Israel

Israeli authorities have been targeting the group's financial networks in Europe and elsewhere for some time.

If U.S. policy was to "wait and see" how the Hamas-approved Palestinian reconciliation process would unfold in practice, the test is now.

Hamas seems intent on using Hezbollah's "bullets plus ballots" approach to gain a military and political foothold in the West Bank, the PA, and the PLO.

In the coming days, the Obama administration faces key decisions on how to respond to a Palestinian government "backed by Hamas," whether to condone Hamas participation in Palestinian elections, and what strategy to adopt in response to another effort by Palestinians to enhance their status in the UN.

Even if a permanent deal isn't achievable right now, Washington can still foster a process that contributes to peacemaking.

The Syrian conflict is rattling the world of the Druze, an ethnic group that straddles national lines.

If the United States and the major donor nations endorsed a transition agreement, the conflict would become a dispute between two states, leaving the Palestinian leadership with little choice but to forge ahead toward a final-status solution.

A CIA veteran and an Israeli security expert discuss the growing presence of al-Qaeda affiliates in Sinai and Syria.

A panel of senior U.S. and foreign policy practitioners shared insights into the status and course of American policy in the Middle East.