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
One step forward, one step back: International discourse on advancing Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking
Introduction The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been locked in a stalemate since the 2014 collapse of the US mediation initiative led by then-Secretary of State John Kerry. The relations
The Ministry of Regional Cooperation
and Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking
Among Israel’s many government ministries, one stands out in particular. It is small, its authority is limited, and many doubt its need. But it is tasked with realizing one of Israel’s greatest
Judgments by the Court of Justice of the EU on the EU’s Trade with Israel’s Disputed Territories
The EU is one of the largest trading partners of the Disputed Territories (DTs) in the world. The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) reaffirmed the EU’s differentiation policy between Israeli
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
Foreign Policy Plan for the 36th Government of Israel
On June 13, 2021, the 36th Government of Israel was sworn in, headed by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, the first government since 2009 which is not led by Benjamin Netanyahu. The Mitvim
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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 —
“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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
