The Mitvim Institute’s 2022 Foreign Policy Index, published in October for the tenth straight year in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, indicates that the Israeli public has
Negotiations on marking the Israel-Lebanon maritime border began on October 14 under unique circumstances, against the backdrop of the unprecedented economic and political crises in Lebanon.
On the eve of the next parliamentary election scheduled for November 1, the Arab public in Israel is undergoing a multidimensional crisis, which is casting a long shadow over its relations with
By the time I got to the large community building just steps from Jerusalem’s Old City walls on a cool December evening last year, I had been waiting to see Kids4Peace, a program of Seeds of
The nearly concluded yet still on-off negotiations between Lapid’s caretaker government and Lebanon regarding their maritime border raises a crucial question: Do Israel’s provisional governments
The first meeting of the United States-Israel Strategic High-Level Dialogue on Technology took place in Washington, last week. According to the Jerusalem Declaration that established this forum,
Tough times are ahead for decision-makers in Jerusalem. As the clock ticks in Washington, Brussels and Tehran, counting down to Iranian nuclear breakout capability and international pressure
In recent days and weeks, we’ve seen gun battles in the streets, nightly raids, terror attacks, and the “highest in years” death toll in the West Bank. For three days this summer, the skies once
On August 17, Israel and Türkiye announced they would fully normalize their ties and reappoint ambassadors and consul generals after four years. A month has passed and, for the first time since
In June, amid the season for summer vacations, some alarming news was published about the dangers posed to Israeli tourists visiting Turkey. According to intelligence provided by Turkish and
Just four days into the premiership of Yair Lapid, on July 5, there were whiffs of a major diplomatic crisis between Russia and Israel in the air. The employees of the Jewish Agency in Russia had
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
“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
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
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
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 –
“The peculiarity of modern, nazified Ukraine is in its formlessness and ambivalence, which disguises Nazism as a desire for ‘independence’ and a ‘European’ (Western,
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
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 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
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),
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,
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
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
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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
“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
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 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
“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
‘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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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,
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
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
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 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
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.
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
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
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
‘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
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
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
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
‘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.
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
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
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
