On the Verge of an Abyss?
Israel is located these days, since the establishment of Netanyahu’s new right-wing government, at a critical juncture, facing dramatic developments on various fronts. While the domestic arena is
As tensions grow, all eyes are on the Temple Mount
As preparations accelerate for the establishment of a new Israeli government, many eyes in Israel, the region and the world are turned to the Temple Mount. This religiously sensitive site with
Biden’s Israel visit reiterates his views on the two state solution
In a speech delivered during his visit to the Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem, President Joe Biden referred to his family’s Irish background, drawing parallels between the Irish and
That other crisis
Israel-Palestine risks becoming a forgotten conflict – the world should pay attention. In January 2001, US President Bill Clinton met with President-elect George W. Bush and presented him with a
One step forward, one step back: International discourse on advancing Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking
Introduction The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been locked in a stalemate since the 2014 collapse of the US mediation initiative led by then-Secretary of State John Kerry. The relations
What lessons does the Trump-Taliban deal hold for Israel, Hamas?
In September 2019, on the eve of the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, President Trump and leaders of the Taliban were scheduled to meet at Camp David. The peace summit was scrapped at the
The dangerous game of the Jerusalem flag march
Last month’s flag march in Jerusalem drew extensive attention in Israel, the Palestinian arena and the international community. Israeli policymakers were forced to decide whether to allow the
Solving the issue of a divided Jerusalem
In January 2018, then-president Donald Trump declared that by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, his administration “took Jerusalem off the table, so we don’t have to talk about it
No, Jerusalem is not off the table
In January 2018, President Donald Trump declared that by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, his administration “took Jerusalem off the table, so we don’t have to talk about it
Is the Middle East Quartet still relevant?
In recent months, following the change of government in the United States, the Middle East Quartet resumed its activities. The Quartet, comprised of the US, Russia, the EU and the UN, was
Where Do We Go from Here?
The International Discourse on Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking
The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been in a prolonged freeze since talks between the sides on a permanent status agreement, promoted by US Secretary of State John Kerry, collapsed in
Changing the Equation: International Incentives
for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
How can the international community advance peace? Leaders and diplomats have pondered this question for years with regard to conflicts and wars around the world. International incentives for
Addressing Needs, Promoting Peace: A Proposal for an
International Incentives Package for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
A Policy Paper Based on Deliberations by a Team of Israeli and Palestinian Experts. Edited by Dr. Lior Lehrs, with Moien Odeh, Dr. Nimrod Goren, Huda Abu Arqoub. Incentives are an important tool
What are Trump’s last Israel policy moves before he leaves?
The Trump administration is taking advantage of the transition period to advance several final policy moves pertaining to Israel. These include the visit by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to the
What does the US election have to do with Middle East peacemaking?
Dr. Lior Lehrs on The Jerusalem Post
To recognize or not to recognize: EU recognition of Palestine
Op-ed by Dr. Lior Lehrs
Egyptian Plague or Spring of Youth? The Israeli Discourse regarding the Arab Spring
From the outset of the protest events in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and other countries, many people in the world began using the term “Arab spring” to describe the sequence of
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
Initial policy recommendations for Foreign Minister Ashkenazi – opinion
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi should lead a process of fixing the country’s regional foreign policies. In his first months in office, he should convey messages and take actions to improve
Recommendations for Israel’s New Foreign Minister: Initial Policy Messages
Israel’s new foreign minister should lead a process of fixing Israel’s foreign policy. This paper presents recommendations for messages he can convey and actions he can take to improve Israel’s
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 Plan: Not the Way to Advance Israeli-Palestinian Peace
Following the publication of the Trump plan, Mitvim Institute experts argue that this is not the way to advance Israeli-Palestinian peace. This document includes initial commentaries by Nadav
The Quality of Israel’s Peace with Jordan is Dependent on the Israeli-Palestinian Issue
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 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
Is Trump’s “Deal of the Century” Really a Peace Plan?
In September 1978, during the Camp David peace summit, U.S. President Jimmy Carter presented Israeli and Egyptian negotiators with a draft peace agreement that served as the basis for discussions
The Israeli Election Results and Israel’s Foreign Policy
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
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
The Quest for an Honest Broker in the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
Much has been said and written on President Donald Trump’s controversial statement on Jerusalem on December 6, 2017. But there was one sentence in the speech that everyone – the conflicting
Trump’s Statement on Jerusalem
On 6 December 2017, US President Donald Trump delivered a statement in which he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. His statement was warmly received in Israel, but was heavily criticized
The Question of Jerusalem in Kerry’s Peace Plan
In his recent speech laying out the Obama administration’s view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Secretary of State John Kerry outlined six principles for an Israeli-Palestinian final status
Blowing Hot and Cold: Israel’s Divided Reaction to the Arab Spring
After dramatic events began unfolding across the Arab world starting two years ago, most of the world began using the term “Arab Spring” to describe the popular uprisings and
