Yair Lapid- Will He Take Down Netanyahu?
To Be Yair Lapid On November 1, Yair Lapid will cast his vote at the ballot box in the posh north Tel Aviv neighborhood of Ramat Aviv, hoping for the stars to align just right to allow him to
On Iran, Yair Lapid is practicing domestic politics
Henry Kissinger famously asserted once that “Israel has no foreign policy, only domestic politics”. Nowhere is this observation more visible than in the conversation inside Israel regarding the
Europe’s efforts to quit Russian gas
European countries’ efforts to wean themselves off energy dependence on Russia continue. The European Energy Council held a meeting on June 26, during which Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson
Is this a turning point in Israel- Hamas relations? – opinion
With yet another ceasefire in place following a violent round of clashes between Israel and Gaza-based militants, the recent flare-up of violence may mark a hopeful turning point—one that could
Russia is forming an alliance of pariah states in the Middle East. It might put Israel in an awkward situation in Syria
Every visit by a foreign leader to Iran draws considerable attention, not to mention criticism, in Israel. A visit, however, by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the leader of a global power
Biden’s Israel visit reiterates his views on the two state solution
In a speech delivered during his visit to the Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem, President Joe Biden referred to his family’s Irish background, drawing parallels between the Irish and
Israelis, Palestinians both got something from Biden visit despite low expectations- analysis
Leaders in Jerusalem and Ramallah knew that the focal point of the American presidential visit to the Middle East was Saudi Arabia: If not for the war in Ukraine and soaring energy prices, the
The EU and Israel should resume their suspended high-level dialogue
Some 100 European Parliament (EP) members and nine Knesset members (from the coalition and the opposition) sent a letter to European Union Foreign Affairs Minister Josep Borrell on June 23 urging
Democratic values: The heart of Europe- Israel relations – opinion
The strongest bond that Europe and Israel share “is our belief in democracy and in democratic values,” said president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in her speech at Ben-Gurion
Biden’s America Is Returning to the Red Sea Basin
Much has been said about U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia this week in the context of the war in Ukraine and the preservation of the United States’ standing in the
Biden’s America is returning to the Red Sea Basin
Much has been said about U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia this week in the context of the war in Ukraine and the preservation of the United States’ standing in the
Why Is the Israeli Left Still Turning a Cold Shoulder to Gulf States?
This past April 28, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Dan Feferman stood at the entrance to Auschwitz. With him were the members of the multinational delegation he had brought to the annual March of the
There’s uncertainty in Israel and within the Palestinian Authority. The US’s stabilizing role is critical more than ever.
Just months ago, it seemed that the Joe Biden administration’s global priorities were all set—from strategic competition with China to addressing Putin’s emboldened Russia. However, the Middle
Biden should bolster a Palestinian political horizon
When US President Joe Biden visits Israel and the PA in mid-July, he will meet a caretaker Israeli prime minister and a Palestinian leader who has lost his legitimacy. This is clearly far from
Biden should bolster a Palestinian political horizon- opinion
When US President Joe Biden visits Israel and the PA in mid-July, he will meet a caretaker Israeli prime minister and a Palestinian leader who has lost his legitimacy. This is clearly far from
Sports for Peace: Let Israelis and Palestinians Compete in Mediterranean Games
3,500 athletes from 26 countries began competing this week in the 19th Mediterranean Games in Algeria. For over 70 years, delegates from throughout the region have convened quadrennially, in
Sports for peace: let Israelis and Palestinians compete in Mediterranean games
3,500 athletes from 26 countries began competing this week in the 19th Mediterranean Games in Algeria. For over 70 years, delegates from throughout the region have convened quadrennially, in
I won’t attend the Genesis Prize ceremony, nobody should
A few weeks ago I got a call from a Genesis Prize Foundation representative kindly asking me to confirm my attendance at the annual ceremony taking place this week in Jerusalem. The recipient of
Israel and Turkey must cooperate on climate change
Israel and Turkey are starting a new chapter in their long-standing bilateral relationship. The mutual visits by foreign ministers Mevlut Cavusoglu and Yair Lapid to Israel and Turkey followed up
Israel and Turkey must cooperate on climate change- opinion
Israel and Turkey are starting a new chapter in their long-standing bilateral relationship. The mutual visits by foreign ministers Mevlut Cavusoglu and Yair Lapid to Israel and Turkey followed up
Is there room for Israel in the EU’s newly proposed political alliance?
Prompted by the conflict in Ukraine, the EU is redefining its relations with the second tier of its friends and allies and examining which of them shares its democratic-liberal values. At a
Climate change can help bring Israel and Turkey closer
Israel and Turkey are starting a new chapter in their long-standing bilateral relationship. The mutual visits by Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu’s to Israel (May 2022) and by Foreign Minister Lapid to
Exporting Israel’s gas to Europe: An initial but momentous step- opinion
Since the discovery of off shore natural gas last decade, Israeli officials have ambitiously pursued an export agreement that would deliver natural gas to Europe. And last week, Israel took its
Turkey FM visit to Israel a sign relations are warming
Mevlut Cavusoglu’s trip to Israel this week will make him the first Turkish foreign minister to visit the country in 15 years – the latest step in a rapprochement between the countries after
Turkish FM’s visit to Israel is a chance to unify politics- energy momentum – opinion
Wednesday’s upcoming visit to Israel by Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu, likely accompanied by Energy Minister Donmez, places the gradually improving relations between the sides on a practical
Turkish FM’s visit to Israel is a chance to unify politics-energy momentum – opinion
Wednesday’s upcoming visit to Israel by Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu, likely accompanied by Energy Minister Donmez, places the gradually improving relations between the sides on a practical
Jordan key to deepening Abraham Accords, calming West Bank
Israelis and Jordanians no longer hide their willingness to cooperate, but King Abdullah’s complex internal situation and mounting tensions at Al-Aqsa Mosque may impede rapprochement. Relations
Russia, Israel tensions will continue to mount: Russian experts
After Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made statements about “Hitler’s Jewish blood” and blamed the Jews for being “the worst antisemites,” the verbal and written exchange between Israel and Russia
To the Middle East and beyond! Israel’s new connectivity
After decades of limited contact, Israel is connecting with its region at the strategic level. It seems safe to assume that more is yet to come. Largely rejected by its neighbors for decades,
Holocaust denial still common in the Arab world, but views are changing
“I watched movies about Holocaust before, and I thought that generally, I have more knowledge about this issue than many in my society. But only when you come here, to Auschwitz, do you truly
Toxic Performers: Israeli activists struggle to cancel shows by Putin sympathizers
An April 19 post from the Facebook page of Bezalel Events, the organizer of popular Russian comedian Nurlan Saburov’s Israel tour: “None of the employees of our company supports or has ever
Israel’s balancing act still not enough for Russia
Since the beginning of Russia’s war on Ukraine, Israel has been struggling with a balancing act: tiptoeing between pleasing its Western allies and keeping in check its powerful Russian-influenced
Arab-Israelis have no appetite for another wave of violence
Soon after the first terror attack last month in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba that launched the current wave of violence, Sheikh Muhammad Abu al-Qiyan, maternal uncle of the terrorist –
Russia’s Chilling Manifesto for Genocide in Ukraine
“The peculiarity of modern, nazified Ukraine is in its formlessness and ambivalence, which disguises Nazism as a desire for ‘independence’ and a ‘European’ (Western,
Negev Summit: Middle East becoming warmer, friendlier
The public elements of the Negev Summit were full of positive atmosphere, expressions of personal warmth, and mutual compliments. It did not seem as one of those summits in which concerned
President Herzog’s Visit to Turkey: How to Proceed?
Israeli President Herzog’s visit to Ankara (March 9), for the first time since 2008, is a recent attempt to open a new page in the relations between the two countries. There have been ups
The road to alliance in the Middle East is through Washington
The nuclear deal now brewing in Vienna places Israel and the countries of the Middle East in a much worse position than they were in 2015 when the previous agreement was signed. Iran has since
Egypt, Jordan’s close ties with Israeli officials are now out in the open
As the Russian war in Ukraine settles into a deadly routine, events in the Middle East are anything but routine. On March 18, Syrian President Bashar Assad visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE),
Dancing In Two Weddings: Israel Balances Russia and Ukraine
Every Saturday night for the last four weeks, thousands of Israelis have been gathering at Habima Square in Tel Aviv to offer their support to Ukraine. Waving signs and blue-and-yellow flags,
After 20 years, time for a new Arab peace initiative
Twenty years ago, in the midst of the al-Aqsa Intifada, Arab leaders convened in Beirut for their annual summit and adopted the Arab Peace Initiative (API). The move followed the failure to reach
Israel’s delicate navigation in the Russia-Ukraine war – opinion
When considering Israel’s diplomatic maneuvering options in the face of Russia’s war on Ukraine, it is important to first take stock of the fundamental, relevant facts. The first of these is that
Can Israel Cope With the Immigrant Wave From Russia’s War on Ukraine, Jews and non-Jews Alike?
Three decades after the fall of the Soviet empire, and in the wake of Russia’s invasion, Israel is once again facing a significant spike in Jewish immigration from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. It
Ramadan Will Test Budding Israel-Turkey Relations: Expert
Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s historic trip to Turkey and landmark meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan were all smiles and promises. Both leaders said their countries had much
As Israel-Turkey relations shift, attention turns to Russia and Ukraine – opinion
At an important week in Israel-Turkey relations, featuring the first visit to Ankara by an Israeli president in 15 years, the two countries are trying to play a similar and surprising role in the
The Real Danger of Putin’s ‘Nazi’ Slur for Ukraine, Israel and the World
“When we are told that Ukrainian nationalism and neo-Nazism are a myth, ‘propaganda invented by Russia,’ they are obviously counting on someone who is not familiar with the history of the
Is Bennett gambling Israel’s international standing away?
Two Middle Eastern leaders are now busy working to mediate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine: Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Both countries have
The bells of the liberal world toll for Israel: Why taking a stance against the invasion is both the smart and just move
Foreign policy is the art of balancing national interests with moral variables, which express a state’s values and the identity it seeks to project to the world. Israel’s position on the
Russia-Ukraine war may be a defining moment, Israel must make a choice – opinion
History is replete with defining moments, most of which are only recognized after the fact. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine could very well turn out to be a defining moment in the struggle for world
Russia’s Next Target for Intimidation Could Be Israel
As Russia pounds Ukrainian cities and flaunts its nuclear weapons, there is little doubt that the implications of the war between Russia and the West will be felt globally—and the relations
Chechens Are Fighting on Both Sides of Russian-Ukrainian Conflict
mages of Chechen fighters preparing to join the battle in Ukraine on behalf of Russian troops spread widely on social media networks in the early days of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Ramzan
Israel Weighs Its Neutrality on Russia-Ukraine Conflict
While Western countries mull sanctions against Russia after it formally recognized the independence of two self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine, Israel is busy reshaping its attitude
Making the Middle East Partnership for Peace Act a Game Changer in Israeli-Palestinian Civil Society Peacemaking
While the stagnation in the official Israeli- Palestinian peace process continues, Israelis and Palestinians working to advance peace on the civil society level are experiencing some new
What does it mean for Israel to undermine the liberal global order?
Tensions over a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine are honing a fundamental question facing Israeli decision-makers: How does the undermining of the liberal world order impact Israel and how
By threat or raw power, Russia is determined to get its way in a post-Soviet world
On March 24, 1999, then-Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov was en route to the US for a visit. While flying over the Atlantic, he was informed that NATO forces had begun bombing Yugoslavia
The war in Ukraine that hasn’t happened and how the media failed
Ukrainian parents received a text message from the Education Ministry on Tuesday that called on them to send their children to school the following day in national outfits to celebrate the Unity
Jerusalem Tries to Navigate Russia-US-Israel Triangle Over Ukraine Conflict
The war clouds over Ukraine grow ever darker as Russian forces amass on the borders, on three sides, and Western media speculate on when exactly “D-Day” will come. Western diplomats are leaving
How Iraq became the top link in China’s belt and road strategy
Last year, Iraq became a top recipient of Chinese investment and a key link in Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative. Almost 20 years after the war in Iraq began, billions of Chinese yuan are being
Hassan Nasrallah, Master of Lebanon
In 2022, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah will celebrate 30 years as the undisputed leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon—upholding a pattern of Arab leaders who mature, age, and often die while in power. It was
Regional Architecture in the Eastern Mediterranean: Challenges and Opportunities at the Current Crossroads
The natural gas discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean basin, and the strategic developments in the region over the past decade, have helped to “put it on the map,” making it a distinct
Israeli Arab Citizens Donate Millions for Refugees in Northern Syria
“Your donations have reached #Northern_Syria. One of the largest convoys of a charitable relief campaign has been launched to reach the needy and refugees and to protect them from the winter
That other crisis
Israel-Palestine risks becoming a forgotten conflict – the world should pay attention. In January 2001, US President Bill Clinton met with President-elect George W. Bush and presented him with a
The EastMed pipeline accomplishes its strategic significance
The Eastern Mediterranean Pipeline (EastMed), which was designed to connect the gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean on a route that runs between Israel, Cyprus, Greece and from there to
Why Herzog is right to visit Turkey
“As far as I am concerned, the revelation of this visit was the tremendous admiration for Israel, the Turkish readiness to turn a new leaf in the history of the countries,” said Israeli President
Putin’s Ukraine Gambit Risks Starting Unintended War: Experts
‘For now, Putin is getting exactly what he wants: The West is already making bargains with him,’ expert tells The Media Line As American diplomats leave their offices in Kyiv, NATO soldiers
ISIS cells are reappearing in Syria and Iraq
More than 100 Islamic State fighters armed with heavy machine guns and vehicles rigged with explosives attacked the gates of Gweiran Prison in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh. The goal of
The EastMed Pipeline Is Dead, Long Live the EuroAsia Electricity Project
Plan to send Israeli gas to Europe under the sea in trouble, but power grid hookup is looking good After a decade of excitement at the prospect of moving Israeli gas to Europe through the EastMed
Israel’s alternative to two-state solution is apartheid regime
The public debate on the two-state solution has seen its ups and downs in the past decade. But there is one consensus that crosses political party lines and according to it, there is no chance in
A different take on the NSO Group affair- opinion
The recent report that Israeli police have been using NSO Group’s Pegasus software program against Israeli citizens, including allegations that it has been used against completely law-abiding
Iran drives antisemitism in the Muslim world- analysis
When Iranian General Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, said that Saudi Arabia’s royal family actually descends from Jews who used to fight with the
Israelis Still Believe in IDF but Criticism Is Growing
Citizens worry whether the ‘people’s army’ can remain the nation’s melting pot The Israeli public’s trust in the IDF is in decline, according to the 2021 Israeli Democracy Index. In October 2021,
Is there room for coexistence between energy and safe environment?
The discovery of natural gas in the Mediterranean and the political developments in the region over the past decade have greatly contributed to Israel’s energy and strategic situation. This
Students Accuse Birzeit University Administration of Collaboration Following IDF Campus Arrest
After recurring violent outbreaks between Fatah and Hamas activists on the campus, PA security forces last month also arrested students at several West Bank campuses Birzeit University students
With No Israeli Reporters on the Ground, Gaza Remains Invisible to Public
Many Israelis use questionable resources upon which to draw knowledge about life in the coastal strip, while some Israeli journalists dream about returning to Gaza to do their job again In 2006,
Israel needs a diplomatic horizon to preserve the Zionist vision- opinion
The declaration by Foreign Affairs MK Yair Lapid that the current government would not advance a diplomatic process with the Palestinians is disappointing. According to Lapid, a diplomatic
In Hopes of Postponing the Next War, Israel Lets Gazans Back in After 15 Years
10,000 laborers get work permits to cross the border Recently, Israel increased the number of Gazans allowed to work in Israel under “merchant permits” to 10,000, although 90% of them are not
Lebanon may be getting tired of Hezbollah- analysis
First, it was Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the son-in-law of Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun, who attacked the Shia Islamist political party Hezbollah and said
The danger of Israeli panic over Iran – analysis
The renewed talks on a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers also saw renewed Israeli hysteria as reflected in the warnings by the “government of change” against the dangers of such an
Israel can use Middle East partnerships in Palestinian peace talks
According to prevailing assumptions, when Israelis think about foreign affairs, they tend to adopt a narrow perspective and focus almost exclusively on the immediate threats to their country.
Between Israel and Iran- Putin’s Chess Game
Can President Putin be a “great friend of the Jewish people”, as Naftali Bennett called him, and at the same time sell sophisticated weapons to Iran, a sworn enemy of Israel? Bennett’s goal is to
First Saudi Arabia, Now Sudan:
Why Israel’s Normalization Strategy Is Imploding
One year and two days after the celebratory announcement that Sudan and Israel had agreed to normalize relations, Jerusalem finds itself facing a strategic dilemma in the wake of the Sudanese
Will the Sudan coup affect future ties with Israel?
The October 25 military coup in Sudan was led, surprisingly, by incumbent President Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the civilian-military Sovereign Council formed to oversee the transition
Multilateralism is the key to peace
‘It is worth remembering,” Prof. Elyakim Rubinstein wrote five years ago on the 25th anniversary of the Madrid Conference, the multilateral event that launched the Israeli-Arab peace process of
Irbil Conference: Road to normalization with Iraq long and complex
A Sept. 24 conference in the Kurdish capital of Erbil, attended by some 250-300 Iraqis, issued an unprecedented call for establishing full diplomatic relations between Iraq and Israel. News of
Hostility, incitement and the decision to improve ties with Israel
Shortly before Yom Kippur, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett held his first official visit to an Arab state, meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah a-Sisi. The invitation
The Lost Battle of Ahmad Jibril
On July 7, 2021, a few hundred Palestinians gathered to attend a funeral at Yarmouk refugee camp cemetery, on the outskirts of Damascus. They came to say their farewells to Ahmad Jibril, the
Tsunami of Crime in Israel’s Arab Sector Has People Losing Faith in the Police
‘We have a new generation of young people who do not work or study,’ Arab activist says Ninety-six Israeli Arab citizens, men, women and children, have been murdered since the beginning of 2021.
What lessons does the Trump-Taliban deal hold for Israel, Hamas?
In September 2019, on the eve of the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, President Trump and leaders of the Taliban were scheduled to meet at Camp David. The peace summit was scrapped at the
After the honeymoon, comes the hard work:
A year on, the ink has yet to dry on the Abraham Accords
The Netanyahu government took pride in achieving “peace for peace”, but the Gulf principalities are once again moving closer to Iran. Bahrain appears the only Gulf State still adhering to the
What it might take for Saudis to join normalization process
In the year since Israel’s signing of normalization agreements with the UAE and Bahrain, and subsequently with Morocco, Israelis have debated repeatedly whether Saudi Arabia would be next in
Mahmoud Abbas’s moment of truth: The road to renewed diplomacy traverses Amman and Cairo
The recent meetings between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and the trilateral meeting several days later between Abbas, the King
Iran’s attacks on Israeli shipping in Gulf serves as lesson
The recent attacks on Israeli-owned and operated shipping in the Arab Gulf served as a valuable lesson for Israel. It proved the limitations of using military power in its campaign against Iran,
Why were Israel and the US not invited to the
Baghdad conference?
he Baghdad conference held on Saturday, August 28, was unusual in terms of both venue and participants. The venue was Baghdad, the host was Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, and
Regional architecture that should be promoted in the Eastern Mediterranean
The Eastern Mediterranean has been consolidated over the past decade into a distinct sub-region of Israeli foreign policy. Three strategic developments led the states of the region, and Israel
Ahead of PM Bennett’s White House visit: Six agenda items
Handling Israel’s relations with the United States, our most important ally, is one of the greatest challenges facing every Israeli prime minister. The first White House visit by an Israeli prime
The alleged American abandonment of Afghanistan
Many Israelis who do not follow events beyond our immediate neighborhood were surprised and even shocked by the American pullout from Afghanistan and its abandonment to the mercies of the
Integration into the Middle East? Let’s see you pull it off, Lapid
On his historic June 30 visit to the Emirates for the official opening of the Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid urged other Muslim and Arab states
Israel’s ‘divide and conquer’ Palestinian policy does not serve its interests
Two months have elapsed since the military operation in Gaza, but the situation there remains volatile and dangerous. Negotiations on a return of Israeli prisoners and MIAs are stuck and Gaza’s
The ice cream (meltdown) threat
I thought, naively, that having got rid of Netanyahu, we would also be rid of his tendency to stir up panic over imagined or exaggerated threats to Israel in order to divert attention from the
The dangerous game of the Jerusalem flag march
Last month’s flag march in Jerusalem drew extensive attention in Israel, the Palestinian arena and the international community. Israeli policymakers were forced to decide whether to allow the
Women in Israel’s key decision-making posts:
Not just numbers
“Who are you, anyway? Answer like a good girl,” former coalition whip Miki Zohar of the Likud yelled shamelessly at his successor, MK Idit Silman during a committee debate. A week earlier, MK
