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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
New Paradigms, New Voices in a New Middle East
Op-ed, Dr. Nimrod Goren, September 2012
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
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
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
