War and Peace in the Age of Coronavirus
Against the backdrop of the Coronavirus crisis, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin spoke with the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, saying the crisis “does not distinguish between
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
Israel and Qatar Focus on Shared Interests, Setting Aside Differences
In the shadow of the Coronavirus outbreak, Qatar is once again throwing a lifeline to the Gaza Strip and establishing itself as the Palestinians’ sole savior. Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad
Israel-Iraq Cooperation in 2019: Security Challenges and Civilian Warming
The final months of 2019 were marked by widespread, prolonged protests throughout Iraq. The demonstrations, centered in Baghdad, targeted the ruling political elite and the state backing it:
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
The Political Situation in Iraq: An Opportunity for Israel?
On April 9, Mustafa al-Kadhimi was tasked with forming a new Iraqi government after two other candidates, Mohammed Tawfik Allawi and more recently Adnan al-Zurfi, failed to win enough
The EU in Times of Coronavirus: A View from Israel
The Coronavirus crisis and its impact on Europe has re-ignited the argument over the EU’s future prospects. While the Coronavirus crisis is global, each state has adopted its own coping strategy.
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
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
The Israeli Election Results and Israel’s Foreign Policy
Benjamin Netanyahu won Israel’s election and declared he would form a new rightwing government. This will affect diverse aspects of Israel’s foreign policy. This document includes commentaries by
Israel Should Maintain its Boycott on Far-Right Parties in Europe
The Austrian Freedom Party, which is known for its anti-Semitic and Nazi roots, is part of the new coalition government in Vienna. Its leader, Heinz-Christian Strache, is Austria’s new
Trump’s Statement on Jerusalem
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
Trump’s Visit to the Middle East
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
The Future of Palestinian Diplomatic Activism in the Trump Era
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 Netanyahu-Trump Meeting
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 Assessment of John Kerry’s Two-State Resurrection Endeavor
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
The UN Security Council Resolution on Israeli Settlement
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
The Egypt-Saudi Agreements: Policy Analysis and Regional Implications
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
Egypt and Saudi Arabia: A Predictable Rapprochement
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 Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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,
Israel and Indonesia: Unfulfilled Potential
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
Impressions from a day in Gaza
“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
The 2015 UN General Assembly and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process: Commentary & Analysis
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 Nuclear Deal with Iran: Commentary & Analysis
The deal reached between Iran and the six world powers is likely to have significant implications for Iran’s role in the region, Israel-US relations, domestic American politics, Israel’s foreign
Straddling the East-West Divide: A Subjective Israeli Perspective on Muslim Immigration to Europe
Israelis’ perception of the phenomenon of Muslim immigration to Europe is characterized by trepidation that is deeply rooted in the shared history of Jews and the peoples on the European
The Islamic State’s Sinai Attack: Commentary & Analysis
On 1 July 2015 an unprecedented attack was launched by an Islamist organizations affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) against Egyptian military targets in the north of the Sinai Peninsula. This
The Post-Referendum Greece: Between Challenges and Hope
On Sunday, July 5, 2015, the Greek people gave a clear ‘No’ to a proposed bailout deal by the Troika (the European Commission, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank). Though the
The Election Results and Israel’s Foreign Relations
The right-wing victory in the Israeli election is likely to have significant impact on Israel’s foreign policy, specifically on ties with the US and the Palestinians. Statements made in the
Mitvim Experts Weigh In On Egypt-Qatar Rapprochement
In late December 2014, Egypt and Qatar have agreed to normalize their relations, which were strained due to Qatar’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood. The deal, which coincides with parallel
