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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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 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,
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,
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
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 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
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
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
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.
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,
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
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
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:
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
(to view the interview in Fathom, click here)
The claim that emerged in 2000 that Israel has “no Palestinian partner” to negotiate with on the final status agreement has become a fixture in the Israeli public discourse ever since.
The Israeli peace camp includes thousands of people and hundreds of groups, movements and organizations working to help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and bring peace and reconciliation
The Palestinian citizens of Israel have the potential to influence and shape Israel’s foreign affairs, especially in regards to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and to Israel’s ties with
The Israel-Palestinian conflict resolution process is paralyzed. It is costing lives and generates violence on a daily basis. Yet many policy makers, pundits and citizens in Israel believe it no
In December 2017, while the UN General Assembly voted against the American decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and while Palestinian leaders were seeking an alternative mediator
On 6 December 2017, US President Donald Trump delivered a statement in which he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. His statement was warmly received in Israel, but was heavily criticized
The agreement signed between Fatah and Hamas on 12 October 2017, under the auspices of Egyptian intelligence, is in fact a memorandum of understanding that signals the beginning of a process of
“This is the time to say thank you for the decision that has lifted every heart in Israel, and every heart in the Jewish world”. This statement was not issued after Trump’s decision to recognize
US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel confirms Abba Eban’s aphorism that “men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other
The United Nations Partition Plan, which marked its 70th anniversary on Wednesday, was rejected by the Arabs and the Palestinians. Everyone knows that. What is less well known is that not all the
On the eve of Kurdistan’s referendum, the international community is rife with speculation about what the vote will mean for the future of Iraq, the fight against ISIS, regional dynamics with
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
With the possibility that four-term Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could one day fall due to corruption investigations, and succession speculation around aging Palestinian leader Mahmoud
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,
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 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
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
How did one of the world’s toughest conflicts reach a diplomatic breakthrough after 14 years of political stalemate? Why did the process then stagnate? In 1999, NATO led the largest international
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 developments during the early months of 2017 show that the Palestinian Authority (PA) continues to prefer to express its opposition to Israeli policy through diplomatic means, including
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
There may not be a conflict-ending, two-state solution any time soon, or perhaps ever. But if there is one, John Kerry’s six principles will serve as its basis. Kerry’s six principles are an
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
It is rare to hear any good news about conflicts de-escalating. This week, the world rallied around the implementation of a cease-fire between the notorious and shadowy FARC (Revolutionary Armed
Over the past two years, the Israeli discourse has frequently included terms like “an opportunity to promote regional cooperation,” or “regional initiative.” This discourse is not limited to the
Netanyahu’s recent statement that Israel “will never accept the Arab Peace Initiative as a basis for negotiations,” joins a long list of negative statements made by Israel regarding attempts by
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
The Quartet Report was widely criticized by both Israelis and Palestinians, but apart from the responses of a number Israeli and Palestinian officials, has yet to make any waves in the public
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
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
The week between Yom HaShoah and Yom HaZikaron tends to be emotionally charged as Israelis set aside time to grapple with the lessons of the past and the memories of those who were cut down
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
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
The deep freeze in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians has led the international community to examine new ways of acting to further clarify the character of a future two-state
As violence between Israelis and Palestinians escalated amid diplomatic stagnation, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies
The international community is currently exploring an initiative to establish an International Support Group (ISG) for the Middle East Peace Process, which is supposed to help create conditions
The stagnation in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process was clearly reflected at the 2015 UN General Assembly. The speeches of Mahmoud Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu lacked vision and hope, and
The meeting of the Middle East Quartet, which convened in the margins of the annual debate of this year’s United Nations General Assembly, was part of an attempt to breathe new life into the
The Palestinian President has recently announced his resignation from the position of Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee. This move took place in parallel to the intensification of power
