Arab-Israeli Relations

Policy Analysis on Arab-Israeli Relations

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

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

Brief Analysis

What Nasrallah’s Death Could Mean for the Hezbollah Network

Iran’s proxy faces steep challenges on the leadership and military fronts, and the international community can now act vigorously to free Lebanon from its grip.

Sep 28, 2024

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Hanin Ghaddar

Men watch as smoke rises after an Israeli bombing of Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon in September 2024 - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Israel Dead Set on Beating Hezbollah Back

With prospects low for a near-term diplomatic breakthrough, the Lebanese group can decide how far this conflict escalates.

Sep 27, 2024

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David Schenker

Brief Analysis

Improving Egypt-Israel Relations in the Shadow of Gaza

In addition to addressing each country’s concerns about border sovereignty, smuggling, and other irritants, Washington should emphasize the longer-term need to return to the peace treaty’s military limitations after the Gaza war.

Sep 24, 2024

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David Schenker
Assaf Orion

Articles & Testimony

Israel Turns Up the Heat on Hezbollah

As the war in Gaza seemingly winds down, the old rules no longer apply in the north.

Aug 29, 2024

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David Schenker

Infographic on Hamas diplomatic meetings during the Gaza war.

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Hamas Diplomacy: From Haniyeh to Sinwar

The group has sought to build legitimacy and prepare for a postwar role in Gaza by engaging with various countries since October, but the death of Ismail Haniyeh will complicate those efforts.

Aug 28, 2024

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Aaron Y. Zelin

An unexploded missile fired by an Israeli aircraft lies among the rubble, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in the northern Gaza Strip - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Explosive Remnants: Gaza’s Literal Ticking Bomb

Reconstruction can’t happen until thousands of dud bombs and other explosives are cleared from the urban rubble—a task that faces formidable shortfalls in funding, manpower, and other resources.

Aug 12, 2024

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Andrew G. Clemmensen

President Joe Biden arrives in Saudi Arabia in July 2022

Articles & Testimony

Biden’s Middle East Moonshot

Reaching a Gaza ceasefire and Israeli-Saudi normalization deal will require intense, well-coordinated diplomatic efforts in a condensed timeline, but the administration can do it with help from the “Arab Quint.”

Aug 7, 2024

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Dennis Ross

News headlines on Gaza war, emphasis on use of anonymous sources by Washington Post

Maps & Graphics

In-Depth Reports

Anonymous Sources in Gaza War Reporting:

The Washington Post vs. Its Peers

In such a challenging environment, news organizations must work especially hard to convince readers that sources are honest, legitimate, and trustworthy.

Jul 29, 2024

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Robert Satloff

Articles & Testimony

Martin Indyk, Tireless U.S. Envoy Who Saw the ‘Promised Land’ Ending the Israel-Palestinian Conflict

After spending decades working for a breakthrough, he was never naive about the rejectionists on both sides, but he still had faith in a two-state solution.

Jul 28, 2024

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Dennis Ross

Swearing-in ceremony for PA cabinet, March 31, 2024. Mahmoud Abbas is third from right; the new PM, Muhammad Mustafa, is to his left.

In-Depth Reports

Reforming the Palestinian Authority:

A Roadmap for Change

The beleaguered governing body requires an overhaul in order to support West Bank stability, postwar governance of Gaza, and a revived political process with Israel.

Jul 22, 2024

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Neomi Neumann
Ghaith al-Omari

Then Vice President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in 2010 - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Biden’s Legacy and Netanyahu’s Missed Moment?

The coming months still hold hope for the president’s dream of Israeli-Saudi normalization, but only if Netanyahu stands up to his far-right coalition partners.

Jul 22, 2024

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David Makovsky

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

Brief Analysis

Disagreements on Hostages Loom Over Netanyahu’s Washington Trip

Given the tense U.S. election cycle, Biden and Netanyahu will likely keep their policy disagreements within careful bounds, but the visit is unlikely to see immediate progress on the hostage deal or other key issues.

Jul 19, 2024

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David Makovsky

Judges of the International Court of Justice in the ICJ's primary courtroom in The Hague, Netherlands - source: United Nations photo

Brief Analysis

Israel and the ICJ: Comparing International Court Cases During the Gaza War

The current cycle of legal actions involving Israel is unprecedented in scope and politicization, but governments are still better off engaging with the process and lodging their objections there than dismissing it outright.

Jul 18, 2024

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Alexander Loengarov

Brief Analysis

What If Gaza’s “Day After” Converges with the Day After Abbas?

If the PA leadership collapses under the weight of Israeli pressure and West Bank deterioration, the result could be a destabilizing reset in the Palestinian arena and a postwar void in Gaza.

Jul 1, 2024

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Neomi Neumann

UNRWA workers at Nuseirat camp, Gaza, after Israeli strike (left); French diplomat Catherine Colonna (right)

In-Depth Reports

Evaluating UNRWA After the Colonna Report

The obvious nature of multiple recommendations points to scandalous mismanagement at the UN aid agency over decades.

Jun 27, 2024

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James G. Lindsay

An explosion hits the civilian cargo vessel MV Tutor in the Red Sea - source: Houthi Media Center

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Houthi Ship Attacks Pose a Longer-Term Challenge to Regional Security and Trade Plans

The immediate effects of the Houthi antishipping campaign are measurably serious, but the United States, Saudi Arabia, and other partners also need to prepare for the emboldened group to exert its newfound leverage in other ways beyond the Gaza war.

Jun 26, 2024

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Noam Raydan

Photo showing flame and smoke rising over Lebanon's border with Israel.

Articles & Testimony

Behind the US Plan to Prevent an All-Out Israel-Hezbollah War

An American-led diplomatic initiative to separate their forces at the border appears to be falling short, and time is running out.

Jun 25, 2024

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David Schenker

Articles & Testimony

Iran Targets Jordan: The Kingdom Joins the Theocracy’s List of Enemies

Tehran and its proxies have been doing everything they can to destabilize Jordan during the Gaza war, from inciting protests and increasing drug and weapons smuggling to escalating armed threats from Iraq.

Jun 5, 2024

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David Schenker

Brief Analysis

Improving an Overlooked Aspect of the Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

As laid out in President Biden’s speech, the initial terms of the proposed deal include a disturbing imbalance in who guarantees that Hamas and Israel fulfill their commitments under the agreement—a problem that should be fixed now rather than later.

Jun 3, 2024

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Robert Satloff

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

Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations

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Policy Analysis on Arab-Israeli Relations

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