The Tower of David Museum: Venue for Co-Existence
The article inquires how a cultural institute in a contested city can become an allied sphere, a source for joint creation, and even a venue for peacebuilding.
Will Marwan Barghouti Be the Next Palestinian President?
The first thing one sees after crossing the Qalandiya checkpoint from Jerusalem en route to Ramallah is a huge mural of Marwan Barghouti, the imprisoned Fatah leader who is seen by many
Does the Road to Peace Pass Through Prisons? The role of former and current inmates in advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace
The article points to measures that can be promoted in order to realize the potentially positive role of inmates in advancing peace.
Israelis prefer practicality in promoting peace with Palestinians
The Mitvim Institute’s 2022 Foreign Policy Index, published in October for the tenth straight year in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, indicates that the Israeli public has
In a tense Jerusalem, an inside look at the city’s youth movement for peace
By the time I got to the large community building just steps from Jerusalem’s Old City walls on a cool December evening last year, I had been waiting to see Kids4Peace, a program of Seeds of
One year in, how a US law is disrupting the status quo
In recent days and weeks, we’ve seen gun battles in the streets, nightly raids, terror attacks, and the “highest in years” death toll in the West Bank. For three days this summer, the skies once
Women’s Peace Groups in Formal Peace Processes: Benefits of Participation, Price of Exclusion
This paper explores how women's peace organizations contribute to peacemaking efforts in Israel-Palestine. It is part of a joint project by Mitvim and the Davis Institute.
MEPPA’s Progress and Promise, One Year In
This paper assesses the current state and potential of the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (“MEPPA”), passed by Congress just after the 2020 presidential election, for
Is this a turning point in Israel- Hamas relations? – opinion
With yet another ceasefire in place following a violent round of clashes between Israel and Gaza-based militants, the recent flare-up of violence may mark a hopeful turning point—one that could
Biden’s Israel visit reiterates his views on the two state solution
In a speech delivered during his visit to the Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem, President Joe Biden referred to his family’s Irish background, drawing parallels between the Irish and
Israelis, Palestinians both got something from Biden visit despite low expectations- analysis
Leaders in Jerusalem and Ramallah knew that the focal point of the American presidential visit to the Middle East was Saudi Arabia: If not for the war in Ukraine and soaring energy prices, the
Biden should bolster a Palestinian political horizon
When US President Joe Biden visits Israel and the PA in mid-July, he will meet a caretaker Israeli prime minister and a Palestinian leader who has lost his legitimacy. This is clearly far from
Biden should bolster a Palestinian political horizon- opinion
When US President Joe Biden visits Israel and the PA in mid-July, he will meet a caretaker Israeli prime minister and a Palestinian leader who has lost his legitimacy. This is clearly far from
Sports for peace: let Israelis and Palestinians compete in Mediterranean games
3,500 athletes from 26 countries began competing this week in the 19th Mediterranean Games in Algeria. For over 70 years, delegates from throughout the region have convened quadrennially, in
Environmental Organizations as Potential Players in the Peace Process
This article discusses the capacity of non-governmental organizations to use environmental issues as a platform for promoting peace in the region, especially between Israelis and Palestinians.
Energy as a Tool for Israeli-Palestinian Peacebuilding
Energy relations between Israel and the Palestinians reflects the existing relationship between the parties, but at the same time hold high potential for promoting cooperation and peace.
‘Peace through Health’ in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Ground for dialogue or guise for continued occupation?
Based on interviews with representatives of an Israeli human rights organization that provides health services in the Occupied Territories, this article examines the implementation of the "peace
Holocaust denial still common in the Arab world, but views are changing
“I watched movies about Holocaust before, and I thought that generally, I have more knowledge about this issue than many in my society. But only when you come here, to Auschwitz, do you truly
Arab-Israelis have no appetite for another wave of violence
Soon after the first terror attack last month in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba that launched the current wave of violence, Sheikh Muhammad Abu al-Qiyan, maternal uncle of the terrorist –
After 20 years, time for a new Arab peace initiative
Twenty years ago, in the midst of the al-Aqsa Intifada, Arab leaders convened in Beirut for their annual summit and adopted the Arab Peace Initiative (API). The move followed the failure to reach
Palestinian Expectations from The Biden Administration
The United States’ (US) foreign policy trend of intervention in the Middle East has long been accepted as a truism in international relations and politics. For decades, the US has demonstrated a
Saudi Arabia’s Engagement in the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
During the last few decades Saudi Arabia had exercised a role of a regional coordinator between various Middle Eastern states and between them and the USA. Twice in the past it had put on the
Making the Middle East Partnership for Peace Act a Game Changer in Israeli-Palestinian Civil Society Peacemaking
While the stagnation in the official Israeli- Palestinian peace process continues, Israelis and Palestinians working to advance peace on the civil society level are experiencing some new
That other crisis
Israel-Palestine risks becoming a forgotten conflict – the world should pay attention. In January 2001, US President Bill Clinton met with President-elect George W. Bush and presented him with a
Israel’s alternative to two-state solution is apartheid regime
The public debate on the two-state solution has seen its ups and downs in the past decade. But there is one consensus that crosses political party lines and according to it, there is no chance in
Students Accuse Birzeit University Administration of Collaboration Following IDF Campus Arrest
After recurring violent outbreaks between Fatah and Hamas activists on the campus, PA security forces last month also arrested students at several West Bank campuses Birzeit University students
With No Israeli Reporters on the Ground, Gaza Remains Invisible to Public
Many Israelis use questionable resources upon which to draw knowledge about life in the coastal strip, while some Israeli journalists dream about returning to Gaza to do their job again In 2006,
In Hopes of Postponing the Next War, Israel Lets Gazans Back in After 15 Years
10,000 laborers get work permits to cross the border Recently, Israel increased the number of Gazans allowed to work in Israel under “merchant permits” to 10,000, although 90% of them are not
One step forward, one step back: International discourse on advancing Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking
Introduction The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been locked in a stalemate since the 2014 collapse of the US mediation initiative led by then-Secretary of State John Kerry. The relations
The Ministry of Regional Cooperation
and Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking
Among Israel’s many government ministries, one stands out in particular. It is small, its authority is limited, and many doubt its need. But it is tasked with realizing one of Israel’s greatest
Multilateralism is the key to peace
‘It is worth remembering,” Prof. Elyakim Rubinstein wrote five years ago on the 25th anniversary of the Madrid Conference, the multilateral event that launched the Israeli-Arab peace process of
Tsunami of Crime in Israel’s Arab Sector Has People Losing Faith in the Police
‘We have a new generation of young people who do not work or study,’ Arab activist says Ninety-six Israeli Arab citizens, men, women and children, have been murdered since the beginning of 2021.
What lessons does the Trump-Taliban deal hold for Israel, Hamas?
In September 2019, on the eve of the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, President Trump and leaders of the Taliban were scheduled to meet at Camp David. The peace summit was scrapped at the
Mahmoud Abbas’s moment of truth: The road to renewed diplomacy traverses Amman and Cairo
The recent meetings between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and the trilateral meeting several days later between Abbas, the King
Israel’s ‘divide and conquer’ Palestinian policy does not serve its interests
Two months have elapsed since the military operation in Gaza, but the situation there remains volatile and dangerous. Negotiations on a return of Israeli prisoners and MIAs are stuck and Gaza’s
The dangerous game of the Jerusalem flag march
Last month’s flag march in Jerusalem drew extensive attention in Israel, the Palestinian arena and the international community. Israeli policymakers were forced to decide whether to allow the
Now that we’re rid of Trump and Bibi, what’s next?
Yes, even left-wing malcontents are sometimes allowed a sigh of relief and sense of pleasure in the return of sanity to our government. But we cannot rest on our laurels because the dramatic
Israel and Palestinians Need Separation for Peace
The recent violent outbreak in the mixed Jewish and Arab cities is a wake-up call for those who chose not to think about the Palestinian issue or those who believed it existed only beyond the
Gabi Ashkenazi should meet with
Palestinian leaders in Ramallah
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi’s May 30 visit to Cairo was an unusual and positive event. For too long, the strategic ties between Israel and Egypt have been conducted mostly by security
There’s no military nor public diplomacy solution
Now that a ceasefire has been reached, we should try to understand why we return to the same futile pattern every time. As in every previous exchange of blows between Israel and Hamas, the
Solving the issue of a divided Jerusalem
In January 2018, then-president Donald Trump declared that by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, his administration “took Jerusalem off the table, so we don’t have to talk about it
Israeli-Palestinian mediation: Welcome back, America
The latest escalation with Gaza illustrates yet again Israel’s vital need for international support to end periodic rounds of fighting with Hamas. As was the case in previous rounds,
No, Jerusalem is not off the table
In January 2018, President Donald Trump declared that by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, his administration “took Jerusalem off the table, so we don’t have to talk about it
Thoughts on the Postponement of the Palestinian Elections
When Mahmoud Abbas was elected Palestinian Authority (PA) President in 2005, many regarded him as the harbinger of democracy and full independence for his people. However, a year after his
Assessing Operation Guardian of the Walls: Did it change any opinions?
Historians may agree that it is still too early to evaluate the results of the recent events in Israel and Gaza, but our limited historical perspective might suggest that several Israeli
Greece and Cyprus can play a modest role in advancing
Israeli-Palestinian peace
In March 2021, the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum held its first meeting as a recognized international organization. Delegations from member countries – including Cyprus, Egypt, Greece,
Solution to Violence Must Be Strategic
Every time an exchange of blows begins between Israel and Hamas, we hear advice from politicians and military commentators on what needs to be done in response – to strike, to renew deterrence,
Is the Middle East Quartet still relevant?
In recent months, following the change of government in the United States, the Middle East Quartet resumed its activities. The Quartet, comprised of the US, Russia, the EU and the UN, was
Tensions in Jerusalem:
Initial Commentaries by Mitvim Institute Experts
The latest events in Jerusalem – at Muslim holy sites, the Damascus Gate and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood – have brought tensions in the city to new heights and affect Israel’s relationship
Morocco and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
By dint of its position in the Arab and Muslim arena, Morocco is strongly committed to the Palestinian issue and the safeguarding of Jerusalem’s Muslim holy sites. Throughout its history, Morocco
The UAE and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
The Abraham Accords have stirred a contentious international debate over the UAE’s support for the national aspirations of the Palestinians. The Palestinian leadership views the UAE’s
Greece, Cyprus, and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
For decades, the US operated as the central mediator between Israel and the Palestinians. However, after decades of stalled negotiations, it is likely that future peacemaking efforts will be
Where Do We Go from Here?
The International Discourse on Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking
The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been in a prolonged freeze since talks between the sides on a permanent status agreement, promoted by US Secretary of State John Kerry, collapsed in
The Palestinian reconciliation is an opportunity
The Netanyahu government’s approach to maintaining segregation between Hamas and Fatah and between Gaza and the West Bank is detrimental to Israel’s long-term goals, which are Israeli-Palestinian
Changing the Equation: International Incentives
for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
How can the international community advance peace? Leaders and diplomats have pondered this question for years with regard to conflicts and wars around the world. International incentives for
The Two-State Solution Won’t Save Itself, Mr. President
During the last four years of Trump administration, many important words and concepts such as “human rights” or “two-states solution” were effectively omitted completely
ICC investigation is Israel’s wake-up call
The decision of the International Criminal Court in The Hague that it has jurisdiction over the Israeli-Palestinian context arouses a variety of tormenting, yet conflicting, thoughts and
How Biden should handle Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Joe Biden began his term as US president at a time when the Israeli-Palestinian peace process was in a deep and continued stagnation. The Trump administration’s policies on
How did Zionist symbol KKL-JNF become an organization that hurts Israel?
Many of us still remember the blue Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund in which our parents would toss coins in order to “redeem the Land of Israel” and fulfill the Zionist dream. Then,
Between a Rock and a hard place
It seems a just resolution of the Palestinian issue is the minimum that Pakistan will settle for if it is to recognize Israel. Following the series of agreements between Israel, the United Arab
Biden, It’s Time to Promote Israeli-Palestinian Peace
It has been only a few days after President Biden entered the Oval Office until senior officials of his voiced clear statements about the administration’s Israeli-Palestinian policy. Secretary of
Addressing Needs, Promoting Peace: A Proposal for an
International Incentives Package for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
A Policy Paper Based on Deliberations by a Team of Israeli and Palestinian Experts. Edited by Dr. Lior Lehrs, with Moien Odeh, Dr. Nimrod Goren, Huda Abu Arqoub. Incentives are an important tool
Initial Biden Administration Policy Steps to Advance
Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking – Summary
This document summarizes recommendations for initial policy steps that the Biden Administration could take to advance Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. It identifies nine key goals for the new
Initial Biden Administration Policy Steps to Advance
Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking
This document presents recommendations for initial policy steps that the Biden Administration can take to advance Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. It describes the current state of play in the
Promoting Democracy and Peace Will Bring Israel
Closer to the Biden Administration
Israel’s special relationship with the US is a cornerstone in Israel’s foreign policy and national security. In recent years, alongside Prime Minister Netanyahu’s close bond with outgoing
Abraham Accords does not solve Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israel’s newly established relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco are a welcome development signaling a paradigm shift. The working assumption for decades was that
With Mladenov’s Departure, Who Will Prevent the Next War in Gaza?
The next time Israel and Hamas come to blows and need someone to hold them in check, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov will no longer be there to help
What are Trump’s last Israel policy moves before he leaves?
The Trump administration is taking advantage of the transition period to advance several final policy moves pertaining to Israel. These include the visit by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to the
Biden could generate momentum for Israeli-Palestinian peace
An article by Dr. Nimrod Goren for the Middle East Institute
Biden’s victory, Erekat’s death teach valuable lessons for peace camp
Nadav Tamir on Jpost
Israel’s Regional Foreign Policies: An Annual Assessment, November 2020
The Mitvim Institute presented its annual assessment of Israel’s regional foreign policies at its fourth annual conference on October 28, 2020. The conference was held in cooperation with the
The turning point for normalization was in 1993, not 2020
Prof. Elie Podeh on Jpost
Normalizations with Israel bring new challenge for Palestinians
Dr. Ido Zelkovitz on Jpost
A win-win approach for Israelis, Palestinians is a two-state solution
Nadav Tamir on The Jerusalem Post
The Palestinian Issue as Ground and Ceiling for Arab-Israeli Cooperation
A new research by Thair Abu Ras
The 2020 Israeli Foreign Policy Index of the Mitvim Institute
The 2020 Israeli Foreign Policy Index
To recognize or not to recognize: EU recognition of Palestine
Op-ed by Dr. Lior Lehrs
Trends in Israel’s Regional Foreign Policies, January – June 2020
Issue 5
Who Decided Trump Was Good for Israel?
July 2020
The 2013 Israeli Foreign Policy Index
Findings of a Mitvim Poll on Israel’s Foreign Policy, November 2013 The majority of the Israeli public believes Israel’s foreign policy is more reactive than proactive and that it is not
Why Israel Should Avoid Annexation
July 2020
It Is Time for the Arab League to Act Against Annexation
July 2020
The 2017 Israeli Foreign Policy Index of the Mitvim Institute
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,
Europe’s Initial Reactions to Israel’s Annexation Intentions
US President Donald Trump’s plan for resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, presented in January 2020, was perceived in Jerusalem as a green light to annexation of some 30 percent
The 2018 Israeli Foreign Policy Index of the Mitvim Institute
The sixth annual public opinion poll of the Mitvim Institute on Israel’s foreign policy was conducted in September 2018. It was carried out by the Rafi Smith Institute and in cooperation with
The 2019 Israeli Foreign Policy Index of the Mitvim Institute
The 2019 Israeli Foreign Policy Index
2019-2020
US Policies towards Israel and the Middle East is a monthly publication of the Mitvim Institute, currently written by Amb. (Ret.) Barukh Binah. The publication covers issues related to US-Israel
Avoiding a small annexation will not prevent the larger occupation
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
Israel and the US: Is the Special Relationship Still Special?
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
Now Is the Time for an Israeli Diplomatic Initiative, Not Annexation
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 UN’s Call for a Global Ceasefire: Can It Help Advance Israeli-Palestinian Peace?
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
Challenges and Opportunities for Gaza: A Mediterranean Perspective
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
Beyond the Trump Plan: How Can the International Community Advance Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking?
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 Role of Economy in US Efforts to Promote Israeli-Arab Peacemaking
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
The Diplomatic Potential in Developing Gaza’s Offshore Gas Field
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, the EU and Annexation Intentions
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
Seven reasons for not annexing West Bank territories
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
Now is the time for the EU to put all of Hezbollah on its terror list
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
This Day of Independence, We Are in Danger of Risking the Zionist Dream
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
Israeli annexation talks threaten ties with Arab world
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
