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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

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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

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Trends in Israel’s Regional Foreign Policies, January – June 2021

Issue No. 7 Edited by Dr. Roee Kibrik and Dr. Gil Murciano Several major developments marked significant change for Israel in the first half of 2021. President Biden assumed office, Israel ramped

Policy papers and recommendations

Major Potential in the Israel-Cyprus Friendship From the “Israel and the Mediterranean” Working Group

The 9th meeting of the “Israel in the Mediterranean” Working Group was held on March 17, 2021 at the initiative of the Mitvim Institute, Hebrew University’s Davis Institute for International

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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

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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

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Renewed Partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood: Implications for Israel

On 10 May 2021, Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies, The Israeli Association for the Study of European Integration and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung conducted an

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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

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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

All Publications קרדיט

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

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Lapid overturns central pillar of Netanyahu foreign policy

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid’s July 11-12 visit to Brussels differs considerably from his UAE visit last week. The message Lapid conveyed in Abu Dubai was one of continuity and praise for his

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With Netanyahu gone, the Abraham Accords
will not only survive, they might even flourish

Some international concern has been voiced about the future prospects of the Abraham Accords under Israel’s new government. This stems from the perception that the normalization agreements Israel

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Israel cannot afford to ignore Jordan any longer

Earlier this month, Jordan officially decided to pull out of the high-profile “Two Seas Project” – a joint endeavor with Israel and the Palestinian Authority to construct a canal that

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Four memorable lies in Netanyahu’s legacy of falsehoods

Oscar Wilde is reputed to have said, “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.” Indeed, Benjamin Netanyahu’s departure from office has made many people happy because of

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Netanyahu’s political ambassadorial
appointees should resign

In an important boost to Israel’s foreign service, barely a week after being sworn in, the new government approved 36 ambassadorial and other heads of diplomatic missions, appointments that

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Now that we’re rid of Trump and Bibi, what’s next?

Yes, even left-wing malcontents are sometimes allowed a sigh of relief and sense of pleasure in the return of sanity to our government. But we cannot rest on our laurels because the dramatic

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Climate policy is the entry ticket into the new world order

Israel does not consider the climate crisis an important domestic or foreign policy issue. As a result, Israel is doubly missing out on its own objectives. Firstly, the climate crisis is an issue

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Is Egypt back in the Arab driver’s seat?

Egypt disappeared from the Middle East after the 2011 Arab Spring. Well, the term “disappeared” is perhaps too strong, but it certainly adopted a lower profile. Anyone accustomed to Egypt’s

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A little friendly advice for Bennett and Lapid

Reconsider Israel’s ties to dubious friends, fix relations with the Democrats in the USA, strengthen the Foreign Ministry, and above all, take the initiative vis-à-vis the Palestinians and

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How will Israel’s foreign policy change with new government?

The new government offers an opportunity for significant improvements in Israeli foreign policy. The popular belief is that this government will be ineffective in this domain due to the

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Israel and Palestinians Need Separation for Peace

The recent violent outbreak in the mixed Jewish and Arab cities is a wake-up call for those who chose not to think about the Palestinian issue or those who believed it existed only beyond the

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Gabi Ashkenazi should meet with
Palestinian leaders in Ramallah

Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi’s May 30 visit to Cairo was an unusual and positive event. For too long, the strategic ties between Israel and Egypt have been conducted mostly by security

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Lines in the Sea: How resolution of Israel and Lebanon’s
maritime dispute could set a regional precedent

For a few brief weeks in the autumn of 2020, Israeli and Lebanese officials met in Naqoura, Lebanon, a small border town nestled on the high cliffs overlooking the Eastern Mediterranean. Their

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There’s no military nor public diplomacy solution

Now that a ceasefire has been reached, we should try to understand why we return to the same futile pattern every time. As in every previous exchange of blows between Israel and Hamas, the

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The Climate Crisis as a Foreign Policy Issue:
Israeli Diplomacy and Regional Cooperation

Understanding the critical importance of climate change on both local communities and international relations, especially in the Middle East, Mitivm and EcoPeace hosted a joint conference on June

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Healing the rift: The road that must be taken

The Ehud Barak cliché of May 17, 1999 that this was the dawn of a new day, may have never been more accurate than it is today, with the creation of a moderate Israeli government. As the Netanyahu

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Improving access to the EU’s market for services

Regulatory heterogeneity between Israel and its key trading partners restricts the potential for bilateral trade. Approximation of the European Union’s regulatory standards would contribute to

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Solving the issue of a divided Jerusalem

 In January 2018, then-president Donald Trump declared that by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, his administration “took Jerusalem off the table, so we don’t have to talk about it

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Israel’s Fatal Weakness Against Iran’s Axis of Resistance

The “War between the Wars” doctrine has become the key concept of Israel‘s national strategy over the past decade. This open-ended military campaign has provided a convenient

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The Defeat Between the Wars: Time for Diplomacy to Lead

The “War between the Wars” doctrine has become the key concept of Israel‘s national strategy over the past decade. This military campaign has provided a convenient alternative to any diplomatic

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The First Months of Israel-UAE Peace:
Israel’s Perspective on the Abraham Accords

Introduction In the few months that have passed since the signing of the historical Abraham Accords, Israel and the UAE have opened embassies and exchanged ambassadors, launched direct flights

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Israeli-Palestinian mediation: Welcome back, America

The latest escalation with Gaza illustrates yet again Israel’s vital need for international support to end periodic rounds of fighting with Hamas. As was the case in previous rounds,

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No, Jerusalem is not off the table

In January 2018, President Donald Trump declared that by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, his administration “took Jerusalem off the table, so we don’t have to talk about it

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Thoughts on the Postponement of the Palestinian Elections

When Mahmoud Abbas was elected Palestinian Authority (PA) President in 2005, many regarded him as the harbinger of democracy and full independence for his people. However, a year after his

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Involving Lebanon in the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum

Attempts to resolve the maritime border dispute between Lebanon and Israel are in constant flux. In the latest development, Lebanon’s President Aoun has rejected the unilateral Lebanese expansion

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Assessing Operation Guardian of the Walls: Did it change any opinions?

Historians may agree that it is still too early to evaluate the results of the recent events in Israel and Gaza, but our limited historical perspective might suggest that several Israeli

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The Mitvim Institute 2020 Annual Report

This report highlights the Mitvim Institute’s activities in 2020. These activities were centered on our three program areas: improving Israel’s foreign policy; promoting Israel’s regional

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Greece and Cyprus can play a modest role in advancing
Israeli-Palestinian peace

In March 2021, the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum held its first meeting as a recognized international organization. Delegations from member countries – including Cyprus, Egypt, Greece,

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Solution to Violence Must Be Strategic

Every time an exchange of blows begins between Israel and Hamas, we hear advice from politicians and military commentators on what needs to be done in response – to strike, to renew deterrence,

All Publications middle east peace

Is the Middle East Quartet still relevant?

 In recent months, following the change of government in the United States, the Middle East Quartet resumed its activities. The Quartet, comprised of the US, Russia, the EU and the UN, was

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A look at UAE policy on the Israeli-Palestinian issue

Since its founding, the United Arab Emirates has displayed solidarity with the Palestinians’ national aspirations, adhered to its support for the establishment of a Palestinian state, and called

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How Morocco relates to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process

The recent Israeli-Palestinian tensions in Jerusalem prompted regional and international expressions of concern but did not yield mediation measures nor facilitate a solution to the problems on

All Publications Photo: Yossi Zamir

Israel is unaware of the change in US attitudes towards it

The annual conference of J Street – the Jewish pro-Israel, pro-peace lobby – was held on April 18 and 19 and received impressive coverage in the US but very little attention in Israel. In a

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Lebanon ups ante on maritime border with Israel

Lebanon’s surprising decision earlier this month to expand its territorial claim by 1,430 square kilometers (552 sq. miles) further complicates the already complex maritime border negotiations

Policy papers and recommendations

The UAE and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process

The Abraham Accords have stirred a contentious international debate over the UAE’s support for the national aspirations of the Palestinians. The Palestinian leadership views the UAE’s

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Greece, Cyprus, and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process

For decades, the US operated as the central mediator between Israel and the Palestinians. However, after decades of stalled negotiations, it is likely that future peacemaking efforts will be

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Jordan’s 100th birthday: Centenary of the
‘most unstable’ state

 “Jordan is an artificial state with no future,” then-prime minister David Ben-Gurion declared shortly before the 1956 Suez Canal War. His assessment was echoed by Western intelligence agencies.

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Lessons from Israel and Egypt’s lukewarm peace

On March 9, Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen met with his Egyptian counterpart Nasser Fahmi in the resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, located at the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula.

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Netanyahu Says He’s a Mega-Diplomat,
but Key Embassies are Empty

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding 36 designated ambassadors hostage, refusing to present their appointments for government approval. These professional diplomats with years of

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Israel’s Strategic Interests in the Eastern Mediterranean

**The article was published by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) as an FES Southern Perspective publication The Eastern Mediterranean emerged in the last decade as a new focus of Israeli strategic

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Israel Must Restore Bipartisanship in the US Political System

or Israel, maintaining bipartisan support has traditionally been a central pillar of its relations with the US. Regrettably, this core component of the Jewish state’s most crucial alliance has

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What has changed this Mimuna?

The resumption of diplomatic relations with Morocco may restore a “crown to its former glory” (Atara Leyoshna). On the eve of Passover this year, I am most looking forward to the Mimuna holiday —

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“Vaccine Dealers” Have Forgotten Morality

The Covid-19 crisis expanded global diplomacy’s soft power toolbox. The absence of effective international cooperation in fighting the virus, in large due to a lacking American leadership and

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How to Improve Israel’s Regional Foreign Policies?
Summary of the Mitvim Institute’s Pre-Election Conference

Ahead of the general elections, the Mitvim Institute held a conference on March 9, 2021, which assessed Israel’s current foreign policy and presented goals and directions for future action. The

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The Palestinian reconciliation is an opportunity

The Netanyahu government’s approach to maintaining segregation between Hamas and Fatah and between Gaza and the West Bank is detrimental to Israel’s long-term goals, which are Israeli-Palestinian

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Changing the Equation: International Incentives
for Israeli-Palestinian Peace

How can the international community advance peace? Leaders and diplomats have pondered this question for years with regard to conflicts and wars around the world. International incentives for

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Foreign Policy Issues in Israel’s Current Election Campaign

For better or worse, we are not alone in this world. Opportunities, challenges, threats, friends, partners and rivals abound outside Israel’s borders – and no border can completely separate

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Coronavirus: Israel must vaccinate our Palestinian neighbors

Time and again Israel demonstrates its incredible capabilities at the professional level – of civil servants, the private sector and the nonprofit sector, alongside with the failure at the

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Do the Abraham Accords open up new energy opportunities?

The signing of the Abraham Accords and warming ties with Saudi Arabia open up many and varied regional cooperation opportunities for Israel. A key cooperation opportunity lies in the field of

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The Two-State Solution Won’t Save Itself, Mr. President

During the last four years of Trump administration, many important words and concepts such as “human rights” or “two-states solution” were effectively omitted completely

All Publications middle east peace

ICC investigation is Israel’s wake-up call

The decision of the International Criminal Court in The Hague that it has jurisdiction over the Israeli-Palestinian context arouses a variety of tormenting, yet conflicting, thoughts and

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How Biden should handle Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Joe Biden began his term as US president at a time when the Israeli-Palestinian peace process was in a deep and continued stagnation. The Trump administration’s policies on

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How did Zionist symbol KKL-JNF become an organization that hurts Israel?

Many of us still remember the blue Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund in which our parents would toss coins in order to “redeem the Land of Israel” and fulfill the Zionist dream. Then,

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Israel Pragmatically Responds to Global Changes,
but Without a Vision

Since its independence, Israel’s foreign policy had to cope with changes to the international balance of power in an attempt to find the most relevant superpower to rely on. The strategic

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It is time to make peace with Egypt

The news of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s planned visit to Egypt came shortly after popular Egyptian singer Mohamad Ramadan became the most hated person in his country; Ramadan was pictured

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The Toll of Democratic Regression on
Israeli Foreign Policy

When democrat Joe Biden beat populist Donald Trump, the world seemed to sigh in relief. However, now more than ever it is important to remember that many in the US and elsewhere still subscribe

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A Thank You Letter to Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi

The leaders of the Blue and White party have earned the widespread criticism of their political conduct. Nonetheless, I wish to take this opportunity to thank Gabi Ashkenazi for his performance

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The Culture of Sciences: Bridging the Gaps
Between the Emirati and Israeli Research Systems

Research collaborations between Israel and the UAE is a touchstone to scale the nature of the relations between them. Academic, scientific, and technological cooperation was explicitly mentioned

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Between a Rock and a hard place

It seems a just resolution of the Palestinian issue is the minimum that Pakistan will settle for if it is to recognize Israel. Following the series of agreements between Israel, the United Arab

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Israeli Progressives should reach out more to their international partners

The progressive camp in Israel has been trying for years to find its way back to the corridors of power and influence. So far unsuccessfully. Those seeking ways for change often wonder whether

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The Biden administration can help
mend ties between Turkey and Israel

Following President Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump, there have been a flurry of reports that Turkey is courting Israel in the hopes of resolving their diplomatic dispute. Turkey’s timing

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Trump officially made Israel part of the Middle East

 In one of its final decisions, the Trump administration moved Israel from the purview of the Pentagon’s European Command (EUCOM) to the Area of Responsibility (AOR) of the US Central Command

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Biden, It’s Time to Promote Israeli-Palestinian Peace

It has been only a few days after President Biden entered the Oval Office until senior officials of his voiced clear statements about the administration’s Israeli-Palestinian policy. Secretary of

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Israel, Iran: Now is the time to test if détente can be reached

The last few months have witnessed a dramatic shift in the geopolitical balance of the Middle East. Normalization between Israel and multiple Arab states has altered the heart of the historic

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Addressing Needs, Promoting Peace: A Proposal for an
International Incentives Package for Israeli-Palestinian Peace

A Policy Paper Based on Deliberations by a Team of Israeli and Palestinian Experts. Edited by Dr. Lior Lehrs, with Moien Odeh, Dr. Nimrod Goren, Huda Abu Arqoub. Incentives are an important tool

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Supercharged: The EuroAsia Interconnector and
Israel’s Pursuit of Energy Interdependence

Contemporary analysis of Eastern Mediterranean geopolitics tends to focus on the discovery of offshore hydrocarbons, and how a desire to maximize commercial profits has spurred a realignment of

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The Importance of International Partnerships
for Israel’s Progressive Camp

The progressive camp in Israel has been trying for years to find its way back to the corridors of power and influence, so far unsuccessfully. Those seeking strategies and tactics for change often

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How Israel-EU relations have been impacted
by Germany’s Council presidency

From July to December 2020, Israel had a window of political opportunity: Germany’s six-month period at the presidency of the Council of the European Union handed Israel an opportunity to improve

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The Broader Drivers of Biden-era Israeli-American Relations

Much of the discussion in Israel about the future of US-Israel relations in the wake of the new administration focuses on a narrow set of issues: President Joe Biden’s personal feelings toward

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New antisemitism hates Jews, loves Israel

 During Joe Biden’s presidential confirmation, the entire free world watched in horror and fear at the onslaught of incited crowds on the sanctuaries of American democracy – the Senate and House

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Promoting Democracy and Peace Will Bring Israel
Closer to the Biden Administration

Israel’s special relationship with the US is a cornerstone in Israel’s foreign policy and national security. In recent years, alongside Prime Minister Netanyahu’s close bond with outgoing

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Now is the time for female leadership in Israel

Now is the time to recognize the importance of female leadership for Israel to thrive in the modern world. On January 24th, the primaries for chairperson of the Labor Party will be held. The

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Semi-annual trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies with Arab states

Every six months, the Mitvim Institute maps key trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies based on the institute’s monthly reports that monitor ongoing developments. In July-December 2020, we

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Israel and Morocco: Major Potential for Warm Peace

The establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Morocco is not without precedent. In fact, the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1994 following Israel’s peace agreements

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Progressive politics in the Middle East: Israel and the region

The Abraham Accords that were signed recently between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can be equalled to a tip of an iceberg: much more is laying beneath the surface. These

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The Israeli right: authoritarianism and ethnic supremacy

To understand Israel properly, one must get to know the political right, its characteristics, components, and the changes it has undergone in recent years. The right has been in power since 1977,

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Abraham Accords does not solve Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Israel’s newly established relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco are a welcome development signaling a paradigm shift. The working assumption for decades was that

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The fallacy of Netanyahu’s Iran policy

Iran’s recent decision to begin enriching uranium to 20% purity is alarming but it should come as no surprise to anyone following Teheran’s nuclear policy since Donald Trump took office in

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How Did Israel-EU Relations Evolve During
Germany’s Presidency of the Council of the EU?

Between July to December 2020 Israel had a political window of opportunity: Germany’s six-month period at the Presidency of the Council of the EU. It handed Israel an opportunity to improve its

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Israel-Turkey Relations Are Not Only About
Erdoğan and Netanyahu

The final days of 2020 raised hopes that Israel and Turkey may be on their way to improve ties, despite policy differences and lack of trust. “Turkey wants better ties with Israel”, said Turkey’s

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Restoring Iran nuclear deal is good for Israel

he Biden administration, to be sworn in on January 20, will have to deal with many urgent issues at home and abroad and to repair the rubble left behind by the Trump administration. For Israel,

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Sa’ar’s exit is Likud’s chance to redefine ideological boundary

The exit of Gideon Sa’ar and the formation of a new party with defectors from the Likud has the potential for a redefinition of the ideological camps on the political map. Creating a political

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Opportunities and Challenges for Israel-UAE
Economic Cooperation

Israeli-Emirati economic ties have been developing continuously since the 1990s, setting the stage for the recent Abraham Accords and the partnerships that have begun to flourish as a result.

All Publications THE JERUSALEM POST

After UAE, Bahrain normalization,
will ties with Egypt, Jordan improve?

The establishment of peaceful relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco introduces a new model of normalization, highlighting warm receptions between the people

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Netanyahu’s cooperation with far Right, Islamists unsurprising

Many were surprised by the recently formed alliance between Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra’am Party, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which included Abbas’s announcement that he is happy

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With Mladenov’s Departure, Who Will Prevent the Next War in Gaza?

The next time Israel and Hamas come to blows and need someone to hold them in check, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov will no longer be there to help

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The importance of understanding complexity
in other countries

The failures in foreign policy decision-making often stem from the natural difficulty in understanding the complexities of other countries. We tend to treat each country as a unified,

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What are Trump’s last Israel policy moves before he leaves?

The Trump administration is taking advantage of the transition period to advance several final policy moves pertaining to Israel. These include the visit by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to the

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Will Saudi Arabia Pick Up the Mantle?

Yonatan Touval on Modern Diplomacy

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It’s time to empower Israel’s Foreign Ministry

Dr. Nimrod Goren on Jpost

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