Gulf States

Policy Analysis on Gulf States

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

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

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

Achieving Sustainable Peace in Yemen

A political settlement with the Houthis is important, but no agreement can last without local buy-in and concerted efforts to rebuild Yemen’s infrastructure, institutions, and governance practices.

May 19, 2021

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Elana DeLozier
Adam Baron

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

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Kataib Hezbollah Leads Drone Warfare Inside Iraq

The group is employing sophisticated drone capabilities against U.S. airbases in Iraq, mirroring tactics and systems used in Yemen.

May 14, 2021

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Michael Knights
Crispin Smith

◆ Militia Spotlight

Brief Analysis

Bahrain’s Interlocking Regional and Domestic Tensions

Manama is still grappling with the complex challenge of developing ties with Israel while coping with homegrown Shia militancy.

May 10, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Rehabilitating Assad: The Arab League Embraces a Pariah

Parochial interests and war fatigue are driving many member states to support premature elections and normalization with Damascus, but this approach will only consolidate Assad’s control and help him evade accountability for war crimes.

May 4, 2021

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David Schenker

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Profile: Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada

Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada is a splinter of Kataib Hezbollah that works directly with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and has a transnational focus on the shared regional agenda of the Iran-backed axis of resistance.

May 3, 2021

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Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight: Profiles

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

How Iran Employed Iraq's Muqawama in Its Post-Natanz Response

Militias falsely claimed attacks against Israeli and U.S. targets in retaliation for the nuclear incident, underlining how Tehran directs and coordinates each proxy's kinetic and information operations in a centralized manner.

May 3, 2021

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Hamdi Malik
Crispin Smith

◆ Militia Spotlight

Brief Analysis

UAE Wealth Fund to Buy Share of Israeli Gas Field

If the $1.1 billion deal goes ahead, it will strengthen Abu Dhabi’s claim to be a player in the East Mediterranean.

Apr 27, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Want to Sell F-35s to the UAE? Time to Address the China Factor

To safeguard U.S. national security, the Biden administration needs to hold the UAE to the same standards it demands of other partners in the Joint Strike Fighter program.

Apr 26, 2021

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David Schenker

Articles & Testimony

Iran Moves Closer to a Diplomatic Breakthrough That May Upset Israel

A bevy of Israeli security officials will soon visit Washington against a backdrop of Vienna talks, Saudi engagement with Tehran, and continued nuclear moves.

Apr 22, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Satellite image of the Red Sea region and the Arabian Peninsula

Video

Brief Analysis

Don't Part the Red Sea: Formulating Holistic Policy Toward a Key Region

A former NAVCENT commander joins a panel of distinguished diplomats and experts to discuss why Washington should approach the region’s disparate economic, political, and security issues in a more integrated fashion.

Apr 19, 2021

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John Miller
Susan L. Ziadeh
Tibor Nagy
Elana DeLozier

In-Depth Reports

'A Caliphate That Gathered':

Addressing the Challenge of Jihadist Foreign Fighter Hubs

By devoting resources to areas of concentrated recruitment, the Biden administration can reduce the scope of future Middle East conflicts along with the likelihood that U.S. troops will once again be drawn into them.

Apr 15, 2021

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Nate Rosenblatt

Photo of Muslim World League secretary-general Mohammad Al-Issa visiting Auschwitz

Video

Brief Analysis

Teaching the Holocaust in the Arab World

A remarkable panel of Arab educators, activists, and civic leaders share their experiences with breaking regional taboos and formulating effective ways to teach youths about genocide.

Apr 12, 2021

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Ali al-Nuaimi
Zeina Barakat
El Mehdi Boudra

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Riyadh

Brief Analysis

China’s Foreign Minister Tours the Middle East: Outcomes and Implications

The trip echoed Beijing’s strategy of stringing together initiatives that seem insubstantial on their own but cumulatively threaten to undermine U.S. and regional interests.

Apr 9, 2021

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Ilari Papa

Brief Analysis

The Hamzah Affair: Context and Implications of Jordan’s Royal Crisis

The immediate crisis seems to have ended for now, but the stunningly public Hashemite feud is a reminder that Jordan’s stability needs tending and is not something to be taken for granted by Washington or Amman’s regional friends.

Apr 5, 2021

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Ghaith al-Omari
Robert Satloff

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Profile: Alwiyat al-Waad al-Haq

A facade group with unique ties to Kataib Hezbollah, Alwiyat al-Waad al-Haq has been used exclusively to claim or threaten attacks against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Apr 1, 2021

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Crispin Smith
Hamdi Malik
Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight: Profiles

Brief Analysis

Yemen’s “Southern Hezbollah”: Implications of Houthi Missile and Drone Improvements

As the Iran-backed rebels make further range leaps that bring them closer to reaching Israel and other countries, the United States needs to start viewing them as a proliferation challenge beyond Yemen’s civil war.

Apr 1, 2021

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Michael Knights

Satellite map of wider Rea Sea with country names

In-Depth Reports

The Case for a Holistic U.S. Policy Toward the Emerging Red Sea Region

To promote stability and other U.S. interests, Washington must reshape its approach to this increasingly complex staging ground for global competition.

Apr 1, 2021

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Elana DeLozier

◆ Transition 2021

Supported by the

Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy

The Washington Institute's Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy embodies the Institute's long-term research focus on the conservative Arab Gulf states -- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman -- and the key role these countries play collectively as a primary source of the world's oil and natural gas.

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Gulf States

Policy Analysis on Gulf States

Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy

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Gulf States

Policy Analysis on Gulf States

Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy

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