Policy Analysis

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  • Policy Analysis
    Palestine/IsraelThe War on Gaza

    Hamas and the Politics of Decommissioning in Gaza

    Oct 2, 2026Muhammad Shehada

    For almost three years, Israel and the United States have repeatedly claimed that the war in Gaza would end if Hamas laid down its arms. In July 2026, however,…

  • Policy Analysis
    The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and Defense

    How Smaller GCC States Are Navigating the Mecca Defense Agreement

    Oct 1, 2026Giorgio Cafiero

    The recent recommencement of the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, commonly known as the Houthis, raises important questions abou…

  • Collective Analysis
    The Arab WorldEducation and Development

    UNGA 2026: War, Diplomacy, and the Middle East’s Changing Order

    Sep 28, 2026Nur Arafeh Imad K. Harb Khalil E. Jahshan Tamara Kharroub Negar Mortazavi Yousef Munayyer Daniel Neep

    Nearly 130 world leaders attended the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), held in New York from September 22 to 2…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranUS Domestic Politics and Elections

    America’s Affordability Crisis: Will Trump’s Iran War Cost Him the 2026 Midterms?

    Sep 25, 2026Gregory Aftandilian

    Midterm elections in the United States are usually a referendum on whichever party holds the White House. Going into this year’s midterms on November 3, 2026, …

  • Policy Analysis
    The Arab WorldRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    What the Iran War Reveals about China’s Middle East Strategy

    Sep 22, 2026Andrea Ghiselli

    On September 24, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to meet President Donald Trump for the second time since the start of the US-Israeli war on Ira…

  • Policy Analysis
    Palestine/IsraelViolent Extremism

    From Hilltops to Houses: A New Phase of Israeli Settlement Expansion

    Sep 18, 2026Dalia Hatuqa

    On August 9, 2026, Israeli settlers surrounded three houses in the Ras al-Ain area of Qusra, a Palestinian village southeast of Nablus in the West Bank. The se…

  • Policy Analysis
    The Arab WorldEducation and Development

    The Human Cost of US Aid Cuts Across the Arab World

    Sep 10, 2026Yara M. Asi

    When Fatima, a mother of two in Yemen, went into labor with her third child in May 2025, there was initially little cause for concern. But Yemen is a poor coun…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Trump’s “Economic D-Day” Strengthens Iran’s Hardliners

    Sep 3, 2026Daniel Brumberg

    The White House’s new measures will not force Iran’s capitulation. Instead, they will reinforce the resolve of the hardline security officials to entrench thei…

  • Policy Analysis
    Saudi ArabiaEnergy and Economics

    Saudi Arabia’s Nuclear Turn: Power Beyond Electricity

    Aug 27, 2026Jim Krane

    The US-Saudi Arabia Nuclear Cooperation Agreement caused some observers to scratch their heads. Why would a country bother with nuclear energy when it holds a …

  • Policy Analysis
    IraqRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Turkey and Iraq’s Emerging Partnership in a Changing Regional Order

    Aug 26, 2026Salim Çevik

    Turkey-Iraq relations have undergone a significant transformation over the past two years. For much of the post-2003 period, relations between Ankara and Baghd…

  • Policy Analysis
    Saudi ArabiaSecurity and Defense

    Diversification Without Substitution: What the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement Offers Saudi Arabia

    Aug 19, 2026The Unit for Political Studies

    Despite the headlines, the Mecca agreement is unlikely to produce a real military response if an attack happens. Not only has the text of the accord not been m…

  • Policy Analysis
    Palestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Israeli Public Supports Wars, but Is Dissatisfied with the Results

    Aug 17, 2026Mtanes Shihadeh

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and most Israeli political and security leaders have repeatedly said that they will continue to use military means to deal wi…

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