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- Policy Analysis
A Weakened Arab Gulf Should Not Normalize Relations with Israel
Nov 9, 2018Today, Israel seems to be closer to officially normalizing its existence in the wider Arab world by aggressively pursuing relations with the monarchies of the …
- Policy Analysis
Trump, American Jews, and Israel: Driving a Deeper Wedge
Nov 9, 2018US support for Israel today is partisan in ways not seen before, thanks in part to shifting demographics and opinions and also to changes in the relationship b…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Domestic Politics and Elections
Haley Leaves the UN: Using Israel as Her Way to the White House
Oct 17, 2018Yousef MunayyerOn her ambitious quest to the presidency, Nikki Haley missed no opportunity to use her post at the United Nations to defend Israeli policies and to bash and pu…
- Policy Analysis
A September to Forget: Trump, Netanyahu, and Abbas at the UNGA
Oct 3, 2018The major addresses by Trump, Netanyahu, and Abbas at the UN General Assembly failed to achieve any advances on the question of Palestine. The Palestinians con…
- Policy Analysis
Oslo at 25: Long Dead and Now Finally Buried?
Sep 24, 2018For 25 years, the Oslo process has been dying a slow death because of Palestinian weakness, overemphasis on ensuring Israeli security, and the Trump Administra…
- Viewpoint
The Trump Administration’s “Peace Plan” Threatens Global Peace and Security
Sep 12, 2018On September 10, 2018, the United States ordered the closure of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) office in Washington, DC. A statement by the Depa…
- Policy Analysis
Defunding UNRWA: Ramifications for Countries Hosting Palestinian Refugees
Sep 4, 2018Disbanding UNRWA will not only be disastrous for registered Palestinian refugees, but it will also have a serious and adverse impact on the countries hosting t…
- Policy Analysis
Washington Adopts Israel’s Positions: The Refugee Chapter
Aug 29, 2018President Trump has presided over making American policy toward Israel and Palestine more in line with Israeli positions; now with respect to the Palestinian r…
- Policy Analysis
US Defense Budget Prioritizes Securing Israel over Deterring Iran
Aug 24, 2018The 2019 US defense budget reveals that the Trump administration has no clear way forward for Syria or Yemen and that its commitment to Israel exceeds the US d…
- Policy Analysis
Shifting the Balance of Power from Ramallah to Gaza
Aug 17, 2018If successfully implemented, the latest agreement on a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas may pave the way for a radical change in Palestinian power from the …
- Policy Analysis
Why Are Israel and Hamas Negotiating a Cease-fire Now?
Aug 16, 2018As the Trump Administration speaks of a “deal of the century,” questions arise about why Israel and Hamas are negotiating for a truce in the Gaza Strip.
- Policy Analysis
Israel Returns to Basics in Syria: “Better the devil you know”
Aug 15, 2018After nearly seven years of unrest next door, Israel opted to coexist with the Assad regime and to return to the stability in the occupied Golan Heights that l…
- Policy Analysis
Replacing Mahmoud Abbas: Issues and Likely Candidates
Jul 30, 2018Speculation has been rampant in the Palestinian, Arab, and international press about succession to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, who is g…
- Policy Analysis
Separate and Unequal in Israel: The Foundations of Discriminatory Law
Jul 26, 2018Israel’s new nation-state law enshrines discrimination, with constitutional weight, into the Israeli state’s legal system, spelling further marginalization and…
- Research Paper
What does the “Jewish Nation” basic law mean?
Jul 24, 2018A first glance at the law suffices to reveal that — unlike the rest of Israeli basic laws (the constitutional laws) — it does not include the expression “Israe…
- Viewpoint
Israel Legalizes Apartheid and Ethnocentric Supremacy
Jul 20, 2018For a government that has coined its own term—“Hasbara,” the Hebrew word for “explanation”—for its international propaganda efforts, Israel never fails to amaz…
- Policy Analysis
BDS and Palestinian Rights: An Assessment
Jul 18, 2018The aim of BDS is to pressure Israel to abide by international law, focusing on three principal demands: ending military occupation of Palestinian land, securi…
- Policy Analysis
Proposed Basic Law: Israel – The Nation State of the Jewish People
Jul 16, 2018The Basic Law states that "the State of Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people" and that the realization of national self-determination in the State o…
- Policy Analysis
The Kushner-Greenblatt “Deal of the Century”: A Dealmaker Morphs into a Dealbreaker?
Jun 29, 2018What was most insulting to Kushner’s Palestinian audience was his attempt to wittingly or unwittingly reduce their political aspirations and yearning for natio…
- Policy Analysis
Jared Kushner’s Misguided Appeal to the Palestinian People
Jun 26, 2018President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, gave an interview to the Palestinian Al Quds newspaper on June 24 (original Arabic, Engl…
- Policy Analysis
US Withdrawal from UN Human Rights Council Has Little to Do with Human Rights
Jun 22, 2018US withdrawal weakens the council’s credibility and empowers Israel in its neglect for the council’s investigations and resolutions. The UNHRC is the premier i…
- Policy Analysis
The Problem of Legitimacy for the Palestinian Authority
Jun 21, 2018Recent damaging decisions by the Palestinian Authority cannot be solely blamed for the popular discontent with it. Instead, the Palestinians’ anger stems from …
- Policy Analysis
The End of an American Era in Palestine and Israel
Jun 6, 2018This is the end of an era in US relations with Palestine and Israel, and the transition to a new era may resemble a moment from the past—the first intifada.
- Policy Analysis
US Jerusalem Embassy vs. Nakba: A Moment of Truth for World Leaders
May 17, 2018Trump has walked back his declaration to bring US troops in Syria home “very soon” in light of pressure from advisors and allies, but he risks embroiling the U…
- Viewpoint
The United States Abdicates Its Responsibilities in the Middle East
May 17, 2018It is impossible to see how the massacre of unarmed Palestinian protesters in Gaza or the moving of the American embassy to Jerusalem will help chart a way out…
- Viewpoint
A Dangerous Israeli-Iranian Escalation in Syria
May 11, 2018In the most dangerous escalation since the establishment of the Golan Heights ceasefire line in 1973, Israel and Iran exchanged fire in southwestern Syria unde…
- Policy AnalysisLevantDemocracy and Governance
Palestinian National Council Reconvenes in Ramallah: We’ve seen this movie before!
May 4, 2018Khalil E. JahshanThe 23rd PNC meeting in Ramallah did not generate a new Palestinian strategy and the session did not rise to the Palestinian national challenge in 2018. In tha…
- Viewpoint
Seventy Years of Nakba: Ending a Process that Has Not Stopped
May 3, 2018On May 15, 2018, Palestinians commemorate 70 years of their Nakba, the catastrophe of dispossession and homelessness that unfolded when the state of Israel was…
- Viewpoint
Mohammed bin Salman Is Wrong on Palestine
May 2, 2018Critics allege that impetuousness and impatience are driving Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s actions and statements. What could also be drivi…
- Policy AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Mysterious Strike Renews Israel-US Coordination in Syria
Apr 10, 2018Joe MacaronThe Israeli strike on Iranian assets in Syria last Monday and the imminent US strike on Syria renew the US-Israeli coordination there for the first time since …
- Policy Analysis
The Gaza “Great March of Return”: Regional and International Reactions
Apr 6, 2018Despite the bloodshed, from a Palestinian perspective the Great March of Return was a resounding success, beating expectations and fueling enthusiasm for more …
- Viewpoint
Covering Gaza: Is the Mainstream Media Discourse Changing on Palestine/Israel
Apr 6, 2018As Israeli occupation forces carried out a brutal response against 30,000 Palestinians protesters in Gaza, Washington, DC—and much of the international communi…
- Viewpoint
Netanyahu Tries to Shore Himself Up
Apr 4, 2018The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not need the people of Gaza demonstrating on their border to create what amounted to a target-shooting opportunity that kil…
- Policy Analysis
Is This the End of AIPAC’s Reign?
Apr 3, 2018The month of March in Washington DC is known for cherry blossom and AIPAC's annual conference. From 4-6 March, the 2018 AIPAC policy conference took place in D…
- Policy Analysis
A Palestinian Landscape of Unknowns
Mar 23, 2018Unable to even pretend that Washington can deliver on brokering peace, Palestinian leaders seem stuck, having already devoted fruitless heavy political investm…
- Viewpoint
Where on Earth is the Palestinian Press?
Mar 16, 2018As a long-term observer of Middle East politics, I have always been intrigued by the surprisingly limited impact exerted by the Palestinian media on Palestinia…
- Policy Analysis
Who is Mike Pompeo? A Political Profile of the Nominee for US Secretary of State
Mar 13, 2018When considering his policy positions, temperament, and personal relationship with President Trump, Pompeo is almost the polar opposite of outgoing Secretary o…
- Viewpoint
Tillerson’s Departure: Implications for Middle East Policy
Mar 13, 2018President Donald Trump’s sacking of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has important ramifications for US policy in the Middle East, and specifically toward the …
- Policy Analysis
Trump’s UNRWA Decision Buys into Israel’s Argument
Mar 8, 2018US funding cuts to UNRWA open the door for further US policies that espouse Israeli far-right positions regarding the status of Palestinian refugees and the ri…
- Policy Analysis
Repercussions of Trump’s Jerusalem Policy Change: An Interview with Khalil E. Jahshan
Mar 1, 2018President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and his administration’s decision to move the American embassy there have probably t…
- Viewpoint
Abbas Reassures UNSC of Palestinian Commitment to Just and Lasting Peace
Feb 20, 2018Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas delivered today his long-anticipated speech to the UN Security Council. His objective was essentially two-fold, he wanted f…
- Viewpoint
Mahmoud Abbas at the UN Security Council
Feb 20, 2018What was most noticeable in Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s peace plan was his reaffirmation that the Arab Peace Initiative (API) of 2002 remai…
- Policy Analysis
Mahmoud Abbas’s Disappearing Options
Feb 15, 2018Abbas’s options have significantly narrowed after Trump’s position change on Jerusalem; but his limited choices are not beneficial for anyone given the ambigui…
- Policy Analysis
The Middle East Nuclear Picture: Peaceful Programs or Not, Cause for Concern
Feb 2, 2018Focusing solely on the Iranian nuclear program has made Washington oblivious to some significant nuclear developments in other parts of the Middle East.
- Policy Analysis
The Palestinian Bet on the EU Could be an Opportunity for Washington
Jan 25, 2018The United States should remain engaged in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and President Abbas’ visit to Europe may have provided the Trump Administratio…
- Policy Analysis
Trump Has Upended the Foundation of the Middle East Peace Process
Jan 18, 2018After the Jerusalem decision, questions remain about whether Trump and his circle will realize the folly of their policies and the tremendous damage they will …
- Policy Analysis
Will Trump’s Jerusalem Move Unravel US-Jordanian Relations?
Jan 11, 2018President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is testing US-Jordanian relations and shifting how Amman views its regional role.
- Policy Analysis
Egyptian and Jordanian Relations with Israel under Strain
Jan 10, 2018Generally cordial and cooperative, Egyptian and Jordanian relations with Israel are currently strained following provocative actions by the U.S. and Israel on …
- Policy AnalysisLevantReligion and Politics
The Many Angles of Turkey’s Fight for Jerusalem
Dec 28, 2017Mustafa GurbuzTurkey’s championing of the cause of Jerusalem is genuine but also serves its interest in restoring its relations with the Arab countries and increasing its so…
- Policy Analysis
Trump’s Jerusalem Declaration: The Oslo Era’s Final Act
Dec 13, 2017Trump’s declaration about Jerusalem isolated the United States, unified the Arab and Muslim worlds, and may have given the Europeans a chance to play a role as…
- Policy Analysis
Trump’s Jerusalem Announcement: Big Gambit, Little Gain
Dec 6, 2017This is indeed a shameful day for the United States, where accrediting military force, violating international law, and supporting apartheid in Jerusalem mark …
- Policy Analysis
Arab Normalization with Israel Frames Trump Peace Plan
Nov 22, 2017President Trump’s peace plan in the Middle East embraces the “outside-in” approach for peace between Palestinians and Israelis with a risky Arab-Israeli normal…
- Policy Analysis
The Closure of the PLO Office in Washington: The “Ultimate Deal” Exposed
Nov 21, 2017Now that the Palestinians are potentially losing their diplomatic foothold in Washington, they may finally decide that the United States is withdrawing from ne…
- Policy Analysis
Bilateral Disagreements Aside, Jordan and Israel Agree on Syria
Nov 7, 2017Jordan and Israel view military activities by Sunni extremists groups and by Hezbollah as threats and are using their developing ties with Russia to try to mit…
- Policy Analysis
Is Palestinian Reconciliation Viable This Time?
Nov 3, 2017The Fatah-Hamas reconciliation agreement is the product of political manipulation between parties that lack confidence in each other’s strategic objectives. Th…
- Policy Analysis
A Century after Balfour: Israel’s Knesset Wants All of Palestine
Nov 2, 2017A hundred years after the Balfour Declaration, Israeli lawmakers are slated to take legislative steps that, instead of moving toward democracy, would only doub…
- Policy Analysis
Mahmoud Abbas: A Lone Voice in the UN Wilderness
Sep 29, 2017President Abbas’s speech before the United Nations was true to the Palestinian essentials of appealing for justice in Palestine, denouncing Israel’s excesses a…
- Policy Analysis
Will Netanyahu’s Legal Troubles Break the Stalemate?
Aug 31, 2017With or without Benyamin Netanyahu, there is little reason to believe that any likely foreseeable Israeli government will be ready for peace with the Palestini…
- Policy Analysis
Stretched over Two Borders, Hezbollah is Making Israel Anxious
Aug 8, 2017In the long run, the risks of confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah may largely depend on how the US-Russia deal will unfold in southern Syria.
- Policy Analysis
Taylor Force Act: Putting the Palestinian Authority on Notice
Aug 3, 2017Senators have agreed to revise a bill that will put the Palestinian Authority on notice, conditioning US aid to the PA on ending payments to Palestinian prison…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine Recentered
Jul 25, 2017The Jerusalem events show that the Palestine issue remains central to the region and that a serious, sustained, and committed engagement in its resolution is p…
- Policy Analysis
The Arab Peace Initiative is Back on the Table; Netanyahu Is Not Budging
Jul 24, 2017The Arab Peace Initiative has not gone anywhere since it was launched in 2002. Developments in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict do not inspire confidence that …
- Policy Analysis
The Gaza Crisis and the Politics of the Light Switch
Jun 26, 2017The Gaza Strip is under unprecedented pressure. The situation on the ground has reached a climax over the past few months, making it ripe for either an implosi…
- Policy Analysis
A Discussion of the UN Report on “Israeli Practices Regarding the Palestinians and the Question of Apartheid”
Jun 8, 2017The two-state solution will allow Israel as an apartheid state to rule over a smaller portion of historical Palestine but will not be a just solution for the c…
- Policy Analysis
Trump and the Israel-Palestine Conflict
Jun 6, 2017It is doubtful that the current political climate in the United States is conducive to the kind of effort required to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
- Policy Analysis
A Bird’s Eye View of the 1967 War: Palestine Remains the Central Issue
Jun 5, 2017After fifty years of the 1967 war that changed the map of the Middle East and destroyed the Arab republican nationalist regimes, the Question of Palestine rema…
- Policy Analysis
The Dangers of Arab Normalization with Israel
Jun 1, 2017Arab normalization with Israel is a shortsighted policy on the part of governments, organizations, and individuals. Such a policy poses a risk to both the Pale…
- Policy Analysis
Netanyahu’s Nightmare: Trump Visits Palestine
May 30, 2017Trump will not bring about a two-state solution but he may be in a unique position to get Israelis to understand that they have to end their oppression of the …
- Policy Analysis
Abbas’s Inconclusive Washington Visit and Netanyahu’s Tactics
May 9, 2017The outcome of President Abbas’s visit to Washington was inconclusive but it was a reminder that President Trump is an unpredictable partner in peace.
- Policy Analysis
President Abbas Spins the Wheel in Washington
May 2, 2017Realities on the ground in the occupied Palestinian territories and an obvious pro-Israel American bias dash any hope for an equitable peace deal from the Trum…
- Policy Analysis
Israel’s “New” Settlement Policy Ploy
Apr 21, 2017To reach a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians, President Trump has to press the former to end violations of international law and settlement building.
- Policy Analysis
The US at the UN and the Apartheid Report on Palestine
Mar 29, 2017Earlier this month and for the first time in the history of the United Nations, the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)—a UN institution—is…
- Policy Analysis
Turnover: What Are the Implications of Recent and Upcoming Changes in Hamas?
Mar 15, 2017BackgroundSince its establishment in the 1980s, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas, has increasingly become an important player in domestic …
- Policy Analysis
J Street Annual Conference: “Defending Our Values: Fighting for Our Future”
Mar 8, 2017J Street, the liberal left-of-center Jewish pro-peace, pro-Israel organization held its sixth annual conference at the end of February in Washington, DC. Over …
- Policy Analysis
Netanyahu and Trump Chart New US-Israel Relationship
Feb 26, 2017BackgroundOn February 15, 2017, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump met in the White House for the first time since America’s …
- Policy Analysis
Receiving Netanyahu, Trump Must Emphasize America’s Interests
Feb 14, 2017Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comes to Washington this week to officially reset US-Israeli relations after the chill of the last few years of the Obama Adm…
- Policy Analysis
Netanyahu Unrestrained: The Trump Effect on Israeli Politics
Feb 3, 2017BackgroundSince 2009, there have been two constants in the American-Israeli relationship: Barack Obama was President of the United States and Benjamin Netanyah…
- Policy Analysis
Forget Paris. It Won’t be Hard
Jan 25, 2017The Paris Peace Conference of January 15, 2017, barely amounted to a singular blip on radar. Some 70 countries participated in what was among the largest inter…
- Policy Analysis
The Battle for DNC Chair: Palestine and Democratic Party Politics after Trump’s Election
Jan 17, 20172016 was a tumultuous year for the Democratic Party. Democrats lost the White House, both houses of Congress, and a large number of gubernatorial races (two-th…
- Policy Analysis
Recalculating Route: America and Israel on Divergent Paths
Jan 3, 2017In May 2016, I wrote that the Obama Administration should carefully weigh options for how to address the Israeli/Palestinian issue during its last months in of…