Israel’s mythic foreign minister, Abba Eban, once quipped that “history teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.” His insight presumed that
Against the backdrop of the Coronavirus crisis, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin spoke with the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, saying the crisis “does not distinguish between
What would a change in the US administration in January 2021 bode for Israel? Does the symbiosis in the relationship between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu attest to a historic high in
For decades, Israelis tended to perceive themselves as living in a hostile region and as being doomed for isolation in their neighborhood. The changing realities between Israel and Arab
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi should lead a process of fixing the country’s regional foreign policies. In his first months in office, he should convey messages and take actions to improve
Israel has always had trouble effectively formulating a diplomatic initiative that balances its given (and favorable) strategic-diplomatic circumstances with its long-term national interests. Now
The much-acclaimed television series “Umm Haroun” produced for Ramadan month viewing, describes the life of Kuwait’s Jewish community in the 1940s. It has generated stormy discussion throughout
Honorable Foreign Minister, Lt. Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi. I know you are scheduled to move on to the Defense Ministry in 18 months, but I think you would have far greater influence and
In the shadow of the Coronavirus outbreak, Qatar is once again throwing a lifeline to the Gaza Strip and establishing itself as the Palestinians’ sole savior. Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad
The final months of 2019 were marked by widespread, prolonged protests throughout Iraq. The demonstrations, centered in Baghdad, targeted the ruling political elite and the state backing it:
Israel’s new foreign minister should lead a process of fixing Israel’s foreign policy. This paper presents recommendations for messages he can convey and actions he can take to improve Israel’s
In September 2019, the Mitvim Institute held its annual Israel-Turkey policy dialogue, for the eighth consecutive year. The dialogue took place in Istanbul and Ankara, in cooperation with
In March 2020, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres issued an appeal for a global ceasefire. “There should be one fight in our world today, our shared battle against COVID-19,” he said. In the
A new Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to take office on 17 May 2020 following the March elections, the third vote in eleven months. Initially, it seemed these had ended
The Gaza Strip constitutes a unique point of convergence of regional politics, a military and political conflict, a humanitarian crisis, international legal issues, environmental and energy
A series of policy papers by Mitvim experts
Trump’s vision for Israeli-Palestinian peace was supposed to be the ultimate gift to Binyamin Netanyahu’s electoral campaign rather than the ultimate deal for Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Trump Peace Plan follows a familiar American pattern of using economic tools to promote regional peace in the Middle East. This paper puts the recent plan in its appropriate context. More
Israel, Hamas and Egypt have long been debating whether to move ahead with an arrangement on Gaza and how to do so. The Palestinian Authority (PA) has to a large extent been excluded from this
Israel has been increasingly critical of the EU in recent days, as multiple European leaders are voicing their opposition to a possible Israeli annexation in the West Bank. The Israeli response
In its coalition agreement with the Likud, the Blue and White Party under the leadership of Benny Gantz has given a seal of approval to annexing parts of Judea and Samaria. According to the
On April 9, Mustafa al-Kadhimi was tasked with forming a new Iraqi government after two other candidates, Mohammed Tawfik Allawi and more recently Adnan al-Zurfi, failed to win enough
The Coronavirus crisis and its impact on Europe has re-ignited the argument over the EU’s future prospects. While the Coronavirus crisis is global, each state has adopted its own coping strategy.
It happened at last. Germany finally announced on Thursday it has designated Lebanese Hezbollah a terror organization, banning all of its activities in the nation. Germany – and other European
Like so much else, official diplomacy has shifted to virtual communications since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is an opportunity for Israeli diplomacy to lead a new type of
Like everywhere in the world the coronavirus pandemic caught us by surprise. During the last week of February we all heard about it but the Government did not take it seriously. It took another
The corona crisis is sidelining the true threat to the Zionist vision of a democratic homeland to the Jewish People. The threat is the legitimization of annexation which is included in the
Israel is still holding to its traditional security maxim. Based on a perception of a hostile region, Israel’s response includes early warning, deterrence and swift – including pre-emptive –
In recent years, Israel, Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus, Greece and Italy promoted the idea of constructing a long pipeline to transfer gas from Israel and Cyprus to Europe. It
The issue of possible Israeli land annexation in the West Bank has become an endless source of spin for Israeli politicians. The hard-line right-wing Yamina party is accusing the right-wing Likud
In the shadow of the Coronavirus outbreak, Qatar is once again throwing a lifeline to the Gaza Strip and establishing itself as the Palestinians’ sole savior. Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad
Israel, Hamas and Egypt have long been debating whether to move ahead with an arrangement on Gaza and how to do so. The Palestinian Authority (PA) has to a large extent been excluded from this
This paper focuses on the role of energy in shaping Israel’s policies towards the Mediterranean. It is based on the main points raised at the fourth meeting of the research and policy group on
A 2018 paper entitled “Israel and Morocco: Cooperation Rooted in Heritage”, written within the framework of the Mitvim Institute’s project on the unfulfilled potential of Israel’s relations with
As in other countries, COVID-19 has exposed the weaknesses particular to Israel society and governance. These shortcomings are not revelatory. Instead, the coronavirus’ spread shines a spotlight
Several days ago, thousands of families in Israel were given good reason for relief: After long, tense days, their loved ones had returned to Israel thanks to a combined operation by our national
Humankind is facing yet another crisis. The Coronavirus pandemic has stopped the world as we knew it. We are living through growing uncertainty about tomorrow, fear and anxiety about death. What
At present, there is no end in sight for the novel coronavirus crisis and we do not know its repercussions for the future. Despite this, it is not too soon to start thinking about possible
After we beat the novel coronavirus, we will have to rebuild international systems and strengthen democracies. The prevailing view that dictatorships deal better than democracies with
According to Israeli media reports, the heads of the Mossad and of the IDF’s southern command secretly visited Qatar in early February. The visit validates comments made to me by a Qatari senior
More and more Israeli diplomats are finding themselves in quarantine these days, due to the Coronavirus crisis. These include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MFA) director general and
The relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel are primarily characterized by mutual interest and cautious rapprochement steps. The rapprochement can be attributed to the
The final months of 2019 were marked by widespread, prolonged protests throughout Iraq, which began in October. Baghdad was the focal point of the demonstrations, which were directed at the
Since President Abdel Fatah a-Sisi’s rise to power in 2014, Israeli-Egyptian ties have been marked by defense-strategic cooperation. This is based on the shared perception of Iran and radical
This article focuses on relations between Israel and Qatar, analyzing them in historical context, in the context of Qatari foreign policy and in terms of their potential and the limitations
This policy paper sets out the various interests and goals of global powers (the US, Russia, China and the EU) in the Mediterranean, and the measures they are undertaking to implement them. The
The leak of a secret visit to Doha by Mossad Director Yossi Cohen and GOC Southern Command Maj. Gen. Herzi Levi last month to pressure Qatar to keep funding Hamas in Gaza confirmed what Qatari
The results of the Israeli election did not give a clear majority to any of the sides, but they still yielded a dramatic result. For the first time, a majority in the Knesset – from Lieberman’s
Since President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s rise to power in 2014, Israeli-Egyptian ties have been marked by defense-strategic cooperation, based on the shared perception of Iran and radical Islamist
The quick-fire coronavirus spread and the response of different countries to it, not only highlight immediate concerns about public health, but also have a significant impact on the evolving
No one in Israel was particularly surprised when the EU’s new foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that Israeli annexation of territories would not go “unchallenged”. Foreign Minister Israel
So, what do we do about Gaza? Every new round of violence generates a marathon of media interviews with the usual suspects mouthing the usual platitudes – Israel must rehabilitate its deterrence,
Israelis have gotten used over the years to governments that do not complete their full terms. But, they never experienced repeat elections prior to 2019. The current political deadlock is
At the annual Munich Security Conference in mid-February, the most important event of its kind – to which Israel did not bother send a single senior representative this year, Saudi Arabian
With Washington trying once again to randomly sketch new Middle East maps, intellectuals, politicians and Arab journalists are dreaming of a fundamental change in attitudes and true normalization
Trump’s vision for Israeli-Palestinian peace was supposed to be the ultimate gift for Netanyahu’s electoral campaign, rather than the ultimate deal for Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolution.
This paper scans the interests and activities of Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt in the Mediterranean Basin – their varying and competing interests, their points of convergence and cooperation,
In February 2019, Israel Katz was named Israel’s interim foreign minister, and three months later his appointment became permanent. This ended a period of almost four-years without a fulltime
The “deal of the century” is here, and so is the simmering, century-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Although the publication of the details of President Trump’s peace initiative has not so far
How should Israel relate to Hamas? How directly should it engage with an organization whose rule over Gaza makes it a key player in any negotiations towards an end to the Palestinian-Israel
Dr Muhammad al-Issa’s unprecedented visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp on 23 January 2020, the 75th anniversary of its liberation, marked a peak in a process of interfaith momentum that
A new international organization was born in the Mediterranean on January 15. In parallel to the joint statement by the Israeli and Egyptian energy ministers on the start of Israeli gas exports
As someone who has dealt with Israel-US relations for almost his entire career, it is clear to me how important American leadership is for us to reach an agreement with the Palestinians. The US
Following the publication of the Trump plan, Mitvim Institute experts argue that this is not the way to advance Israeli-Palestinian peace. This document includes initial commentaries by Nadav
It is a special event when a peace plan for the resolution of the Israeli-Arab conflict commissioned by an American president is launched. But true to President Donald Trump’s record, his peace
President Donald Trump’s Israel-Palestinian blueprint is neither a peace plan nor “best for Israel” (as some in Israel have claimed). On the contrary, it reportedly runs counter to previous
So, I was hiding in the heap of dead bodies because in the last week the crematoria did not function at all. The bodies were just building up higher and higher. So there I was at night time; in
Some 25 years after the historic peace agreement between Israel and Jordan was signed the time has come to restart the strategic relationship between the states and fuse the written words with
Every six months, the Mitvim Institute maps key trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies, based on the institute’s monthly reports that monitor ongoing developments. From July through
This document outlines major trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies over the past six months. It is based on the Mitvim Institute’s monthly reports that cover ongoing developments in the
This paper explores the nexus between Israel’s energy policy and foreign policy interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. While regional energy cooperation has the potential to be one of the most
Tel Aviv University has decided to close its Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research. Two reasons led to the closure, according to the university and the donor family: the fact that the subject
At the beginning of Mahmoud Abbas’s presidency, many in the international community placed their hopes in him, seeing him as a leader who could build a pluralistic Palestinian society. But that
On January 2, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will reportedly sign an agreement to export Israel’s natural gas via the proposed EastMed pipeline via Cyprus and Greece to Europe. The accord,
Less than a month before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Brussels, we – a group of young Israelis and Palestinians – arrived at the European Parliament for a second meeting of the
Meeting with China's Special envoy to the Middle East, December 2019
Briefing on findings of the Foreign Affairs Policy Index, December 2019
The Mitvim Institute 3rd annual conference provided an annual assessment of Israel’s regional foreign policies. It was held in Tel Aviv on 14 November 2019, in cooperation with the
Over the last decade, Israel has accelerated a long-term process of annexation in the West Bank through legal, political, physical and rhetorical steps that are both explicit, and increasingly
The prevailing, negative attitudes in Israel toward the EU, as reflected in the 2019 Israeli Foreign Policy Index of the Mitvim Institute, differ greatly from the facts on the ground. The
Israel has been conducting itself like a state struggling for survival ever since its establishment, and even more so in recent years, despite its indisputable standing as a regional power. While
Israel and the EU maintain exceedingly close relations with each other. The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner and has extensive cultural and political ties to the country. Despite this,
Mitvim policy guide lines
The annual commemoration of the UN’s vote on 29 November 1947 for the partition plan provides an opportunity for the Palestinian Foreign Service and the Palestinian President to shine a global
Briefing on climate change crisis, November 2019
Towards the 25th anniversary of the peace treaty with Jordan, Mitvim experts visited Amman for a series of meetings with political, security, media and civil society figures in Jordan. The
The question of the affinity between the Israeli-Palestinian track and the Israeli-Arab track is a contentious issue in Israeli public discourse. Prime Minister Netanyahu repeatedly claims that
The seventh annual public opinion poll of the Mitvim Institute on Israel’s foreign policy was conducted in September 2019. It was carried out by the Rafi Smith Institute and in cooperation with
“In the last decade of the twentieth century, atlases, history and geography books no longer present an up-to-date picture of the world. Walls of enmity have fallen, borders have disappeared,
The Third Annual Conference of the Mitvim Institute, November 2019
Something good is happening in relations between Israel and the Arab world, as evidenced by more frequent visits of senior Israeli officials to Arab capitals and conciliatory remarks about Israel
The 26th of October marked the silver jubilee of the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty. The media emphasized the fact that no formal celebrations were held on both sides of the Jordan River. Indeed,
President Trump has hastily dispatched his Vice President Pence for urgent talks with President Erdoğan. These talks may have produced a 120 hours pause in the Turkish onslaught into the Kurdish
Jordan will not celebrate this month’s 25th anniversary of the festive signing of the historic peace agreement with Israel in Wadi Araba. The winds of reconciliation that blew at the time, the
When Israelis ask what Brexit means for them, many will think of economy and trade, and about diplomatic relations with Britain and Europe. These are important, but in considering Brexit’s
120 Members of Knesset (MKs), veteran and new, are now starting their term in the 22nd Knesset. In the near future, assuming a new government will actually be formed, they will build a
Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, who feel their political representatives cannot achieve significant change for them on domestic issues, find it hard to believe that their voice could be
On 11 June 2019, the Mitvim Institute and the Davis Institute held a conference at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem on democracy and foreign policy in Israel. It included sessions on democracy,
This document outlines major trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies over the past six months. It is based on the Mitvim Institute’s monthly reports that cover ongoing developments in the
For the past two years, Mitvim Institute experts have been studying the changing relations between Israel and key Arab states – Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and
