Ashkenazi revitalized the IDF, now he can do the same to Foreign Ministry
Op-ed by Dr. Ehud Eiran
A Letter to Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi
Honorable Foreign Minister, Lt. Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi. I know you are scheduled to move on to the Defense Ministry in 18 months, but I think you would have far greater influence and
The Coronavirus Crisis Offers Opportunities for Innovative Israeli Diplomacy
Like so much else, official diplomacy has shifted to virtual communications since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is an opportunity for Israeli diplomacy to lead a new type of
Attacking the EU for Domestic Political Gains is Wrong
No one in Israel was particularly surprised when the EU’s new foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that Israeli annexation of territories would not go “unchallenged”. Foreign Minister Israel
Ten trends in Israel’s regional foreign policies July-December 2019
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. From July through
Time for Diplomatic Optimism
Israel has been conducting itself like a state struggling for survival ever since its establishment, and even more so in recent years, despite its indisputable standing as a regional power. While
The Palestinian Foreign Service at a Time of Diplomatic Freeze
The annual commemoration of the UN’s vote on 29 November 1947 for the partition plan provides an opportunity for the Palestinian Foreign Service and the Palestinian President to shine a global
Members of Knesset Can Help Improve Israel’s Foreign Policy
120 Members of Knesset (MKs), veteran and new, are now starting their term in the 22nd Knesset. In the near future, assuming a new government will actually be formed, they will build a
Israeli Election Analysis: Netanyahu’s Dominant Grip is Coming to an End
While the Israeli elections results do not yet provide clarity regarding the identity of the next prime minister or the composition of the next government, they do indicate that Netanyahu’s
Israel’s Foreign Service Is Being Weakened and We Are All Paying the Price,
Would we ask a farmer to grow crops without water? Would we ask a surgeon to operate without a scalpel? Would we send a soldier into battle without a rifle? If not, then why are diplomats being
Empowering Israel’s Foreign Service via Modern and Innovative Diplomacy
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is crying out for change more than ever before. The decade-long tenure of Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister has plunged this key government agency,
The Perils of Netanyahu’s “Monarchic Diplomacy”
Prime Minister Netanyahu used foreign policy as major theme in the 2019 election campaign. Giant billboards depicted him standing alongside President Trump. His aides pointed to his diplomatic
Israel’s Former Diplomats Are a Wasted National Resource
Security issues dominate the public and political discourse in Israel. During the 2019 election campaign, parties have been boasting of having some general or other on their roster of Knesset
Alternative Directions for Israeli Foreign Policy on the Eve of an Election Year
The Mitvim Institute’s second annual conference took place in Tel Aviv on December 30, 2018. The conference explored alternative directions for Israeli foreign policy towards the April 2019
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
Why Israel Needs a Strong Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was once one of Israel’s crown Jewels. Managing Israel’s foreign relations and the exposure that the office of the foreign minister offered, attracted
Towards an Increased Role for the Knesset in Foreign Affairs: Summary of a Knesset event held by the Mitvim Institute and the Caucus for Strengthening Israel’s Foreign Service
On May 22, 2018, the Mitvim Institute and the Caucus for Strengthening Israel’s Foreign Service held a joint event at the Knesset on how to increase the role of the Knesset in Foreign
Laying a Civil Foundation for Cooperation between Israel and Iraq
The graduation ceremony of the Department of Hebrew Language at Baghdad University is considered one of the best on campus. In 2010, at the height of the evening, a female graduate interpreted
The Need for Increased Transparency in the Israeli Foreign Service
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is being weakened in recent years, and is seeking ways to change this trend, and to increase its relevance and importance. Sharing more information
Time for an Israel-Turkey Dialogue on Syria
Iranian involvement in Syria is increasing, bolstering Israeli motivation to influence Syria’s reality. Israel has carried out successful military moves in recent years in order to preserve its
The Involvement of the Arab Palestinian Citizens of Israel in Foreign Affairs
The Palestinian citizens of Israel have the potential to influence and shape Israel’s foreign affairs, especially in regards to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and to Israel’s ties with
Israel’s Partners in Europe: Yes to Democracies, No to the Far Right
The Israeli government and the Knesset are formulating approaches to address the rise of the far-right Austrian Freedom Party and the new Polish law regarding the Holocaust. In this effort, there
Israel-Jordan Reconciliation: Better Late Than Never
Six months after an Israeli security guard killed two Jordanian citizens (his attacker and a second man who was shot accidentally), the solution for the crisis which marred relations between the
The Collapse of the Israeli Foreign Service
A special conference of the Caucus for the Empowerment of Israel`s Foreign Service (led by MK Nachman Shai) and the Mitvim Institute took place at the Knesset on 15 January 2018. The conference
