Video

Brief Analysis

A Partnership Worth Preserving

Israel’s former president and Jordan’s former foreign minister discuss the legacy of the peace treaty after three decades, including its relevance to the current regional conflict.

Oct 24, 2024

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Reuven Rivlin
Jawad al-Anani
Robert Satloff

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaking with President Joe Biden

Articles & Testimony

Book Review: “War” by Bob Woodward

The veteran journalist dishes on the Jordanian king’s “man cave,” Biden’s pique at both Netanyahu and Abbas, and Harris’s public versus private diplomatic style.

Oct 21, 2024

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Simon Henderson

U.S. President Joe Biden greets French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House in December, 2022 - source: White House

Brief Analysis

Assessing U.S.-French Cooperation a Year After October 7

Fighting on several Middle East fronts has revealed gaps between the allies, but they have ample room to collaborate in areas that range from ensuring Lebanese sovereignty to delivering humanitarian aid.

Oct 18, 2024

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Souhire Medini

Protesters in New York City demand the release of U.S. citizens held hostage by Hamas in Gaza - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar’s Death Can Bring the Middle East Closer to Peace

The long-elusive terrorist was known for brutality to Israelis and Gazans alike, and his passing opens the door to diplomatic, economic, and political progress.

Oct 17, 2024

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Jeffrey Sonnenfeld
Dennis Ross
Steven Tian

A banner in Gaza depicts the new Hamas leader, Yahya al-Sinwar - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

How Sinwar’s Death Could Change the War

The demise of the Hamas leader and October 7 plotter could create significant diplomatic opportunities for Israel and the United States.

Oct 17, 2024

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Ghaith al-Omari
Neomi Neumann

EU vessel participating in Operation Aspides against the Houthis.

Maps & Graphics

The Ship Operators Shrugging Off Houthi Attacks

While major operators will continue to avoid the Red Sea in 2025, others are launching new services in the high-risk waterway, including some that manage China-linked vessels.

Oct 16, 2024

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Noam Raydan

◆ Maritime Spotlight

Articles & Testimony

How Israel Can Leverage Its Successes (Yes, Successes)

Despite massive failures leading up to the Gaza war and numerous controversies since then, Israel has made important achievements—now it must connect them to a clearly stated set of realistic strategic goals.

Oct 8, 2024

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David Makovsky

(left to right) al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem; an Israeli tank in Ramallah; Hamas (top) and Fatah (bottom) protests in Hebron

In-Depth Reports

Understanding Geographic Distinctions in West Bank Public Opinion

Respondents to an extensive new poll shared remarkably independent views on issues ranging from Hamas’s success in the Gaza war to the likelihood of Israel’s collapse.

Oct 8, 2024

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Catherine Cleveland

Secretary of State Antony Blinken places a tile that reads "Light in the darkness" on a wall at the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, October 14, 2023.

Video

Brief Analysis

U.S. Policy in the Post-October 7 Middle East: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Three former U.S. officials discuss the challenges—and opportunities—that will greet the next administration in year two of the post-October 7 era.

Oct 7, 2024

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Dennis Ross
Dana Stroul
David Schenker

Photo of Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah onscreen while addressing a 2017 event.

Articles & Testimony

6 Consequences of Israel Killing Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah

By building on the death of an Iran-backed terrorist leader, President Biden has the opportunity to leave the Middle East better today than it was on October 8, which is no small achievement.

Sep 30, 2024

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Robert Satloff

Flowers and a portrait of Hassan Nasrallah at a memorial to the slain Hezbollah leader in Beirut - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

How the Death of Hezbollah’s Nasrallah Brings a Renewed Opportunity for Mideast Peace

Netanyahu must translate Israel’s military achievements in Lebanon into political outcomes while also preventing far-right nationalists in his coalition from defining what is possible with the Palestinians.

Sep 29, 2024

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Jeffrey Sonnenfeld
Dennis Ross
Steven Tian

Supported by the

Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations

Through moments of hope and challenge in the Middle East diplomacy, The Washington Institute's Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations is committed to providing America's policymakers with timely analysis on issues of critical concern to Israel and its Arab neighbors.

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Featured experts

Ghaith al-Omari

Ghaith al-Omari is the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Senior Fellow in The Washington Institute's Irwin Levy Family Program on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Relationship.

David Makovsky

David Makovsky is the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations.

Dennis Ross

Dennis Ross, a former special assistant to President Barack Obama, is the counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute.

Ehud Yaari

Ehud Yaari is the Lafer International Fellow at The Washington Institute.

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Policy Analysis on Arab-Israeli Relations

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