Who Decided Trump Was Good for Israel?
July 2020
The EU and Israel Should Resume Their Suspended High-Level Dialogue
July 2020
Why Israel Should Avoid Annexation
July 2020
Hope and Optimism Should be Key Pillars of Israel’s Foreign Policy
June 2020
It Is Time for the Arab League to Act Against Annexation
July 2020
Israel Should Deepen its Engagement with the UN
July 2020
Israel Entangled in Arab Rivalries: The Case of the UAE Medical Aid for the Palestinians
June 2020
What Is the UAE Trying to Tell Israelis?
June 2020
A new understanding for the Middle East
Published in The Jerusalem Post, January 3, 2014 Yonatan Touval is a foreign policy analyst based in Tel Aviv. He has worked with several Israeli nongovernmental organizations dedicated to
Israel won’t become part of the Middle East until the occupation ends
The chance of Israel’s re-admittance to the Middle East lies in its ability to show initiative, originality and flexibility of thought. Only by attempting sincerely to solve the Palestinian
Time to seal the Israel-Turkey deal
NIMROD GOREN, SYLVIA TIRYAKI Turkey and Israel face a unique opportunity: to reconcile after five years of stagnant bilateral relations. We, leaders of Israeli and Turkish think tanks that have
How can Israel help the Syrian people?
The fact that Israel came into existence at the expense of a Palestinian state has been the cause of much hostility between Israel and its Arab neighbors and was the reason for many armed
An opportunity that would not be seized
The post-Arab Spring period, which witnessed the collapse of dictatorial regimes, the eruption of civil wars and the possible disappearance of several sovereign Arab states, created opportunities
Israel Is Challenging America to Support Kurdish Independence
The ongoing crisis in Iraq has revived fervid calls for Kurdish independence, and yet the immediate viability of a future Kurdish state depends overwhelmingly on a single factor: stable oil
Syria as a Linchpin
In 1965, the eminent British journalist Patrick Seale published an important book titled “The Struggle for Syria.” Its main thesis was that anyone who wants to acquire dominant status
Analysis: In post-nuclear agreement Middle East, ‘It’s Syria, stupid!’
Informed commentaries have stressed, somewhat justifiably, Iran’s benefits from the nuclear agreement with the P5+1 powers. Yet the agreement is, in many ways, formal confirmation of regional
Supporting Iran Deal Doesn’t Make J Street anti-Israel
Following Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog’s announcement that he opposed the Iranian nuclear deal, right-wing critics wasted no time accusing J Street of being anti-Israel, pointing out that
Israel and the nuclear deal with Iran
The signing of a nuclear deal with Iran will further aggravate the already tense relations between Israel and the US regardless of the exact details of the agreement or the nature of the
Israeli-U.S. Relations May Deteriorate at the Foundation, Not the Surface
A fourth Netanyahu government, even with its conservative bent, should not by itself be a cause for immediate concern, at least not more than the third Netanyahu government. But long-term trends
A hard-right Israeli coalition would dog ties with US for years
Following Benjamin Netanyahu’s surprise landslide victory in the Israeli general election, the new question that has swept the national scene is how the incumbent Prime Minister will compose his
In praise of appeasement
If the Israeli prime minister and his self-appointed advocates across the ocean took their historical analogies seriously, they would know that the surest recipe for war with Iran lies not in
Obama dials down in the Middle East – but is it the right move?
‘There’s a whole word out there, and we’ve got interests and opportunities in that whole world.” In one sentence, Susan Rice, the National Security Adviser, succinctly summed up the Obama
The Putin Doctrine
For more than a decade — after he replaced Boris Yeltsin in the Kremlin and even during the time he had to serve as prime minister under his protege, Dmitry Medvedev — Russian President Vladimir
With Sissi, Egypt Sees a Return of the Pharaohs
On August 6, the new Suez Canal was inaugurated with great pomp and circumstance. In honor of the historic event, there were two ceremonies, attended by both Egyptian and foreign dignitaries,
The Egyptian revolution is stuck
Almost three years after the Arab Spring, the Egyptian revolution seems to have become stuck, and may even have devolved to its starting point. This observation first emerged after the events of
Two Years After Tahrir Square: The Battle for Egypt’s Identity Is Far From Over
Two years ago, on 25th January 2011, it began with a big dream: Millions of people went into the Cairo streets with the aim of toppling the dictatorial Mubarak regime and establishing a democracy
Is Turkey’s War on Terror A Consequence of the Iran Deal?
The deal negotiated by the P5+1 with Iran on its nuclear program has been heralded by supporters as a historic agreement and regional game-changer. Much of the international criticism thus far
Turkey: The almost mediator state
Most analysts today consider Ahmet Davutoğlu’s “zero problems with neighbors” strategy a failure, and typically cite Turkey’s decision to lend its support to the Muslim Brotherhood during the
For Netanyahu, security trumps rapprochement with Turkey
The ongoing drama between Israel and Turkey seems to be approaching its final act. However, even though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Anadolu Agency (AA) that Israel desires
Curing the hiccups in Israeli-Turkish negotiations
From tales of Turkish intelligence chief Hakan Fidan revealing the names of 10 Mossad assets to Iranian authorities, to El Al being locked out of the Turkish market, it is hard to find a silver
If only Morsi had listened to Erdoğan
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s September 2011 visit to Cairo was full of pomp and circumstance. Thousands of adoring Egyptians welcomed him waving Turkish flags and sounding their
Israelis readier than ever for raid apology, poll shows
The Arab Spring appears to have changed the views of Israelis on Turkey, as a recent poll revealed that a majority favor Israel apologizing to Turkey for the 2010 killings of Turks in a
Israel Is Missing an Opportunity to Mend Ties With Turkey
In the last couple of days, Israel’s Counter Terrorism Bureau has warned Israeli citizens against travelling to Turkey for fear of terrorist attacks, and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
2017, a 50th anniversary that could spark a real intifada
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
When Bahrain Once Welcomed Israelis
The late Yossi Sarid was one of the most active, committed Israeli politicians to promoting peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Yet his rich career in public service brings to mind one
The Unknown Incentives for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
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
Revitalizing the Middle East Quartet?
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
Applying the ‘Obama Doctrine’ to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Thomas Friedman’s interview with President Barack Obama on the Iranian nuclear issue evoked many responses, both positive and negative. In this interview, Friedman attempted to describe Obama’s
Israel won’t become part of the Middle East until the occupation ends
A few months ago, former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni traveled in secret to New York to a meeting attended by the foreign ministers of several Arab countries, Arab League officials and European
The writing is on the wall
Senior Israeli security personnel, Israeli and Palestinian political leaders, rabbis and imams have been warning for years that the Jewish-Muslim conflict over the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif
Congress Shouldn’t Cut Aid to the Palestinian Authority
Following the kidnapping of three Israeli youths and Secretary of State John Kerry hinting at Hamas responsibility, U.S. congressmen were right to question the merits of the new Palestinian
By condemning abduction, Abbas proved he’s a statesman
In front of the cameras, at the conference of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian Authority chairman chose Wednesday
Palestinian reconciliation process
Palestinian inner strife which started in June 2007 seems to be on its way to an end. The two major Palestinian parties, Fatah and Hamas, entered into deliberation after realizing that current
Abbas Is on His Way to the UN Again
A week after he was attacked in Ramallah, Israeli reporter Avi Issacharoff was invited by President Abbas to his office to condemn the attack and grant him an exclusive interview. Among the
Suicide by Statehood
On Tuesday night, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, appearing live on television, signed the documents necessary for the Palestine Liberation Organization to seek membership in 15
Palestine’s Plan for when Peace Talks Fail
Despite the unshakable and quixotic optimism of John Kerry’s Middle East negotiating team, the prevailing prognosis in Jerusalem and Ramallah is that even an attempt to implement an interim
A new understanding for the Middle East
As Secretary of State John Kerry hammers out the principles for an Israeli-Palestinian “framework agreement,” many are speculating that he has formally adopted Jerusalem’s demand that the
Israel Should Support Palestinian Reconciliation
Hamas has notified Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that it wants to join a national unity government with Fatah, marking a breakthrough in reconciliation talks, according to the
The EU and Israel: Much ado about love
As Israel and the European Union this week initialed an agreement paving the way for Israel’s participation in the mega European research funding program known as Horizon 2020, they will be
Palestine’s Self-Inflicted Wounds
About six months ago, I sat in a coffee shop in al-Tireh, a suburb of Ramallah, and interviewed a senior official within Fatah. The official, wanting to talk about the internal dynamics within
Palestine’s Plan B
In the time it took John Kerry to announce that negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians would be starting again, a microcosm of the past couple years in the conflict played out. Initial
Time to Impose a Plan
AS the dust settles over the Israel-Gaza border, attention shifts to New York, where the Palestinian delegation will ask the United Nations next Thursday to upgrade its status to that of
Much ado about something
As the celebrations commenced in Manara Square in Ramallah, and the votes were tallied in New York, the Palestinian delegation had done something almost entirely unique to the post-Arafat era: it
There Is No Israeli Partner
The claim that there is no one to talk to on the Palestinian side is a common one in Israeli discourse, seemingly an axiom. The Netanyahu-Barak-Lieberman government has managed to stick the
3 Key Takeaways From This Week’s Palestinian Elections
The democratic process was alive and well in at least one part of the Middle East this past weekend, as the West Bank saw a frenetic end to its campaign season. Municipal elections were held on
A Prophet of the Apocalypse
The annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, which occurs every fall, affords heads of state from across the globe the opportunity to lay out their vision and policies for the
To win, the Israeli left needs to learn from Bibi
The Knesset election results have put the left on the defensive. It has since had to explain why it lost, and the blame was placed on the usual suspects: An ineffective campaign, a lack of
Hope for a left-wing victory in Israel’s election
Election season in Israel has returned and for the first time since 2001 the Left has a fighting chance come voting day on March 17. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to stymie
Jerusalem’s Itchy Trigger Finger
Of all the dangers associated with a nuclear-armed Iran — from the onset of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and an Iranian extension of “a nuclear umbrella” to regional
Israel Is Choosing Regional Isolation, Not Alliances
The Arab Spring upheavals in North Africa and the Middle East started in Tunisia at the end of 2010, and subsequently spread into Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria, triggering repercussions in a wide
5 Arab Spring Opportunities For Israel
The Arab Spring was initially embraced with much enthusiasm and hope in the West. In Israel, however, it has been generally perceived as a threat to national security. Israel’s official policies
Why Israel Shouldn’t Consider a ‘Security Zone’ in Syria
With the chaos of the Syrian civil war escalating, tensions on the Israeli-Syrian ceasefire line on the Golan Heights are running high. Israeli defense officials stated just over a week ago that
Blowing Hot and Cold: Israel’s Divided Reaction to the Arab Spring
After dramatic events began unfolding across the Arab world starting two years ago, most of the world began using the term “Arab Spring” to describe the popular uprisings and
Why Won’t Israel’s Politicians Talk Seriously About Foreign Policy?
A pre-election foreign policy debate was held today on the campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Candidates in attendance were from four of the major Israeli parties, and in many ways,
New Paradigms, New Voices in a New Middle East
Most Israelis do not really understand the Middle East. This is true for the general public as well as for decision makers. Israelis get their information about regional realities from certain
Ten paradoxes in Israeli foreign policy
The composition of a broad coalition government presents opportunities to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in several directions, including the possibility of renewed dialogue with the
What Happens After Israel Attacks Iran
Since its birth in 1948, Israel has launched numerous preemptive military strikes against its foes. In 1981 and 2007, it destroyed the nuclear reactors of Iraq and Syria, operations that did not
Time to Recognize Kosovo
Four years ago this Friday, on Friday, February 17, 2008, the Republic of Kosovo declared its independence. This move, which followed years of failed international efforts to broker a compromise
Kerry’s parameters force Israel to take a hard look in the mirror
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
The battle over the memory of Balfour
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
Netanyahu’s Visit to Azerbaijan: Cozying Up to Despots
Prime Minister Netanyahu wanted everyone to know that his visit to Azerbaijan, part of a Central Asia mini-tour, was a foreign relations victory. Netanyahu said the visit proves that Israel is
Mosul – the Battle for the Middle East
The attack of the Iraqi army – reinforced by Kurdish and United States forces – on Mosul is not just another military operation against “the Islamic State” (also known as ISIS, or Daesh). The
The benefits of ‘Obama parameters’
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
Is Conflict Management Sustainable? Lessons for Israel-Palestine from Cyprus
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
Colombia’s Omen for Israel: When the People Don’t Give Peace a Chance
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
Eastern Mediterranean: Do Not Write Off States Just Yet
Do not write off states as power brokers in the Eastern Mediterranean maritime arena just yet. It is easy to do so. Great powers (past, present and aspiring) as well as non-state actors seem to
The Israel-US MoU as a prelude to Obama peace parameters?
The US and Israel have finalized a $38 billion, 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) governing US military aid to Israel. The MoU underscores America’s commitment to the future of the
The cost of energetic independence: Israel’s natural gas challenges
Gabriel Mitchell, a doctoral fellow in government and international affairs at the University of Virginia Tech, discusses with host Gilad Halpern how Israel balances security interests and
Israel – no longer people dwelling alone
The stalemate between Israel and the Palestinians, Iran’s growing influence, acts of terrorism by jihadi Islamic organizations, the collapse of Arab countries after the Arab Spring, and the
The Israeli return to Africa
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent visit to Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda in July 2016 was the highlight of intense diplomatic activity aimed at strengthening relations between
From opportunities to missed opportunities
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
“No” as a Policy
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
Notes on the Quartet report
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
Why the coup in Turkey wasn’t successful
It usually happens once a decade. The Turkish army, or elements within it, decides to challenge the country’s authorities. The generals explain this as a need to preserve democracy or
Israel-Turkey: Where to from Now?
After years of negotiations that produced sporadic headlines but few results, Israel and Turkey finally reached terms for reconciliation on June 27. While relations will not return to the “love
Why is Israel Afraid of an International Peace Conference?
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
Israel and Turkey on the Verge of an Agreement
Israel and Turkey have been conveying to their publics positive messages about progress in the bilateral negotiations toward a reconciliation agreement. Expectations are that a deal may be
There’s a reason for Yair Golan’s Holocaust talk
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
Erdogan keeps changing the rules of the Turkish political game
Ahmet Davutoglu was apparently the ultimate crony. He has served since 2003 as Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s political right-hand man, first as foreign policy adviser to the prime minister, after
Saudi Arabia: Lynchpin of the moderate axis in the Middle East
Saudi Arabian king Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s five-day visit to Egypt is an expression of the warming of ties between the two countries since Abdel Fattah Sisi became president of Egypt in
Egypt and Saudi Arabia’s island diplomacy
The Egyptian transfer of the islands of Tiran and Sanafir in April 2016 to Saudi Arabia can be understood from at least four separate perspectives. First, the agreement between the parties is
Disaster diplomacy: The attack that brought Israel and Turkey closer
Normalcy lacked in recent years in the relations between Israel and Turkey and should not be taken for granted It is difficult to look for the bright side of tragic events such as the recent
Biden in Israel: A reset in diplomatic ties?
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
2017, a 50th Anniversary That Could Spark a Real Intifada
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
Time to seal the Israel-Turkey deal
Turkey and Israel face a unique opportunity: to reconcile after five years of stagnant bilateral relations. We, leaders of Israeli and Turkish think tanks that have been working together since
The minister’s punching bag
Education Minister Naftali Bennett was right when he declared that the Foreign Ministry’s personnel “have a DNA.” But contrary to him, having been a member of that family for many years, I
The Threat From Iran Has Been Greatly Reduced
Pessimists, like Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, say that the deal between Iran and major powers to curb its nuclear capabilities will only enhance Iran’s threat, by lifting
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
Introducing a Vision of Peace for Jerusalem is the Ultimate Response to Trump’s Statement
“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
Trump’s Jerusalem Statement is his March of Folly
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
