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 Israeli Foreign Policy Index for 2020
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
Why Israel Should Avoid Annexation
July 2020
It Is Time for the Arab League to Act Against Annexation
July 2020
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
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
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
The Solution to Gaza is a Diplomatic One
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,
No preelection gifts from Arab leaders to Benjamin Netanyahu
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
A new type of peace in the Middle East
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
Moving on from Trump’s plan for the Middle East
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.
Peace-Spoilers or Negotiation Partners? Netanyahu’s Understandings with Hamas
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
Israel Needs a Real Peace Plan
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
The Trump Plan: Not the Way to Advance Israeli-Palestinian Peace
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
The Trump Peace Plan: Not Even an Opportunity
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
Sorry, Jared, This Time It’s Not the Palestinians Who Have ‘Screwed Up,’ It’s You
Prof. Elie Podeh, January 2020
The international community should say no to the Trump plan
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
Recommendations for restarting Israel-Jordan relations
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
Ten trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies July-December 2019
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
Academia is also turning its back on peace
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
The PA’s shrinking space for freedom of expression
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
When Israelis and Palestinians Meet at the European Parliament
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
Meeting with China's Special envoy to the Middle East, December 2019
International Responses to Annexation: Lessons for Israel from Other Conflicts
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 Palestinian Foreign Service at a Time of Diplomatic Freeze
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
The Quality of Israel’s Peace with Jordan is Dependent on the Israeli-Palestinian Issue
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
When Israel Smiled at the World, the World Smiled Back
“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 Importance of Ties between Palestinian Citizens of Israel and Diaspora Jewry: A View from Britain
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
Israeli Election Analysis: Netanyahu’s Dominant Grip is Coming to an End
While the Israeli elections results do not yet provide clarity regarding the identity of the next prime minister or the composition of the next government, they do indicate that Netanyahu’s
The Resignation of Jason Greenblatt, the Peace Envoy Who Did Not Broker
President Trump’s Middle East envoy Greenblatt was very different from his predecessors. While leading US mediators and envoys were generally experienced in diplomacy and foreign policy, as well
The Israeli Elections and the Global Competition between the Liberal and Non-Liberal Camps
The giant posters adorning the Likud party’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, showing party leader and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu shaking hands with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and
House Demolitions in Sur Baher: Out of Jerusalem, Inside the Fence
The route of the Separation Fence/Wall/Barrier in the area of Jerusalem generally follows the city’s municipal boundaries, separating East Jerusalem’s Palestinian neighborhoods from the West
The US became a Dishonest Broker between Israel and the Palestinians
Jason Greenblatt, US special envoy, said in a recent interview, “There has never been an honest mediator for this conflict. The mindset of a so-called honest mediator never existed and will never
Lessons from the Peace Process between Ethiopia and Eritrea
For those interested in promoting peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the current situation may be discouraging. Indeed, the misconception that there is “no solution” is
The Bahrain Workshop and the Dwindling Chances for Israeli-Palestinian Peace under Trump
The economic workshop in Bahrain in late June produced some noteworthy moments that reflected recent changes in Israeli-Gulf relations: An interview of the Bahraini foreign minister by Israeli
The Israeli Foreign Policy Index for 2019
The 2019 Israeli Foreign Policy Index
Trump Distances Peace, and Bahrain is Just the Tip of the Iceber
The White House announcement that it was convening an economic workshop in Bahrain appeared to mark the launch of a significant US move unveiling the Trump plan we have been hearing about – under
An Economic Workshop in Bahrain, With No Political Horizon
The June 25-26 economic workshop planned by the Trump administration in Bahrain is an attempt to put the economic carriage before the diplomatic horse. History shows that most international
Is Trump’s “Deal of the Century” Really a Peace Plan?
In September 1978, during the Camp David peace summit, U.S. President Jimmy Carter presented Israeli and Egyptian negotiators with a draft peace agreement that served as the basis for discussions
Divided and Divisive: Europeans, Israel and Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking
Over the last 40 years, since the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty (that alluded to but did not solve the Palestinian question) and the European Community’s 1980 Venice Declaration, Europe has been
Israel Should Advance an International Initiative to Support Gaza
The political, security, humanitarian and economic crisis in the Gaza Strip has been on the Israeli, regional and international agenda for many years now. However, the disengagement from the Gaza
Trump Gives Israel’s ‘Master Statesman’ License to Carry On
Netanyahu’s new government will likely continue the path of Israel’s current foreign policy. In 2009 he paid lip-service to a two-state solution but now speaks openly about annexing settlements.
Stable but Tepid: The Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty After 40 Years
On March 26, 1979, Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty – the first between Israel and an Arab state. Many Israelis were disenchanted when the treaty did not result in normalized bilateral
Who Remembers the Palestinian Issue?
Public attention in the upcoming Israeli elections is focusing on domestic political and economic issues, such as Netanyahu’s legal situation and the cost of living – and on security-related
Netanyahu and the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH)
On Janury 28, 2019, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he was terminating the mandate of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH), an observer force established in
Where Are Palestinian Politics Headed?
The resignation of Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, who headed the PA government for two terms as President Mahmoud Abbas’ right-hand man, took place at a watershed
A Better Way for the International Community to Benefit the People of Gaza
The situation in Gaza is horrific. Actually, worse than that. Gazans have been deprived of electricity, water, jobs and salaries; they were stripped off their self-respect and parental authority,
Regional Opportunities to Improve the Situation in Gaza
Israeli and Palestinian experts and activists – together with international diplomats – gathered on 31 October 2018 at the UN Headquarters in Jerusalem for a civil society roundtable discussion
Israel and Egypt: A Strategic Axis in the Regional Landscape?
The recent violent escalation in Gaza, that led to the resignation of the Israeli minister of defense and to a public uproar against the government’s handling of the Hamas movement, have
Mahmoud Abbas’ Interest is to Topple Hamas
It is impossible to isolate the recent escalation of tension between Israel and the Gaza Strip from the stalemate in the internal Palestinian reconciliation process. From the current perspective,
The Quest for a Long-Term Ceasefire in the Gaza Strip
The attempts by officials in the Middle East and beyond to find the formula for a long-term ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, attest to the complexity of the problem that emerged over a decade ago,
The Oslo Agreement was Assassinated with Rabin
Surprisingly for what is considered a failed peace treaty, the 25th anniversary of the Oslo Agreement received significant media coverage. Most of it, as can be expected, was onesided,
Israel in an (Un)Changing Middle East
The Middle East is a confusing area. On the one hand, it is highly volatile, with frequent changes throughout the region and in the domestic affairs of its countries. On the other hand, many
A Port in Cyprus Can Help Resolve Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis
The Gaza Strip poses a great challenge to Israel – in particular its fragile humanitarian situation, which has been an item on the Israeli decision-making table for a long time, especially since
The Israeli Foreign Policy Index for 2018
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 Quest for an Honest Broker in the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
Much has been said and written on President Donald Trump’s controversial statement on Jerusalem on December 6, 2017. But there was one sentence in the speech that everyone – the conflicting
Korea Is Not a Likely Precedent for Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking
On 27 April 2018, the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. It was the first time that a North Korean leader had crossed the border to the south since the
Netanyahu Needs Conflict to Survive
In 2015, Benjamin Netanyahu was elected to a fourth term as prime minister of Israel. Within months, pundits began speculating when his government would fall. So far, the answer has been never.
The New Israeli Illusion: Peace with the Arab World, Without the Palestinians
In recent weeks, Saudi officials made statements that were interpreted in Israel as a change of attitude in Saudi Arabia towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to Israeli Channel 10,
The History of Embassies in Jerusalem and Past Attempts to Relocate the U.S. Embassy
From the 1950s onwards, Israel invested much effort in convincing states to open embassies in Jerusalem. Until 1962, the U.S. actively opposed this Israeli policy, advising countries to refrain
Changes in Domestic Palestinian Politics and Their Influence on Israel and the Middle East
On May 7th 2018, the Mitvim Institute and the Program for Middle East Studies at the Yezreel Valley Academic College held a conference that focused on the changes in the Palestinian domestic
Who Said Refugees Do Not Return Home?
The demonstrations in the Gaza Strip over the last four weeks, under the banner of the “return of the refugees,” have stirred confusion and resentment among many Israelis. No question about it:
Israel and the Abbas Peace Plan
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority’s chairman, appeared on February 20th before the Security Council and presented a new Palestinian peace plan, with a number of points: first, a request
