Saving the Palestinian Economy Will Disempower Hamas and Offer Security to Israel
An economic road map for the Palestinian Authority’s transition from dangerous collapse to stability within regional arrangements
Palestinian Elections: A Vital Step Toward a Stable Political Settlement
A political settlement to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians once Hamas is weakened, and after an intermediate stage in which a reconstituted Palestinian Authority is established with the
The Palestinian leadership keeps making the same past mistakes
The PA’s recurring willingness to seek agreements with Hamas has proven to be a consistent mistake.
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
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
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
COVID-19 Put the Eastern Mediterranean’s Hydrocarbon Dreams on Hold
On Tuesday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will do something pretty unusual in the age of COVID-19 — travel overseas. Mitsotakis will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in
War and Peace in the Age of Coronavirus
Against the backdrop of the Coronavirus crisis, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin spoke with the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, saying the crisis “does not distinguish between
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
Peace-Spoilers or Negotiation Partners? Netanyahu’s Understandings with Hamas
How should Israel relate to Hamas? How directly should it engage with an organization whose rule over Gaza makes it a key player in any negotiations towards an end to the Palestinian-Israel
The Trump Peace Plan: Not Even an Opportunity
It is a special event when a peace plan for the resolution of the Israeli-Arab conflict commissioned by an American president is launched. But true to President Donald Trump’s record, his peace
The international community should say no to the Trump plan
President Donald Trump’s Israel-Palestinian blueprint is neither a peace plan nor “best for Israel” (as some in Israel have claimed). On the contrary, it reportedly runs counter to previous
The PA’s shrinking space for freedom of expression
At the beginning of Mahmoud Abbas’s presidency, many in the international community placed their hopes in him, seeing him as a leader who could build a pluralistic Palestinian society. But that
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
The Resignation of Jason Greenblatt, the Peace Envoy Who Did Not Broker
President Trump’s Middle East envoy Greenblatt was very different from his predecessors. While leading US mediators and envoys were generally experienced in diplomacy and foreign policy, as well
House Demolitions in Sur Baher: Out of Jerusalem, Inside the Fence
The route of the Separation Fence/Wall/Barrier in the area of Jerusalem generally follows the city’s municipal boundaries, separating East Jerusalem’s Palestinian neighborhoods from the West
The Bahrain Workshop and the Dwindling Chances for Israeli-Palestinian Peace under Trump
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
Trump Distances Peace, and Bahrain is Just the Tip of the Iceber
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
Israel Should Advance an International Initiative to Support Gaza
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
What Should Israel’s Next Foreign Minister Do?
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
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
Who Remembers the Palestinian Issue?
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
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
Netanyahu and the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH)
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
Where Are Palestinian Politics Headed?
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
A Better Way for the International Community to Benefit the People of Gaza
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,
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
Israel and Egypt: A Strategic Axis in the Regional Landscape?
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 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
EastMed Gas Pipeline Must Overcome Major Obstacles
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
Mahmoud Abbas’ Interest is to Topple Hamas
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 Quest for a Long-Term Ceasefire in the Gaza Strip
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,
A Port in Cyprus Can Help Resolve Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis
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
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
The Art of the (Israeli-Russian) Deal
On June 1, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya told the press that he “believes” that his country and Israel reached an agreement regarding “certain disengagement in the southwest of
Korea Is Not a Likely Precedent for Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking
On 27 April 2018, the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. It was the first time that a North Korean leader had crossed the border to the south since the
Post Iran Deal: Israel and the Post-American Era
Of the many formidable foreign policy questions facing Israel as it celebrates its 70th anniversary, the most auspicious is how the Jewish State should adapt to a multipolar world. The urgency to
Israel and the Abbas Peace Plan
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority’s chairman, appeared on February 20th before the Security Council and presented a new Palestinian peace plan, with a number of points: first, a request
A Look at the Palestinian Reconciliation Process
The agreement signed between Fatah and Hamas on 12 October 2017, under the auspices of Egyptian intelligence, is in fact a memorandum of understanding that signals the beginning of a process of
Happy Holidays? Not in the Middle East
How does the Middle East look on the eve of Rosh Hashanah 5778? One can point to a number of important changes that took place over the past year: * The Islamic State is about to disappear
Sanwar and Dahlan: An Egyptian-Brokered Alliance against Abbas
The renewed relationship between the Hamas leader and the former Fatah strongman, who grew up together in the Khan Younis refugee camp, proves that the key for creating change in the Palestinian
What Abbas Should Be Concerned About?
On July 2, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a speech at the African Union Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa. The speech attracted little attention from Israeli or global media,
Trump and a Tale of Three Cities
He visited Riyadh, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. As each stop approached in his Middle Eastern tour, the suspense in Israel grew and the anticipation increased. When will the major announcement be
Trump’s Visit to the Middle East
Donald Trump made his first foreign trip since taking office to the Middle East. In May 2017 he visited Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority. Throughout his regional tour, the US
Israel needs good relations with Europe
The European Union EU is facing great turmoil. Russia’s aggression in the east, the political change in the US and Brexit are all major obstacles on its way forward. These dramatic developments
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Strike and Marwan Barghouti’s Race to the Top
Palestinian Prisoners’ Day is marked every year on April 17th. It is considered a national commemoration day, a shared general consensus amongst the Palestinian population. This day is encumbered
Lessons from Serbia and Kosovo for Israel and Palestine: All Process, No Peace?
How did one of the world’s toughest conflicts reach a diplomatic breakthrough after 14 years of political stalemate? Why did the process then stagnate? In 1999, NATO led the largest international
The future of Palestinian diplomacy in the Trump era
The developments during the early months of 2017 show that the Palestinian Authority continues to prefer to express its opposition to Israeli policy through diplomatic means, including attempts
The Future of Palestinian Diplomatic Activism in the Trump Era
The developments during the early months of 2017 show that the Palestinian Authority (PA) continues to prefer to express its opposition to Israeli policy through diplomatic means, including
An Assessment of John Kerry’s Two-State Resurrection Endeavor
There may not be a conflict-ending, two-state solution any time soon, or perhaps ever. But if there is one, John Kerry’s six principles will serve as its basis. Kerry’s six principles are an
A Pro-Peace Israeli Foreign Policy
A resolution to the Arab-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts is a vital national interest of Israel and must be a central goal of its foreign policy. The status quo is unstable and time is
The Postponement of the Palestinian Local Elections and its Ramifications
The Palestinian government recently decided to postpone local elections – that were scheduled for October 2016 – by four months, whilst limiting voting to the West Bank alone. The decision was
Who Will Inherit Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas?
The Fatah movement and the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Movement) leadership are experiencing a deep internal crisis. In 1969, Fatah leader Yassir Arafat took control of PLO institutions and
From opportunities to missed opportunities
Over the past two years, the Israeli discourse has frequently included terms like “an opportunity to promote regional cooperation,” or “regional initiative.” This discourse is not limited to the
Cooperation between Israel and the Arab world
Israelis see high importance in advancing cooperation with Egypt, while cooperation with the Palestinian Authority is of low priority. This is the main finding from a public opinion poll
Notes on the Quartet report
The Quartet Report was widely criticized by both Israelis and Palestinians, but apart from the responses of a number Israeli and Palestinian officials, has yet to make any waves in the public
The Revolt of the Young Palestinian Generation
The latest cycle of violence clearly shows the despair young Palestinians feel. This is a generation that will not follow its political leadership blindly. It loathes the existing political
The curse of stagnation and the need for conflict comparison
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is mired in political paralysis that is costing lives daily. Local actors at the policy level are badly in need of fresh ideas, but few are forthcoming. In this
An opportunity for the Obama parameters
The recent Wall Street Journal report on the White House’s plans for reviving the stalled Middle East negotiations before President Barack Obama leaves office caught many people by surprise, for
Impressions from a day in Gaza
“Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend a day in Gaza with Andy Dwonch, the head of Mercy Corps in Palestine. Mercy Corps is a large nonprofit organization based in Portland, with
The Way Forward in Israeli-Palestinian Relations
As violence between Israelis and Palestinians escalated amid diplomatic stagnation, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies
Abu Mazen: A Man in Search of a Legacy
The Palestinian President has recently announced his resignation from the position of Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee. This move took place in parallel to the intensification of power
The Next Steps toward Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
In the immediate aftermath of Israel’s recent elections and the formation of its 34th government, and not long after a period of conflict with Gaza and heightened tensions amongst Israel’s Arab
Applying the ‘Obama Doctrine’ to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Thomas Friedman’s interview with President Barack Obama on the Iranian nuclear issue evoked many responses, both positive and negative. In this interview, Friedman attempted to describe Obama’s
Congress Shouldn’t Cut Aid to the Palestinian Authority
Following the kidnapping of three Israeli youths and Secretary of State John Kerry hinting at Hamas responsibility, U.S. congressmen were right to question the merits of the new Palestinian
By condemning abduction, Abbas proved he’s a statesman
In front of the cameras, at the conference of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian Authority chairman chose Wednesday
Israel Should Support Palestinian Reconciliation
Hamas has notified Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that it wants to join a national unity government with Fatah, marking a breakthrough in reconciliation talks, according to the
3 Key Takeaways From This Week’s Palestinian Elections
The democratic process was alive and well in at least one part of the Middle East this past weekend, as the West Bank saw a frenetic end to its campaign season. Municipal elections were held on
Continuing on the Path to Statehood: The Palestinians Following their Septmember 2011 UN Bid
Mitvim representatives participated in meetings with a series of key Palestinian figures from Ramallah and Nablus. The meetings focused on the implications of the Palestinian UN statehood bid of
