Publications

Most Mideast autocrats welcome President-elect Trump

Throughout the Middle East, with the exception of Iran and its proxies, there was a collective sigh of relief at the reelection of Donald Trump as president of the United States. Given the choice

How Israel’s War Risks Destroying Ties with Jordan and Regional Allies

Relations between countries naturally ebb and flow. While high tides are often seen as a positive sign, low tides can strain these connections. As we mark the 30th anniversary of the peace

Qatar Can Be Part of the Solution, and Not Just Part of the Problem

In her article “Qatar is preparing a ‘ring of fire’ around Israel to supplant Iran’s,” (Haaretz, October 15), Dr. Ronit Marzan takes a one-dimensional approach

Israel’s Restored Deterrence Comes at the Cost of Diplomatic and Moral Challenges

A year has elapsed since Hamas’s brutal attack on Israel, which ignited a war not only against the terrorist organization but also against the entire so-called Axis of Resistance led by the

At His End, Nasrallah Was a Victim of His Own Rhetoric

Israel’s apprehension of Hezbollah has arisen not only from the arsenal of rockets and missiles it has stockpiled but also from its hostile rhetoric and the image of Nasrallah as someone who

An Israeli Public Turn into Pragmatism a Year Into the War May Provide an Opening for a New International Vision for Ending the War

There is a widespread perception globally that the October 7th massacre and the subsequent war have pushed the Israeli public toward the far right. This narrative suggests that while Israelis are

The International Community’s Role in Moving From the Gaza War to Peace Between Israelis and Palestinians and Regional Stability

The United States, Europe and pragmatic Arab states are offering Israelis and Palestinians a way out of the abyss they fell into on 7 October 2023: a political process that includes the

Islam’s Influence in Jordan Presenting Significant Challenges for the King

Recent attention has turned to Jordan, following the murders of three Israelis at the Allenby Bridge Crossing. These killings have reignited fears in Israel about a potential deterioration in

The Israeli Foreign Policy Index of 2024

The Mitvim Institute’s twelfth annual public opinion poll on Israeli foreign policy was conducted at the end of August. The survey was conducted by the Rafi Smith Institute in collaboration

The EU’s Possible Role in the ‘Day After’ the Gaza War according to a Reverse Engineering Roadmap

The paper outlines the existing and potential role of the EU in helping to shape a sustainable resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the aftermath of the Gaza war under new Israeli

Exaggerations, Obstacles and Opportunities: The Saudi Arabian Position in the Gaza War

The paper aims to shed light on the obstacles and opportunities of Saudi involvement in a future Palestinian-Israeli peace process. It first explains the enigmatic nature of Saudi communication

Deradicalization and Israeli-Palestinian Reconciliation: Lessons and Recommendations Based on Past Conflicts

The events of October 7 and the ensuing war prompt the question of the “day after” in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Both sides of Israel’s political spectrum recognize that achieving

The hostages should be prioritized over Philadelphi and Rafah

A key obstacle to reaching a ceasefire agreement with Hamas is Israel’s insistence on maintaining control over the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing, along the Egyptian border. Prime

Humanitarian Strategy in the Israel-Hamas War

The document discusses the significance of developing a strategic policy for the humanitarian response in Gaza, emphasizing its importance as a vital Israeli interest. Humanitarian strategy is

The Majdal Shams Massacre – A Chance for a Diplomatic End to the War in the North on Favorable Terms for Israel

The terrible attack in Majdal Shams is a chronicle of a disaster foretold for nearly nine months. It is the result of a lack of Israeli strategy on one hand, and Hezbollah’s assessment that

Palestine Is One Vote Short in the Security Council from Being Recognised as a State

The total stalemate in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict requires new thinking and weaning off of old paradigms. Currently as the result of the Hamas attack on October 7, the ensuring

Secret Meetings Prove Israel, Saudi Arabia Still Want Normalization Amid War

Normalization with Saudi Arabia has become a central issue during the Israel-Hamas war. Despite the great advantages the normalization holds for Israel, the current government is unable – and

A Blue Economy in the Eastern Mediterranean: Climate, Society and Regional Prosperity

This paper examines the differences between a blue economy and a maritime economy in the regional context of the Eastern Mediterranean. A blue economy is defined as one that improves human

Israeli-Palestinian Peace May Look Entirely Different From How We Imagine It

Peace between peoples doesn’t have to be a love story – it can also be based on an alliance of interests. There are places where that is already working, thanks to the process of

How has Hamas kept its strength for so long without giving in to mediation pressure?

It is possible to suggest several explanations for the inability of the mediators to persuade Sinwar or to force his hand until now. How is it that Hamas, not a particularly large or strong

Bilateral normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia can offer something bigger

The Saudi proposal opens up the path to recognition of Israel by other states in the Middle East and in the Muslim world. An important factor in every negotiation between states is the incentives

The Road not Taken with Saudi Arabia Is Bigger Than Normalization

The intense diplomatic activity on the Washington-Riyadh axis, as well as statements by top officials on both sides, indicate that an Israeli-Saudi normalization agreement is still relevant

Netanyahu’s way of governance leads to unilateral recognition of Palestinian state

Israel must repudiate Netanyahu’s lack of statesmanship, which is leading Western countries to recognize a Palestinian state that could become a real Hamastan. The flood of Western

A Vision for Regional – International Partnership for Gaza Rebuilding and Palestinian Economic Leap

The immense extent of destruction in the Gaza Strip caused by the 2023-2024 Gaza War, requires massive rebuilding. This paper sets a vision of a long-term economic rebuilding plan, which is aimed

EU on Palestine: Is There a Credible Peace Plan?

The UN General Assembly passed on Friday with overwhelming majority a resolution which upgrades Palestine’s rights at the world body as an observer state, without offering it full membership. In

Hydropolitics in the Middle East

Water scarcity in the Middle East poses a formidable challenge, with far-reaching implications for the region’s ecological balance, socio-economic stability, and security. This policy paper

Israel’s lack of vision is a blessing for Iran

“The only thing we have in common with the Israeli government is that we also don’t believe in the two-state solution.” The speaker was not an Israeli far-right activist but Iranian Foreign

Climate-Political Migration in Israel and Palestine

The policy paper presents a critical analysis of the phenomenon known as “climate migration,” focusing on the Israel-Palestine region. It also highlights the tension between human rights

Between Annexation and Political Horizon: Israeli Society at a Crossroads for Conflict Resolution After October 7th

Over the past decade until October 7th, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has received minimal significant global headlines. Extensive coverage of the conflict occurred mainly during military

Lebanon’s Vulnerability: A Chance for Israel Amid Anti-War Sentiment

Over the past six months, the Israel-Lebanon border has been a battleground between Israel and Hezbollah. Recently, there has been an escalation from both sides, albeit within perceived

Israel’s begrudging approach to humanitarian aid could cost it the war in Gaza

Netanyahu was pressured into announcing new measures for Gazans in wake of deadly strike on WCK aid workers, but again Jerusalem risks doing too little, too late. There are many aspects of

How powerful is Hamas after 6 months of war with Israel?

After half a year of war, and in spite of Israel’s military strength, Hamas continues to fight. While it’s impossible to pinpoint the exact strength of the Islamist militants, some

Israel’s peace with the United Arab Emirates is a model for a new Middle East

Early in the pandemic, a friend of mine introduced me to another friend of his, an Emirati living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Knowing that my academic research is focused on the

The Israeli Initiative

We are honored to share the latest publication from the Mitvim Institute – the Israeli Initiative. The Initiative aims to turn the tragedy of October 7th and the ensuing war into a political

Inclusive Foreign Policy in Israel – Trends and Processes from a Gender Perspective

Gender equality and women’s rights are consensual values across parties and political agendas in Western democracies, of which Israel has always been proud to be a part. However,

Normalization with Saudi Arabia looks unlikely, but we should try anyway

Based on past experience with normalization agreements, three components are presently missing on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides: legitimate leadership, political determination, and

Why it’s essential to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza

Israel’s success in stabilizing the humanitarian situation in Gaza correlates with minimizing harm to non-combatants. This provides greater flexibility for Israeli troops to defeat Hamas.

An Israeli offensive in Rafah could worsen relations with Egypt

Israel and Egypt both aim to demonstrate to the Arab world the destabilizing effects of supporting the Shia axis.

The scorpion

Netanyahu pushed Qatar to support Hamas, unfairly targeted the Red Cross and is fighting a war with no exit plan – so who's to blame?

What Israel can learn from the US-led coalition’s attacks on the Houthis

The sea may develop into an arena requiring greater Israeli effort, but could also create additional opportunities for international cooperation, and not only in the Red Sea.

Spoiler – We are not Russia

Too many so called “security experts” have recently been explaining why we need to starve Gaza and prevent humanitarian aid in order to achieve the objectives of the war. They assert that we

The way to defeat Hamas: Recognition of a Palestinian state

Recognition by the international “moral majority” of a Palestinian state is a Zionist imperative if Israel is to ensure its future as the democratic nation-state of the Jewish people.

Egypt needs to consider its economy in Gaza war outlook

The Gaza war’s impact on Egypt’s economy is not hidden.

What is a Revitalized Palestinian Authority?

The idea of rehabilitating the Palestinian Authority (PA) was proposed by US President Joe Biden in response to its weakness and to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of its

Palestinian Elections: A Vital Step Toward a Stable Political Settlement

A political settlement to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians once Hamas is weakened, and after an intermediate stage in which a reconstituted Palestinian Authority is established with the

The Case for a Post-War International Peace Conference

As of January 2024, the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip is evolving into its ‘third stage’, from aerial bombardment and a massive ground operation into low-intensity warfare and

An International Peace Conference in the Aftermath of the Israel-Hamas War

The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip might evolve in the next few weeks into its ‘third stage’, following the aerial bombardment and the massive ground operation undertaken

On the Role of Local Government in Promoting Peace and Political-Environmental Sustainability

The paper discusses the rising power of local government and its ability to independently create and/or advance foreign relations in order to promote peace and good neighborly relations. One of

Economically, Israel is not facing multi-front war yet

If the northern front expands into an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah, or if the Red Sea is closed by the Houthis – then the energy market will respond with increases in fuel prices

Morocco and resolving the Gaza crisis

Three years after the resumption of official ties, and in the shadow of the Gaza war, the crisis provides a new opportunity for regional and bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Palestinians feel the Arab world has let them down

Palestinian feelings about the Arab response to the war in Gaza can be summed up in one word: disappointment. This sentiment is shared by Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and Palestinians in

The Palestinian leadership keeps making the same past mistakes

The PA’s recurring willingness to seek agreements with Hamas has proven to be a consistent mistake.

Securing Critical Infrastructure in Gaza is a Necessity for Israeli National Security

Ensuring the functioning of life-sustaining infrastructure in the Gaza Strip is critical for advancing the two main Israeli goals of the war in Gaza – the return of the hostages and the

Are Israel and Qatar allies or enemies?

Qatar would exert a lot of influence to maintain its role in Gaza in the “day after,” yet Israel should seek to diminish this role as far as possible.

Biden saw the rise of Hamas – now he has to annihilate it

On January 25, 2006, elections were held in the Palestinian territories for the Legislative Council. Surprisingly, the Hamas organization, running as Change and Reform List, won 74 of the 132

Israel’s policy on Qatar after the October 7 attack

Israel lacks a clear, consistent and established strategy for its relations with Qatar, despite profound Qatari influence in the region. Since the 1990s, Israeli decision-makers have faced the

A Roadmap for Economic-Political Stability in Gaza, within A Wider Framework

As with many major crises, the catastrophic Oct. 7 Hamas onslaught on Israel and ensuing war in Gaza offer an opportunity for change. This policy paper proposes guidelines for a post-war roadmap

The Israeli right-wing is determined to prevent any discussion of a future Palestinian state

A billboard titled “Palestinian Authority is Hamas,” appeared in Tel-Aviv, Nof HaGalil, and other Israeli cities in mid-November. It displayed an image of Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman

Upgrading the Capacity of Israel’s Foreign Policy Apparatus to Deal with the Climate Crisis

The climate crisis is a formative change with far-reaching consequences for Israel’s future and its strategic policies, not simply in domestic terms of quality of life and economic structure and

The Be’eri Summit: A victory over Hamas lies around the negotiating table, not on the battlefield

If I had to pick one photo epitomizing Israel’s victory over Hamas, it would not be from the Gaza battlefield. It would show delegates to the Be’eri Summit convened in order to design a

A lasting peace in Gaza is now within reach – here’s how it can be achieved

The Israeli government and Palestinian Authority cannot bring about true change on their own. The international community must push for a resolution.

The Case for Sending a Multinational Force to Gaza

While the current Israeli military operation seeks to degrade the military capabilities of Hamas, the Israeli government has not put forward a coherent plan for what should happen to the Gaza

Despite the unprecedented Israeli-Palestinian crisis, new opportunities for peace emerge

More than a month since the deadly Hamas terror attack on Israel on 7 October, Israelis are processing the horrors, working to bring home more than 200 hostages, mobilising in mass numbers to

A sense of security – gone

Hamas’ attack was aimed at Israel’s very existence. In order to survive, the country must destroy the terrorist organization’s military capabilities.

What are key goals in the war for Hamas?

The timing of the murderous Hamas assault on Israel was likely the result of tactical considerations: the depletion of Israel’s Gaza border forces due to the Simchat Torah holiday as well as the

What could a Saudi perspective on the Israel-Hamas war look like?

Saudi Arabia and Israel have many shared interests, chief among them the struggle against radical Islam propagated by groups such as ISIS and the Muslim Brotherhood

Can Biden transform a human tragedy into a diplomatic opportunity?

President Joe Biden has declared many times that he is a Zionist, and his full-throated support for Israel following the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas has touched every soul in that country.

The Diplomatic Off-Ramp After Israel’s Invasion of Gaza

As we enter into the fourth week of the Israel-Hamas war, a clear endgame for the war Israel launched in retaliation for the massacre of October 7 remains elusive. The absence of well-defined

Israel’s most important export is its democratic struggle

Francis Fukuyama was patently wrong in declaring the “end of history” over 30 years ago, believing that the fall of the Communist bloc would give rise to a utopian global liberal democracy. Never

The Israeli Foreign Policy Index of 2023

The Mitvim Institute’s Eleventh Annual Public Opinion Survey on Israeli Foreign Policy was conducted in late July 2023. The survey was conducted by the Rafi Smith Institute in collaboration with

Diplomats should represent the country, not the government

The Israeli government has instructed its foreign service diplomats to whitewash the judicial overhaul. This is a mistake.

5 ways the US, Europe can push for Israel-Arab environmental cooperation

President Isaac Herzog has called for regional environmental cooperation during visits to neighboring countries and introduced a visionary concept of a “renewable Middle East.”

The East Mediterranean great gas game isn’t over

In order to increase its energy security, Israel must therefore continue to seek ways of diversifying its export options and regional partners.

Advancing Israel-Turkey relations, new regional cooperation

Turkey and Israel should aim – as part of their strategic dialogue – to identify concrete contributions that Turkey can make to improve the situation.

Israel-Egypt security cooperation rattled but steady after border attack

While Israel mourns its three soldiers killed by an Egyptian policeman, both countries need for the security cooperation between them to continue.

The slowing down of Israel-Arab relations under the Netanyahu government

During the Netanyahu government’s first five months, Israel-Arab ties have slowed down and tensions with the Palestinians have increased.

What lessons can Israel learn from Turkey’s elections?

Concern in Israel’s pro-democracy camp that democratic erosion processes in Turkey are similarly emerging in Israel under Netanyahu’s enduring rule.

How to reverse the trend of the US distancing

Various global developments are weakening American influence in the Middle East, and China is filling the vacuum. This is bad news for Israel. To help the Americans help us, the government must

As Middle East alliances are reshaping, Israel is lagging behind

Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Syria, Russia, and China are creating a new strategic reality while Israel is too focused on short-sighted tactical operations and fraying ties with Washington

Even with all eyes on Gaza, the struggle for Israel’s democracy continues

The costs that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the State of Israel have been paying following the government’s first months in office have become more and more significant in recent

EU cannot receive racist minister Ben Gvir on Europe Day in Israel

Many Europeans would look at Israel and say that democracy and occupation cannot go together. They are right. Others would say that Israel is a thriving democracy and appreciate the impressive

5 lessons for Israel from the Czech struggle for democracy

If we learn lessons from the Czech case, it becomes clear that Israeli civil society must emphasize the righteousness of its cause beyond the borders of Tel Aviv.

Leveraging Friction: Using Israel’s tensions with normalization countries to engage them in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking

Since the signing of the Abraham Accords, Israeli governments have successfully isolated the normalization process from events in the Israeli-Palestinian arena. This separation has assisted the