On June 13th 2017, the Mitvim Institute and the Leonard Davis Institute held a joint policy workshop at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that examined the effects of the Israeli-Palestinian
As US President Donald Trump’s emissaries continue their journeys through the Middle East searching for a way to break the current stalemate in the Israeli- Palestinian peace process, many in the
How does the Middle East look on the eve of Rosh Hashanah 5778? One can point to a number of important changes that took place over the past year: * The Islamic State is about to disappear
Israel finds it hard to deal with criticism. Everyone does. It is especially hard when someone else points out the sides of you that you do not like and do your best to conceal. Israel does not
The adversarial US-Iranian relationship has many dimensions, including Syria, Yemen, the Gulf and terrorist financing. But the primary threat from Iran is nuclear. Prior to the Joint
The renewed relationship between the Hamas leader and the former Fatah strongman, who grew up together in the Khan Younis refugee camp, proves that the key for creating change in the Palestinian
On July 2, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a speech at the African Union Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa. The speech attracted little attention from Israeli or global media,
The Arab Peace Initiative (API) offers Israel normalized relations with the Arab world in exchange for reaching a peace agreement. It was first presented to Israel by the Arab League in 2002 and
In 2016, the Mitvim Institute embarked on a process of comparing the Israeli- Palestinian conflict to other protracted ethno-nationalist or religious territorial conflicts. The project was
Over the past year we have witnessed the molding of a new Middle East, in which Israel plays a significant role. The term “New Middle East” was coined by Shimon Peres who, after the Oslo Accords
The annual public opinion of the Mitvim Institute on Israel’s foreign policy was conducted, for the fifth consecutive year in mid-September 2017. It was carried out by the Rafi Smith Institute,
Policymakers face a new reality in the Middle East, including post-Arab spring security challenges and the changing roles of Russia, the US, and other powers in the region. Trends, including
The Israeli public thinks that the continuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict significantly damages Israel’s foreign relations with the Middle East and Europe, and that the Israel-US
On 22 March 2017, the Mitvim Institute hosted Dr. Abdullah Swalha for a briefing on Jordan’s foreign policy and its relations with Israel. Dr. Swalha, founder and director of the Center for
On 13 June 2017, the Mitvim Institute and the Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations explored the extent to which the Israeli-Palestinian conflict effects Israel’s foreign relations
He visited Riyadh, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. As each stop approached in his Middle Eastern tour, the suspense in Israel grew and the anticipation increased. When will the major announcement be
As President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia drew near, the Wall Street Journal reported a new initiative originating from the Gulf states vis-a-vis Israel: Should Israel take steps to promote
US President Trump’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority creates expectations for a breakthrough in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. To assess the likelihood of such a breakthrough, it
Donald Trump made his first foreign trip since taking office to the Middle East. In May 2017 he visited Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority. Throughout his regional tour, the US
Hamas’ new policy document does not cancel or supersede the organization’s charter. Rather, its goal is to enable Hamas to maintain control over the Gaza Strip and to improve relations with
The European Union EU is facing great turmoil. Russia’s aggression in the east, the political change in the US and Brexit are all major obstacles on its way forward. These dramatic developments
A public panel by Mitvim and the Frances Brody Institute, April 2017
The anniversary of the most important peace initiative ever put forth in Israel is marked by no celebration. Not even a small family gathering. For 15 years it has been set on the table, clear,
Palestinian Prisoners’ Day is marked every year on April 17th. It is considered a national commemoration day, a shared general consensus amongst the Palestinian population. This day is encumbered
Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu’s March visit to China seemed to revolve around economic issues. The Israeli media reported that the main goal of the visit was to advance IsraeliChinese economic
It is now undeniable that Britain’s decision to leave the European Union and Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States are part of a much broader global change. The coming to
Given ongoing stagnation in the peace process and the new American administration, the Mitvim Institute convened a policy-planning roundtable to discuss which steps the international community
The developments during the early months of 2017 show that the Palestinian Authority continues to prefer to express its opposition to Israeli policy through diplomatic means, including attempts
The Israeli Prime Minister and his government reacted favorably to the election of Donald Trump as the new US President. However, since Trump assumed office, questions have mounted regarding his
An extended period of strained relations has finally ended with a series of lengthy negotiations that culminated in the recent Turkey-Israeli deal in June 2016. The crucial point in the
As someone who personally experienced the first downgrading of diplomatic relations between Israel and Turkey in 1981, and kept close track of the second downgrading in 2010, I naturally feel
The visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will mark the first official trip to Australia by an Israeli head-of-state. His arrival is both an opportunity to enhance bilateral relations and
Prime Minister Netanyahu succeeded in injecting his regional approach into the policy vacuum that characterizes President Trump’s first weeks in office. Since 2014, Netanyahu has declared at home
An extended period of strained relations has finally ended with a series of lengthy negotiations that culminated in the recent Turkey-Israeli deal in June 2016. The critical point in the
Israel has come to see its geo-political location in a negative light, mostly as a result from the Arab-Israeli conflict and its subsequent regional isolation. As a consequence, it has developed
A resolution to the Arab-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts is a vital national interest of Israel and must be a central goal of its foreign policy. The status quo is unstable and time is
In its first days in office, the Trump administration has started to push back against the president’s loud and reiterated campaign promises to relocate the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv
Turkey and Israel have finally restored diplomatic relations based on a reconciliation deal signed on June 28, 2016, following six years of a tumultuous negotiation process. After agreement on
A briefing by Member of European Parliament (S&D Group) Arne Lietz, January 2018
In his recent speech laying out the Obama administration’s view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Secretary of State John Kerry outlined six principles for an Israeli-Palestinian final status
The upcoming international conference regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, on January 15th in Paris, comes at a time when hope for progress in the peace process is at a deep low. Add
Turkey and Israel have finally restored diplomatic relations based on a reconciliation deal signed on June 28, 2016, following six years of a tumultuous negotiation process. After agreement on
The New Year’s Eve attack in Istanbul does not bode well for 2017 in Turkey, signifying the continuation of the rise in terrorism the country has been experiencing in the past few years.
On December 29th , 2016 the Mitvim Institute and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung hosted Dr. Karen E. Young of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington for a briefing titled “The Interventionist
At a press conference in Rome on June 27, 2016, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel had reached a reconciliation agreement with Turkey. Israel’s premier stated
Throughout 2016, analysts were wondering what – if at all – will be President Obama’s final move regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The options discussed included a presidential speech
UN Security Council Resolution 2334, adopted on December 23rd 2016, is not the first international decision against the Israeli settlements. It is aligned with previous criticisms voiced against
Azerbaijan and Armenia exited the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, putatively for a future of democracy. Twenty years later, both are on the opposite path. Over two decades of unresolved, highly
The centennial of the Balfour Declaration will be marked on November 2, 2017, and preparations in Israel and among various Jewish organizations worldwide are underway. However, on the Palestinian
Prime Minister Netanyahu wanted everyone to know that his visit to Azerbaijan, part of a Central Asia mini-tour, was a foreign relations victory. Netanyahu said the visit proves that Israel is
On December 14th 2016 IPCRI and the Mitvim Institute hosted at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem a public forum titled “The U.S Elections and the Future of Middle East.” After opening
It was July 3, 2016, only a few days after the security cabinet had convened in Jerusalem and approved the reconciliation agreement between Israel and Turkey. The bow of the Lady Leyla ship
Several factors have always played an important role in Turkish-Israeli relations since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1949. First of all, both countries have been in the
On July 20, 2016, the Knesset Lobby for Regional Cooperation held a conference at the Knesset, in cooperation with the Mitvim Institute, on the need for an Israeli regional initiative that can
Due to developments in the international diplomatic arena, as well as the information revolution, foreign relations are no longer the sole purview of government officials. Increasingly, civil
US President Barack Obama is already in his final 100 days in office. When president Bill Clinton was in a similar situation, in the year 2000, he chose to present his parameters for the
Dr. Dahlia Scheindlin, policy fellow at Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies, discusses parallels between the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the longstanding conflict of
The Palestinian government recently decided to postpone local elections – that were scheduled for October 2016 – by four months, whilst limiting voting to the West Bank alone. The decision was
As US President Barack Obama’s term in office is nearing its end, he may choose to present parameters for an Israeli-Palestinian final-status agreement before departing from the White House,
The attack of the Iraqi army – reinforced by Kurdish and United States forces – on Mosul is not just another military operation against “the Islamic State” (also known as ISIS, or Daesh). The
A fraction of a percentage point in a referendum struck down the historic government-FARC peace deal. Israel’s pro-peace deal left must learn the lessons of a cautionary tale from Colombia. On
The annual public opinion of the Mitvim Institute on Israel’s foreign policy was conducted, for the fourth consecutive year in late August- early September 2016. It was carried out by the Rafi
Like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Cyprus conflict has been a protracted, unresolved conflict for roughly five decades. The two conflicts share ethno-nationalist and territorial
The Fatah movement and the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Movement) leadership are experiencing a deep internal crisis. In 1969, Fatah leader Yassir Arafat took control of PLO institutions and
It is rare to hear any good news about conflicts de-escalating. This week, the world rallied around the implementation of a ceasefire between the notorious and shadowy FARC (Revolutionary Armed
Do not write off states as power brokers in the Eastern Mediterranean maritime arena just yet. It is easy to do so. Great powers (past, present and aspiring) as well as non-state actors seem to
The US and Israel have finalized a $38 billion, 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) governing US military aid to Israel. The MoU underscores America’s commitment to the future of the
Gabriel Mitchell, a doctoral fellow in government and international affairs at the University of Virginia Tech, discusses with host Gilad Halpern how Israel balances security interests and
Findings of the Mitvim Institute Poll, October 2016 The annual public opinion of the Mitvim Institute on Israel’s foreign policy was conducted, for the fourth consecutive year in late August
The stalemate between Israel and the Palestinians, Iran’s growing influence, acts of terrorism by jihadi Islamic organizations, the collapse of Arab countries after the Arab Spring, and the
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent visit to Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda in July 2016 was the highlight of intense diplomatic activity aimed at strengthening relations between
Israelis see high importance in advancing cooperation with Egypt, while cooperation with the Palestinian Authority is of low priority. This is the main finding from a public opinion poll
Israel faces a wave of anti-democratic sentiment and legislation that some have termed a ‘democratic recession.’ The country is grappling with the fundamental components of political power and
Engaged in a series of policy dialogues since 2012, Mitvim – the Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies and the Global Political Trends (GPoT) Center believe that after the signing of
The recent report of the Middle East Quartet, published in July 2016, recommends that Israelis and Palestinians “foster a climate of tolerance, including through increasing interaction and
It usually happens once a decade. The Turkish army, or elements within it, decides to challenge the country’s authorities. The generals explain this as a need to preserve democracy or
After years of negotiations that produced sporadic headlines but few results, Israel and Turkey finally reached terms for reconciliation on June 27. While relations will not return to the “love
Turkey-Israel relations experienced several peaks and valleys in the last six decades, yet the dominant narrative between the two countries emphasized their shared strategic interests in the
The latest cycle of violence clearly shows the despair young Palestinians feel. This is a generation that will not follow its political leadership blindly. It loathes the existing political
In December 2013, the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union (EU) offered to upgrade the bilateral relations between Israel and the EU to the level of Special Privileged Partnership (SPP)
The Netanyahu government’s objection to France’s proposal to convene an international peace conference is not out of step with traditional Israeli foreign policy. Over the years, Israeli
Israel and Turkey have been conveying to their publics positive messages about progress in the bilateral negotiations toward a reconciliation agreement. Expectations are that a deal may be
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is mired in political paralysis that is costing lives daily. Local actors at the policy level are badly in need of fresh ideas, but few are forthcoming. In this
In the past few months, Israeli ministers have been engaged in an international effort to enforce legislation that will have Facebook and other social media networks take responsibility for
Ahmet Davutoglu was apparently the ultimate crony. He has served since 2003 as Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s political right-hand man, first as foreign policy adviser to the prime minister, after
The first visit by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to Egypt has led to the signing of significant agreement between the two countries. The visit and its consequences signal a new phase in the
Saudi Arabian King Salman’s five-day visit to Egypt and the extensive media coverage it garnered are an expression of the warming of ties since al-Sisi became president in June 2013. Morsi’s
The gradual weakening of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) over the years, especially in comparison to the other entities responsible for various aspects of foreign and defense policy,
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, visited the Middle East in March. Israel decided to prevent her from traveling to Ramallah in light of her refusal to visit Jerusalem as well. Shortly
Saudi Arabian king Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s five-day visit to Egypt is an expression of the warming of ties between the two countries since Abdel Fattah Sisi became president of Egypt in
The Egyptian transfer of the islands of Tiran and Sanafir in April 2016 to Saudi Arabia can be understood from at least four separate perspectives. First, the agreement between the parties is
The recent Wall Street Journal report on the White House’s plans for reviving the stalled Middle East negotiations before President Barack Obama leaves office caught many people by surprise, for
“Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend a day in Gaza with Andy Dwonch, the head of Mercy Corps in Palestine. Mercy Corps is a large nonprofit organization based in Portland, with
Normalcy lacked in recent years in the relations between Israel and Turkey and should not be taken for granted It is difficult to look for the bright side of tragic events such as the recent
When Joe Biden visits Israel, drama inevitably ensues. Few in Israel have forgotten his 2010 trip, when upon his arrival the Interior Ministry announced the construction of new Jewish homes in
The year 2016 doesn’t bode well for the peace process, which has been stuck for a long time. The current situation ensures that the freeze will continue. This assessment is based on three
The year 2016 doesn’t bode well for the peace process, which has been stuck for a long time. The current situation ensures that the freeze will continue. This assessment is based on three
Almost 14 years after it was first unveiled, the Arab Peace Initiative (API) still has the potential to serve as a key incentive in efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This is
Pessimists, like Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, say that the deal between Iran and major powers to curb its nuclear capabilities will only enhance Iran’s threat, by lifting
Education Minister Naftali Bennett was right when he declared that the Foreign Ministry’s personnel “have a DNA.” But contrary to him, having been a member of that family for many years, I
