All Policy Analysis by David Makovsky

Watch experts discuss the preliminary results of Israel’s landmark election, including possible coalition scenarios and their impact on relations with the United States.

If the next Israeli government fails to stop the hemorrhaging of the country’s position on both sides of the American aisle, it could become an irreversible reality with grave strategic consequences.

Two former senior U.S. officials look back at what the ceasefire has produced—and failed to produce—in its first year of implementation, focusing on the underused leverage provided by the July 30 “roadmap” agreement with Hamas.

The Trump administration should be prepared to push a suite of concrete actions immediately after Israel’s election, from delivering urgently needed interim housing to convening high-level meetings with regional mediators and avoiding steps that signal abandonment of the PA.

The success of his latest trip should be measured by whether he can expedite preparations for practical issues like policing and weapons collection so that the Gaza transition plan remains viable after Israel’s election.

Amid mounting economic and security pressures in the West Bank, only a U.S.-led mechanism can credibly determine Palestinian compliance with the Taylor Force Act and help promote wider stability.

A White House meeting facilitated by the senator’s funeral could let Trump and Netanyahu avoid the appearance of a wartime rift.

This season of Decision Points tackles the toughest U.S. foreign-policy debates, from the brink of war in Iran to the painful aftermath in Gaza and the new government in Syria.

The Trump administration needs to exert pressure on each of the “two Gazas,” pushing Hamas and its regional interlocutors on disarmament while pressing Israel to play a more constructive role and conduct phased withdrawals when merited.

For the Gaza ceasefire to survive, each side will need to address the persistent challenges of West Bank settler violence and Hamas weapons.

After a failed attempt to rescue a soldier kidnapped by Hamas, the prime minister refused to deflect blame onto other soldiers or their commanders.

As phase two of the ceasefire nears, the PA remains the only viable organization that can replace Hamas in governing Gaza.

Five experts and former high-level officials discuss the gamut of opportunities and risks created by the Trump administration’s diplomatic achievement.

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.

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 architecture behind Arab-Israel normalization has survived the war years, but expansion to other countries will require a credible embrace of diplomacy, along with regional collaboration to shape Gaza’s future.

A compilation of Washington Institute views on the fallout of the targeted strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, including what the United States and its partners can do to translate this latest Israeli military surprise into beneficial political achievements.

After a stunning blow to their mutual Iranian enemy, Israel and Turkey should use close defense and intelligence dialogue to navigate Syria’s extraordinary period of flux and craft a new regional order.

Even if Washington were willing to support indefinite military occupation, escalating in Gaza would increase the risk to hostages, the strain on the IDF’s reserves, and the discord Israel has faced at home and abroad.

To maintain pressure on Hamas and preserve U.S. deterrence at a sensitive point in Gaza discussions, the Trump administration needs to lock in its diplomatic coordination and public messaging with Israel.