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
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
This paper explores the nexus between Israel’s energy policy and foreign policy interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. While regional energy cooperation has the potential to be one of the most
On January 2, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will reportedly sign an agreement to export Israel’s natural gas via the proposed EastMed pipeline via Cyprus and Greece to Europe. The accord,
Less than a month before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Brussels, we – a group of young Israelis and Palestinians – arrived at the European Parliament for a second meeting of the
The Mitvim Institute 3rd annual conference provided an annual assessment of Israel’s regional foreign policies. It was held in Tel Aviv on 14 November 2019, in cooperation with the
Over the last decade, Israel has accelerated a long-term process of annexation in the West Bank through legal, political, physical and rhetorical steps that are both explicit, and increasingly
The prevailing, negative attitudes in Israel toward the EU, as reflected in the 2019 Israeli Foreign Policy Index of the Mitvim Institute, differ greatly from the facts on the ground. The
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
Israel and the EU maintain exceedingly close relations with each other. The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner and has extensive cultural and political ties to the country. Despite this,
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
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 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 seventh annual public opinion poll of the Mitvim Institute on Israel’s foreign policy was conducted in September 2019. It was carried out by the Rafi Smith Institute and in cooperation with
“In the last decade of the twentieth century, atlases, history and geography books no longer present an up-to-date picture of the world. Walls of enmity have fallen, borders have disappeared,
Something good is happening in relations between Israel and the Arab world, as evidenced by more frequent visits of senior Israeli officials to Arab capitals and conciliatory remarks about Israel
The 26th of October marked the silver jubilee of the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty. The media emphasized the fact that no formal celebrations were held on both sides of the Jordan River. Indeed,
President Trump has hastily dispatched his Vice President Pence for urgent talks with President Erdoğan. These talks may have produced a 120 hours pause in the Turkish onslaught into the Kurdish
Jordan will not celebrate this month’s 25th anniversary of the festive signing of the historic peace agreement with Israel in Wadi Araba. The winds of reconciliation that blew at the time, the
When Israelis ask what Brexit means for them, many will think of economy and trade, and about diplomatic relations with Britain and Europe. These are important, but in considering Brexit’s
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
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
On 11 June 2019, the Mitvim Institute and the Davis Institute held a conference at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem on democracy and foreign policy in Israel. It included sessions on democracy,
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
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
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
The giant posters adorning the Likud party’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, showing party leader and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu shaking hands with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and
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
Jason Greenblatt, US special envoy, said in a recent interview, “There has never been an honest mediator for this conflict. The mindset of a so-called honest mediator never existed and will never
For those interested in promoting peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the current situation may be discouraging. Indeed, the misconception that there is “no solution” is
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,
Under the leadership of Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, the Blue and White party has frequently warned voters of the “Erdoğanization” of Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In other
The economic workshop in Bahrain in late June produced some noteworthy moments that reflected recent changes in Israeli-Gulf relations: An interview of the Bahraini foreign minister by Israeli
Israel’s democratic qualities have played an important role in its military achievements over the years. This lesson arises not just from Israel’s wars, but also from 200 years of global great
The White House announcement that it was convening an economic workshop in Bahrain appeared to mark the launch of a significant US move unveiling the Trump plan we have been hearing about – under
While Israel was excited to host the Eurovision competition in May, in the Arab Gulf States, international events are held almost on a daily basis. One of the most prestigious of them is Expo
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
The May 2019 elections to the European Parliament have blocked the storming of the continent’s parliament and of the EU’s institutions by the far-right, for now. However, the conservative and
Interesting developments have occurred recently in the Mediterranean Basin. On April 11, the foreign and energy ministers of Cyprus and Lebanon met in Beirut and agreed to accelerate their
A policy roundtable on the 2019 European Parliament elections results and their possible significance for Europe and Israel took place on 30 May 2019 at Tel Aviv University. It was organized by
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
The formation of a new Israeli government provides an opportunity to rethink the course of Israel’s policy vis-à-vis the EU. Israel-EU relations need to be handled differently, in a manner that
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
Over the last 40 years, since the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty (that alluded to but did not solve the Palestinian question) and the European Community’s 1980 Venice Declaration, Europe has been
Benjamin Netanyahu won Israel’s election and declared he would form a new rightwing government. This will affect diverse aspects of Israel’s foreign policy. This document includes commentaries by
The political, security, humanitarian and economic crisis in the Gaza Strip has been on the Israeli, regional and international agenda for many years now. However, the disengagement from the Gaza
Eight years ago, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak warned that Israel would face a diplomatic tsunami unless it re-engaged in the long stalemated peace talks with the Palestinians. Later on, Tzipi
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
As the Purim holiday arrives, many are looking forward to a break from the country’s exhausting election cycle. But for Prime Minister Netanyahu, Wednesday evening was an opportunity to reinforce
On March 26, 1979, Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty – the first between Israel and an Arab state. Many Israelis were disenchanted when the treaty did not result in normalized bilateral
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
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
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
The crisis with Diaspora Jewry is, by its very nature, both strategic and existential given the threat it poses to the essence of the State of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people.
Public attention in the upcoming Israeli elections is focusing on domestic political and economic issues, such as Netanyahu’s legal situation and the cost of living – and on security-related
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
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
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
The resignation of Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, who headed the PA government for two terms as President Mahmoud Abbas’ right-hand man, took place at a watershed
The situation in Gaza is horrific. Actually, worse than that. Gazans have been deprived of electricity, water, jobs and salaries; they were stripped off their self-respect and parental authority,
The mid-January regional meeting in Cairo, during which a new regional gas forum was announced by seven Eastern Mediterranean countries, illustrates the promising political potential embedded in
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
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
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
Israeli and Palestinian experts and activists – together with international diplomats – gathered on 31 October 2018 at the UN Headquarters in Jerusalem for a civil society roundtable discussion
US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the remaining American troops from Syria came as a surprise, but the writing was on the wall already in April, when the he announced his intention
Op ed by Dr. Moran Zaga, December 2018
The recent violent escalation in Gaza, that led to the resignation of the Israeli minister of defense and to a public uproar against the government’s handling of the Hamas movement, have
The recent escalation in Gaza highlighted once again the crisis in Israel-Turkey relations. A harsh exchange of tweets between the spokespersons of Turkey’s President Erdoğan and Israel’s
In the past few weeks it seems that Arab and Muslim countries have been competing with each other over Israel. Following news on back-channel intelligence ties with Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister
Einat Levi in the Morocco World News
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is well known for its economic power and moderate Islam, and for its increasing involvement in regional developments throughout the Middle East, including the
Israel’s Minister of National Infrastructures Energy and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz has announced that the governments of Israel, Greece, Cyprus, and Italy have reached an agreement to
It is impossible to isolate the recent escalation of tension between Israel and the Gaza Strip from the stalemate in the internal Palestinian reconciliation process. From the current perspective,
The official visit of Prime Minister Netanyahu and Mossad chief Yossi Cohen to Oman turned the spotlight on this distant principality in the Gulf that is unfamiliar to most Israelis. Perhaps it
Less than 10 months after the resolution of the previous Israeli-Jordanian crisis, a new crisis may be sparked by King Abdullah’s recent decision not to renew the two annexes to the
The sixth annual public opinion poll of the Mitvim Institute on Israel’s foreign policy was conducted in September 2018. It was carried out by the Rafi Smith Institute and in cooperation with
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
The attempts by officials in the Middle East and beyond to find the formula for a long-term ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, attest to the complexity of the problem that emerged over a decade ago,
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
Surprisingly for what is considered a failed peace treaty, the 25th anniversary of the Oslo Agreement received significant media coverage. Most of it, as can be expected, was onesided,
The EU quite frequently expresses criticism over Israeli policies and legislation that damage prospects of achieving the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts or that run
About one million Moroccan Jews currently live in Israel and tens of thousands of Israelis visit Morocco every year for tourism purposes, business or family visits. This reality leads Israel and
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
The Red Sea basin includes 12 states with a combined population of around 300 million. On the eastern shore lie Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Israel share the Gulf of
The Middle East is a confusing area. On the one hand, it is highly volatile, with frequent changes throughout the region and in the domestic affairs of its countries. On the other hand, many
The Gaza Strip poses a great challenge to Israel – in particular its fragile humanitarian situation, which has been an item on the Israeli decision-making table for a long time, especially since
Einat Levi on +972 magazine
A serious overview of the Saudi media, as recently done by some MEMRI reports, shows a considerable improvement in the Saudi media’s treatment of Israel. These voices are important since they
The participation of an Israeli delegation in the 2018 annual UNESCO International Conference held in Bahrain corresponds with the various headlines on Israeli-Bahraini relations during the past
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
On 17 May 2018 the Mitvim Institute held a workshop on Israel-Iraq relations, based on a research by Dr. Ronen Zeidel, which was conducted as part of Mitvim’s project of the unfulfilled potential
On 18 July 2018, the Mitvim Institute held a workshop on Israel-Morocco relations, based on research by Einat Levi, which was conducted as part of Mitvim’s project of the unfulfilled potential of
The Islamic Republic of Iran soon turns 40. Since 1979, the U.S. has been the primary ideological target of Iran’s enmity. Recently, we’ve seen the rhetoric heating up, with Iran’s
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 –
Slowly but surely, with the help of Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, President Bashar Assad is regaining control over Syria. The process is still underway, but all the regional actors realize that
Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership style always includes dramatic warnings about threats to Israel. For more than a decade now, Israel’s prime minister warns that Iran – in particular its nuclear
Einat Levi in YaBiladi
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 tectonic changes in the Middle East since 2011 have created the foundation for a significant rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Alongside their strategic security partnership,
