Lebanon may be getting tired of Hezbollah- analysis
First, it was Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the son-in-law of Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun, who attacked the Shia Islamist political party Hezbollah and said
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
Israel-Lebanon Maritime Border Negotiations: Cautious Optimism but No Bells of Peace
Op-ed by Amb. (ret.) Michael Harari
The Eastern Mediterranean: A New Diplomatic Arena for Israel
For decades, Israelis tended to perceive themselves as living in a hostile region and as being doomed for isolation in their neighborhood. The changing realities between Israel and Arab
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
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
What Do Closer Lebanon-Cyprus Energy Ties Mean for Israel?
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
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
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
Pompeo, the Israel-Greece-Cyprus Alliance, and the EastMed Pipeline
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
Stable but Tepid: The Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty After 40 Years
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
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
The Spring of Israel’s Relations with its Arab Neighbors
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
A New Mideast in Familiar Clothing
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
Netanyahu’s New Iran Approach: YouTube Diplomacy
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
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
Netanyahu Needs Conflict to Survive
In 2015, Benjamin Netanyahu was elected to a fourth term as prime minister of Israel. Within months, pundits began speculating when his government would fall. So far, the answer has been never.
A Diplomatic Blueprint for Israel vis-à-vis Syria
Following the infiltration of the Iranian drone into Israel’s air space and Israel’s retaliation, the public discourse in recent days focused mainly on the security aspect and the various ways to
Assessing EU Policies toward the Southern Mediterranean
Some 100 representatives of approximately 75 leading think tanks and research centers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the European Union (EU) gathered on 8-9 October 2015 in Milano
Analysis: In post-nuclear agreement Middle East, ‘It’s Syria, stupid!’
Informed commentaries have stressed, somewhat justifiably, Iran’s benefits from the nuclear agreement with the P5+1 powers. Yet the agreement is, in many ways, formal confirmation of regional
Israel won’t become part of the Middle East until the occupation ends
A few months ago, former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni traveled in secret to New York to a meeting attended by the foreign ministers of several Arab countries, Arab League officials and European
Why Israel Shouldn’t Consider a ‘Security Zone’ in Syria
With the chaos of the Syrian civil war escalating, tensions on the Israeli-Syrian ceasefire line on the Golan Heights are running high. Israeli defense officials stated just over a week ago that
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
