The Differences between the EU’s Differentiation Policy and the BDS Movement
July 2020
Israel, Annexation, and the EU’s Research and Development Program “Horizon”
The EU is examining how to respond to a possible Israeli annexation in the West Bank. One of the measures reportedly under consideration is to limit Israel’s participation in the EU’s “Horizon”
Israel and Weak Neighboring States: Lessons from the Israeli Experience in Lebanon
The Arab Spring reshaped the set of threats that Israel is facing. Rather than fearing the strength of their Arab neighbors, Israelis are now concerned by their weakness. Israel has a long and
The American Discourse on the Arab Spring and its Relevance to Israel
A Survey of American Think Tanks’ Publications Ms. Michal Eskenazi, July 2011 The democratic wave sweeping across the Arab world has transformed the strategic and political landscape of the
The Israeli Peace Organizations and the Arab Spring
A few springs past the start of the Arab Spring, and the Israeli peace camp’s flowerbed has yet to blossom. The Israeli peace organizations had difficulties in connecting regional
The Mass Media and Israeli-Arab Relations following the Arab Spring
The Arab Spring has changed the mainstream media scene in the Middle East. Major pan-Arab TV stations have been losing audience, while new media such as Twitter, Facebook, and independent blogs
The Intra-Palestinian Reconciliation Process and the Arab Spring
The Arab Spring influenced the Palestinians as well. The younger generation of Palestinians began demanding to end the political division between Fatah and Hamas. In response, the veteran
The New Kingdom of Forces: Middle Eastern Research Institutes
The Arab Spring substantially strengthened the research institutes in the Arab world. New institutions are being established, while ones that existed prior to this revolutionary period attempt to
The Arab Spring and the Palestinians of Israel
The conversation among the Palestinians of Israel about the Arab Spring raises a number of key moral, political and social dilemmas. In light of the regional turmoil, they debate the impact of
Europe’s Initial Reactions to Israel’s Annexation Intentions
US President Donald Trump’s plan for resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, presented in January 2020, was perceived in Jerusalem as a green light to annexation of some 30 percent
Israel and a possible International Support Group for the Middle East Peace Process
The international community is currently exploring an initiative to establish an International Support Group (ISG) for the Middle East Peace Process, which is supposed to help create conditions
Abu Mazen: A Man in Search of a Legacy
The Palestinian President has recently announced his resignation from the position of Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee. This move took place in parallel to the intensification of power
The Making of Foreign Policy: On Paradigms and Grand Strategies
A foreign policy paradigm is the way policy makers perceive their country’s foreign policy goals and their country’s political and military position in the international community. The strategy
Israeli Foreign Policy and the Modern Diplomacy of the 21st Century
Israeli foreign policy must adapt to become compatible with the modern diplomacy of the 21st century. It must recognize the increasing role of new actors in the diplomatic sphere and create
Cracks in the Special Relationship: Israel-US Ties under Obama and Netanyahu
The alliance with the US is a crucial asset for Israel’s foreign policy. It brings Israel significant political, security and economy benefits. Public opinion data shows that the Israel public
Syriza’s Victory and Greek-Israeli Relations
The Coalition of Radical Left (Syriza) was the big winner of the Greek national elections of January 15, 2015, as expected. With 36.34% of the votes, Syriza and its leader (now Prime Minister)
The US Midterm Elections: Projections for Mideast Policy and Relations with Israel
The 2014 American midterm elections on November 4 brought a sweeping victory for the Republican Party, which among other gains retook the Senate. When the new Congress convenes on January 3,
Key Elements of Israel’s Foreign Policy Paradigms
Israel lacks a coherent foreign policy paradigm. However, an analysis of Israel’s foreign policy conduct since 1948 highlights seven key elements: the influence of the coalition system on foreign
New Opportunities for American Contributions to Transforming Israeli-Palestinian Relations
New circumstances within the U.S. and the Middle East open a window for a more effective American role in transforming the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is a role that must convey a sense of
Israel-Turkey Relations
Summary of Mitvim’s activities towards mending the relations, August 2011-March 2013 Towards Mending Israel-Turkey Relations Summary of Mitvim’s Activities August 2011- March 2013 In
Continuing on the Path to Statehood: The Palestinians Following their Septmember 2011 UN Bid
Mitvim representatives participated in meetings with a series of key Palestinian figures from Ramallah and Nablus. The meetings focused on the implications of the Palestinian UN statehood bid of
Israel and Turkey During the Arab Spring
Winds of change have begun blowing across the Middle East in early 2011. For the first time in decades, Arab citizens in different countries have been going to the streets and demanding freedom
Spoilers of Peace and the Dilemmas of Conflict Resolution
On July 23rd 2012, Mitvim—The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies has conducted a workshop in cooperation with U.S. Embassy, Tel Aviv on the topic: “Spoilers of Peace and the Dilemmas
Turkey: The Almost Mediator State
Most analysts consider Davutoğlu’s “zero problems with neighbors” strategy a failure, and typically cite Turkey’s decision to lend its support to religious conservative movements like the Muslim
Turkey-Israel deal: A key to long-term reconciliation?
Turkey and Israel have finally restored diplomatic relations based on a reconciliation deal signed on June 28, 2016, following six years of a tumultuous negotiation process. After agreement on
The Israel-Turkey Deal Could Benefit the Palestnians
An extended period of strained relations has finally ended with a series of lengthy negotiations that culminated in the recent Turkey-Israeli deal in June 2016. The crucial point in the
Turkey and Israel: A Chronicle of Bilateral Relations
As someone who personally experienced the first downgrading of diplomatic relations between Israel and Turkey in 1981, and kept close track of the second downgrading in 2010, I naturally feel
The Postponement of the Palestinian Local Elections and its Ramifications
The Palestinian government recently decided to postpone local elections – that were scheduled for October 2016 – by four months, whilst limiting voting to the West Bank alone. The decision was
Possible Benefits of American Parameters for the Two-State Solution
As US President Barack Obama’s term in office is nearing its end, he may choose to present parameters for an Israeli-Palestinian final-status agreement before departing from the White House,
Who Will Inherit Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas?
The Fatah movement and the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Movement) leadership are experiencing a deep internal crisis. In 1969, Fatah leader Yassir Arafat took control of PLO institutions and
Assessing the Quartet Recommendation to Increase Interaction and Cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians
The recent report of the Middle East Quartet, published in July 2016, recommends that Israelis and Palestinians “foster a climate of tolerance, including through increasing interaction and
Policy Recommendations for Israel-Turkey Reconciliation
Engaged in a series of policy dialogues since 2012, Mitvim – the Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies and the Global Political Trends (GPoT) Center believe that after the signing of
A Look at the Palestinian Reconciliation Process
The agreement signed between Fatah and Hamas on 12 October 2017, under the auspices of Egyptian intelligence, is in fact a memorandum of understanding that signals the beginning of a process of
Hamas’ New Policy Document
Hamas’ new policy document does not cancel or supersede the organization’s charter. Rather, its goal is to enable Hamas to maintain control over the Gaza Strip and to improve relations with
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Strike and Marwan Barghouti’s Race to the Top
Palestinian Prisoners’ Day is marked every year on April 17th. It is considered a national commemoration day, a shared general consensus amongst the Palestinian population. This day is encumbered
Israel and the Environment in the Mediterranean Basin
This paper focuses on climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin and the challenges and opportunities which it presents Israel. It is based on the main points raised at the fifth meeting
The 2019 Israel-Turkey Policy Dialogue of the Mitvim Institute
In September 2019, the Mitvim Institute held its annual Israel-Turkey policy dialogue, for the eighth consecutive year. The dialogue took place in Istanbul and Ankara, in cooperation with
The New Israeli Government: Preliminary Implications and Long-Term Effects
A new Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to take office on 17 May 2020 following the March elections, the third vote in eleven months. Initially, it seemed these had ended
Israel’s Relations with Key Arab States in 2019
Beyond the Trump Plan: How Can the International Community Advance Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking?
Trump’s vision for Israeli-Palestinian peace was supposed to be the ultimate gift to Binyamin Netanyahu’s electoral campaign rather than the ultimate deal for Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Role of Economy in US Efforts to Promote Israeli-Arab Peacemaking
The Trump Peace Plan follows a familiar American pattern of using economic tools to promote regional peace in the Middle East. This paper puts the recent plan in its appropriate context. More
International Involvement towards Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Resolution
Given ongoing stagnation in the peace process and the new American administration, the Mitvim Institute convened a policy-planning roundtable to discuss which steps the international community
An Outward-Looking Israeli Foreign Policy
Israeli foreign policy should shift from contrarianism to integration, and work toward a more committed role in international institutions and increased share in foreign and humanitarian aid. The
A Multi-Regional Israeli Foreign Policy
Israel has come to see its geo-political location in a negative light, mostly as a result from the Arab-Israeli conflict and its subsequent regional isolation. As a consequence, it has developed
A Pro-Peace Israeli Foreign Policy
A resolution to the Arab-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts is a vital national interest of Israel and must be a central goal of its foreign policy. The status quo is unstable and time is
The Israel-Turkey Deal Could Benefit the Palestinians
An extended period of strained relations has finally ended with a series of lengthy negotiations that culminated in the recent Turkey-Israeli deal in June 2016. The critical point in the
Turkey-Israel deal: A key to long-term reconciliation?
Turkey and Israel have finally restored diplomatic relations based on a reconciliation deal signed on June 28, 2016, following six years of a tumultuous negotiation process. After agreement on
The risks and rewards of Israeli-Turkish energy cooperation
At a press conference in Rome on June 27, 2016, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel had reached a reconciliation agreement with Turkey. Israel’s premier stated
The Path to Normalization between Israel and Turkey
It was July 3, 2016, only a few days after the security cabinet had convened in Jerusalem and approved the reconciliation agreement between Israel and Turkey. The bow of the Lady Leyla ship
Turkish-Israeli Relations: Crises and Cooperation
Several factors have always played an important role in Turkish-Israeli relations since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1949. First of all, both countries have been in the
Structural Shifts and Regional Security: A View from Israel
Israel is still holding to its traditional security maxim. Based on a perception of a hostile region, Israel’s response includes early warning, deterrence and swift – including pre-emptive –
Israel and Energy in the Eastern Mediterranean
This paper focuses on the role of energy in shaping Israel’s policies towards the Mediterranean. It is based on the main points raised at the fourth meeting of the research and policy group on
Israel-Egypt Cooperation in 2019: Strategic Warming, Civilian Coolness?
Since President Abdel Fatah a-Sisi’s rise to power in 2014, Israeli-Egyptian ties have been marked by defense-strategic cooperation. This is based on the shared perception of Iran and radical
The Interests of Eastern Mediterranean States and Israeli Policies
This paper scans the interests and activities of Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt in the Mediterranean Basin – their varying and competing interests, their points of convergence and cooperation,
The Interests of Global Powers in the Mediterranean and Israeli Policies
This policy paper sets out the various interests and goals of global powers (the US, Russia, China and the EU) in the Mediterranean, and the measures they are undertaking to implement them. The
Assessing Israel Katz’s First Year as Foreign Minister
In February 2019, Israel Katz was named Israel’s interim foreign minister, and three months later his appointment became permanent. This ended a period of almost four-years without a fulltime
Trends in Israel’s Regional Foreign Policies, Vol. 4
This document outlines major trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies over the past six months. It is based on the Mitvim Institute’s monthly reports that cover ongoing developments in the
25 Years of Israel-Jordan Peace: Time to Restart the Relationship
Towards the 25th anniversary of the peace treaty with Jordan, Mitvim experts visited Amman for a series of meetings with political, security, media and civil society figures in Jordan. The
The Quality of Israel’s Peace with Jordan is Dependent on the Israeli-Palestinian Issue
The question of the affinity between the Israeli-Palestinian track and the Israeli-Arab track is a contentious issue in Israeli public discourse. Prime Minister Netanyahu repeatedly claims that
The Importance of Ties between Palestinian Citizens of Israel and Diaspora Jewry: A View from Britain
Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, who feel their political representatives cannot achieve significant change for them on domestic issues, find it hard to believe that their voice could be
Trends in Israel’s Regional Foreign Policies, Vol. 3
This document outlines major trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies over the past six months. It is based on the Mitvim Institute’s monthly reports that cover ongoing developments in the
Existing and Potential Cooperation between Israel and Key Arab States
For the past two years, Mitvim Institute experts have been studying the changing relations between Israel and key Arab states – Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and
Guiding Principles for Israel’s Foreign Policy toward the EU
Ties with the EU are a strategic asset for the State of Israel. Europe is Israel’s largest trading partner, a source of political and defense support (despite disagreements), an anchor of shared
Guiding Principles for Israel’s Foreign Policy toward the Eastern Mediterranean
In recent years, the Eastern Mediterranean has become a central focus of world powers, of states in the Middle East, Europe, and beyond, and of international corporations. Regional geopolitical
The Role of Former Diplomats in Israel’s Public Sphere
In Israel, former diplomats do not tend to play a significant public role. However, they have the potential to make a real contribution to improving the public and political Israeli discourse on
Israel and Egypt: Strategic Partnership, Civil Remoteness?
This article describes the relationship and cooperation between Israel and Egypt, and discusses the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on them. It focuses on the current political and
Netanyahu and the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH)
On Janury 28, 2019, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he was terminating the mandate of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH), an observer force established in
Tunisia and Its Relations with Israel Following the Arab Spring
The Israeli discourse surrounding regional cooperation tends to focus primarily on the Gulf States and on security issues; as such, it often overlooks more moderate and pro-Western countries in
Trends in Israel’s Regional Foreign Policies vol. 2
This document briefly outlines major trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies over the past six months. It is based on the Mitvim Institute’s monthly reports that cover ongoing developments
The 2018 Israel-Turkey Policy Dialogue of the Mitvim Institute
In October 2018, the Mitvim Institute held its annual Israel-Turkey policy dialogue, for the seventh consecutive year. The dialogue took place in Istanbul, in cooperation with
Welcome to the New Normal: Israel and Turkey’s Turbulent Relations in the Post-Reconciliation Era
In June 2016, Israeli and Turkish negotiators announced that they had reached the terms of a reconciliation agreement that would end six years of downgraded diplomatic ties between their
Israel and Iraq: Taking the Civilian Path to Improve Relations
This research examines the potential for cooperation between Israel and Iraq, the largest Arab country to Israel’s east. Iraq is changing and is undergoing reconstruction following a series of
Trends in Israel’s Regional Foreign Policies Vol. 1
This document briefly outlines major trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies over the past six months. It is based on the Mitvim Institute’s monthly reports that cover ongoing developments
Exploring New Bridges between Regional Rivals: Overview of a Dialogue Channel between US-Based Israeli and Iranian Experts
Since 1979, Israel and Iran have engaged in a decades-long cold war against one another. However, the signing of the JCPOA in 2015 – freezing Iran’s nuclear program for a minimum 10-year period –
Eastern Mediterranean Regional Dynamics: Conflicts and Opportunities for Conflict Resolution Support
Diplomatic engagement between countries in the Eastern Mediterranean presents the opportunity for greater regional cooperation on a range of issues, including policy, security and economic
The Quest for an Honest Broker in the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
Much has been said and written on President Donald Trump’s controversial statement on Jerusalem on December 6, 2017. But there was one sentence in the speech that everyone – the conflicting
Cooperation: Jordan-Israel Fulfilled Be Still Can That Potential A
The history of Israel-Jordan relations displays long-term strategic cooperation. The formal peace agreement, signed in 1994, has become one of the pillars of the political-strategic stability of
Recommendations for Improving Israel-Jordan Relations
Israel and Jordan have recently reached understandings to overcome a bilateral crisis, triggered by the incident at the Israeli embassy in Amman on July 2017. These understandings enabled the
Fresh Thinking for Old Problems: Comparing Conflicts to Advance Israeli-Palestinian Peace
The Israel-Palestinian conflict resolution process is paralyzed. It is costing lives and generates violence on a daily basis. Yet many policy makers, pundits and citizens in Israel believe it no
The Eastern Mediterranean: New Dynamics and Potential for Cooperation
New dynamics are taking place in the Eastern Mediterranean. Signs of increased political cooperation between different countries, new opportunities for economic cooperation due to natural gas
Preventing an Israel-Iran Escalation in Syria via Diplomacy
After an Iranian drone entered Israeli airspace 10 February 2018, Israel responded by striking Iranian and Syrian targets in southern Syria. Anti-aircraft fire led to the downing of an Israeli
Voting Patterns in UN Institutions Regarding Israel, 2009-2017
The Mitvim Institute conducted a preliminary research that examined voting patterns in UN institutions regarding Israel. The research focused on the voting patterns of 35 countries in 16 votes
Lessons from Tunisia on the Jewish Bridge to the Arab World
During the Oslo years, Israel experienced a period of openness in its trade and diplomatic relations with many Arab states. These days, there are those who are quick to describe Israel’s secret
Who Benefits from the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum?
The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, launched in mid-January in Cairo, features a development of political importance which is a direct result of the natural gas discoveries in the region in
Guiding Principles for a New Israeli Foreign Policy Paradigm
Mitvim policy guide lines
