Policy Analysis

Join us for an expert look at Israel's crucial parliamentary elections. Watch live starting at 2:30 p.m. EDT (830 GMT) on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

Because both U.S. plans in Gaza and the stability of the West Bank depend on a legitimate, reformed Palestinian Authority and a credible alternative to Hamas governance, national elections are essential—leaving the international community with little choice but to redouble its efforts and prepare for the rescheduled vote in 2027.

If the Iran war proves inconclusive and allies ease their pressure on the Shia regime’s ingrained expansionism, they may inadvertently fuel the Sunni extremist strands that gave rise to the Islamic State in the first place.

The recent rebound in crude exports is welcome but only partial, and officials have yet to find answers for the wider fiscal, management, and security problems impeding Iraq’s energy sector.

Both Israel and Iran have developed, adopted, and adapted drones and other technologies in innovative ways to yield success on the battlefield, but the broader strategic utility of these efforts remains uncertain.

If a bloc of major countries imposed the full range of sanctions suggested by the UK foreign secretary's statement, the consequences for Israel—and the peace process—could be catastrophic.

If the transition is to succeed, the Quad and Quintet must begin now rather than later, setting a short timeframe for the initial phases and preventing armed factions from once again translating military influence into political power.

Their mutual trauma won’t go away any time soon, but practical improvements, U.S. pressure, and greater Arab involvement can help show both populations that incremental change is possible.

A sharp break with the UAE underscores Algeria’s ambitions to reassert its presence on the international stage after decades on the periphery, potentially affecting diplomacy over Western Sahara, among other issues.

A panel of top Israeli pollsters, journalists, and political analysts previews the historic October 27 vote, including its prospects for changing Jerusalem’s approach to the Palestinians and reversing the plummet in U.S. public sentiment.

Although recent elections in the long-disputed territory delivered a resounding message of support for Moroccan dominion, Algeria still seems bent on imposing independence.

Beirut can’t just deploy troops and call it a day—it must give them the legal cover they need to actually dismantle the military capabilities that Hezbollah hides behind misused “private property” protections.

Operation Trapiche revealed how Hezbollah is outsourcing operatives, criminal revenue, and financial services to build deniable capabilities in Latin America.

The Houthis’ ambitions, the regional stakes, and the strains on Yemen’s population have all intensified, setting the stage for a potential quagmire unless Washington, Riyadh, and their allies can pair military pressure with diplomatic off-ramps and a much-needed political vision.

Four scholars discuss how to improve the increasingly polarized field twenty-five years after the publication of Martin Kramer’s groundbreaking critique.

With the terrorist threat landscape looking ominous in Africa and other seemingly distant locales, officials should not downplay the potential risks to the U.S. homeland or discount “outside the box” insights from experts in the private sector.

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.

Although any new Israeli government will have more flexibility to work with the Trump administration on implementing the Gaza plan after this month’s election, the deep concerns Jerusalem has expressed about the “roadmap” will persist, requiring concerted, high-level diplomacy with the Board of Peace.

If U.S. officials continue to let Moscow keep Libyan factions divided while deepening the Russian military footprint, the result will be growing security threats to NATO and Africa.

Unless Washington lays out clear principles on Hamas, the differing strategic views that Ankara, Cairo, and Doha hold toward the group will inevitably erode their cooperation, especially as the implementation process enters more difficult terrain.