Riyadh Is the Arab World’s New Real Leader
On January 12, two seemingly unrelated events took place in Saudi Arabia. In the first, Real Madrid faced Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah. Thousands of Saudis filled the
Normalizing Relations with Saudi Arabia Provides New Opportunities
Immediately after the signing of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, incoming US President Donald Trump announced that, after the return of the hostages, he intends to continue the implementation
Will an Outstretched Hand Meet a Sister’s Hand?
Last week, Saudi researcher Abdulaziz Alghashian, from the Observer Research Foundation Middle East, published an op-ed in Haaretz arguing that the Israeli public misunderstands Saudi Arabia’s
Saudi perspective: The Palestinian issue cannot be pushed aside
I heard that Israeli media has been debating about the Saudi position regarding the way to end the war and move forward, and its obligation to the Palestinian issue. It seems that Saudi Arabia’s
Exaggerations, Obstacles and Opportunities: The Saudi Arabian Position in the Gaza War
The paper aims to shed light on the obstacles and opportunities of Saudi involvement in a future Palestinian-Israeli peace process. It first explains the enigmatic nature of Saudi communication
Secret Meetings Prove Israel, Saudi Arabia Still Want Normalization Amid War
Normalization with Saudi Arabia has become a central issue during the Israel-Hamas war. Despite the great advantages the normalization holds for Israel, the current government is unable – and
Bilateral normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia can offer something bigger
The Saudi proposal opens up the path to recognition of Israel by other states in the Middle East and in the Muslim world. An important factor in every negotiation between states is the incentives
The Road not Taken with Saudi Arabia Is Bigger Than Normalization
The intense diplomatic activity on the Washington-Riyadh axis, as well as statements by top officials on both sides, indicate that an Israeli-Saudi normalization agreement is still relevant
Normalization with Saudi Arabia looks unlikely, but we should try anyway
Based on past experience with normalization agreements, three components are presently missing on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides: legitimate leadership, political determination, and
Revisiting Arab Peace Initiative is best hope to solve Israel-Palestine conflict
The “deal of the century” is here, and so is the simmering, century-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Although the publication of the details of President Trump’s peace initiative has not so far
The Gulf States’ Changing Attitudes towards Judaism: A Cultural Revolution in the Making
Dr Muhammad al-Issa’s unprecedented visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp on 23 January 2020, the 75th anniversary of its liberation, marked a peak in a process of interfaith momentum that
Israel’s Regional Foreign Policies: An Annual Assessment
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
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 Democracy Component in Israel’s Relations with Arab State
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
After 25 Years of Peace, Israel-Jordan Relations Need a Restart
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
Existing and Potential Cooperation between Israel and Key Arab States
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
Trouble in Paradise: Cracks are Forming in the Saudi-Emirati Relationship
The relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have not always been smooth. Even before the latter’s independence in 1971, the affairs between the ruling families, al-Nahyan of Abu-Dhabi and
Lessons from the Peace Process between Ethiopia and Eritrea
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
An Economic Workshop in Bahrain, With No Political Horizon
The June 25-26 economic workshop planned by the Trump administration in Bahrain is an attempt to put the economic carriage before the diplomatic horse. History shows that most international
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,
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
Israel and the United Arab Emirates: Pending Opportunities
Op ed by Dr. Moran Zaga, December 2018
Israel and Turkey: Insights from a Policy Dialogue in the Midst of a Crisis
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
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
Israel’s Renewed Affair with Oman
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
The Boiling Water of the Red Sea: Power Struggles and Israel’s Interests
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
Israel in an (Un)Changing Middle East
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
Voices of Peace in Saudi Arabia
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
Are Ties between Israel and Bahrain Warming?
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
Israel-Iraq Relations: Opportunities to Advance Cooperation
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
Israel-Morocco Relations: Opportunities to Advance Cooperation
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
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
Israel and Saudi Arabia: On the Way to Normalization?
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,
Israel and Saudi Arabia: From Foes to Potential Friends
The Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman, is fed up with the Palestinian leadership. “Over the past 40 years, the Palestinian leadership has repeatedly missed opportunities and rejected
The Unfulfilled Potential of Israel’s Relations with Arab Countries
On 29 May 2018, the Mitvim Institute and the Leonard Davis Institute held a joint conference devoted to the unfulfilled potential of Israel’s relations with Arab countries. The conference took
The New Israeli Illusion: Peace with the Arab World, Without the Palestinians
In recent weeks, Saudi officials made statements that were interpreted in Israel as a change of attitude in Saudi Arabia towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to Israeli Channel 10,
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-Jordan Cooperation: A Potential That Can Still Be Fulfilled
The history of Israel-Jordan relations displays long-term strategic cooperation. The formal peace agreement, signed in 1994, has become one of the pillars of the political-strategic stability of
The JCPOA Crisis and Israeli-Iranian Relations
Much of the discourse on the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear agreement between the P5+1 powers and Iran, has centered broadly on two issue sets. The first
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
The Fruits of Israeli-Jordanian Peace Are Still Waiting on the Tree
After a six-month diplomatic crisis between Israel and Jordan, a new Israeli ambassador – Amir Weissbrod – is expected to arrive in Amman soon to fully resume the embassy’s operations. This will
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
Is Israel’s Regional Opportunity Becoming More Concrete?
As President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia drew near, the Wall Street Journal reported a new initiative originating from the Gulf states vis-a-vis Israel: Should Israel take steps to promote
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
International Involvement towards Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Resolution
Given ongoing stagnation in the peace process and the new American administration, the Mitvim Institute convened a policy-planning roundtable to discuss which steps the international community
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
Israel and Turkey on the Verge of an Agreement
Israel and Turkey have been conveying to their publics positive messages about progress in the bilateral negotiations toward a reconciliation agreement. Expectations are that a deal may be
The Egypt-Saudi Agreements: Policy Analysis and Regional Implications
The first visit by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to Egypt has led to the signing of significant agreement between the two countries. The visit and its consequences signal a new phase in the
Egypt and Saudi Arabia: A Predictable Rapprochement
Saudi Arabian King Salman’s five-day visit to Egypt and the extensive media coverage it garnered are an expression of the warming of ties since al-Sisi became president in June 2013. Morsi’s
Saudi Arabia: Lynchpin of the moderate axis in the Middle East
Saudi Arabian king Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s five-day visit to Egypt is an expression of the warming of ties between the two countries since Abdel Fattah Sisi became president of Egypt in
Egypt and Saudi Arabia’s island diplomacy
The Egyptian transfer of the islands of Tiran and Sanafir in April 2016 to Saudi Arabia can be understood from at least four separate perspectives. First, the agreement between the parties is
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
The writing is on the wall
Senior Israeli security personnel, Israeli and Palestinian political leaders, rabbis and imams have been warning for years that the Jewish-Muslim conflict over the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif
