Israel

Policy Analysis on Israel

To Stop Israeli Attacks on Yemen, Enforce Sanctions on the Iran-Houthi Link

The humanitarian consequences of Israel’s port attack are real but should not be overstated, particularly when the true culprits behind Yemen’s persistent fuel shortages and famine risks are Iran and the Houthis.

Jul 22, 2024

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Michael Knights

Swearing-in ceremony for PA cabinet, March 31, 2024. Mahmoud Abbas is third from right; the new PM, Muhammad Mustafa, is to his left.

In-Depth Reports

Reforming the Palestinian Authority:

A Roadmap for Change

The beleaguered governing body requires an overhaul in order to support West Bank stability, postwar governance of Gaza, and a revived political process with Israel.

Jul 22, 2024

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Neomi Neumann
Ghaith al-Omari

Then Vice President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in 2010 - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Biden’s Legacy and Netanyahu’s Missed Moment?

The coming months still hold hope for the president’s dream of Israeli-Saudi normalization, but only if Netanyahu stands up to his far-right coalition partners.

Jul 22, 2024

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David Makovsky

Decision Points podcast season 5 cover art

Audio

Brief Analysis

Decision Points Podcast: Season 5

The Gaza War and Its Aftermath

In this season of Decision Points, Institute Senior Fellow David Makovsky will examine the Hamas-Israel war and its long-term implications for Israeli society, U.S.-Israel relations, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and more.

Jul 22, 2024

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David Makovsky

◆ Decision Points Podcast

Protesters in New York City demand the release of U.S. citizens held hostage by Hamas in Gaza - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Disagreements on Hostages Loom Over Netanyahu’s Washington Trip

Given the tense U.S. election cycle, Biden and Netanyahu will likely keep their policy disagreements within careful bounds, but the visit is unlikely to see immediate progress on the hostage deal or other key issues.

Jul 19, 2024

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David Makovsky

Judges of the International Court of Justice in the ICJ's primary courtroom in The Hague, Netherlands - source: United Nations photo

Brief Analysis

Israel and the ICJ: Comparing International Court Cases During the Gaza War

The current cycle of legal actions involving Israel is unprecedented in scope and politicization, but governments are still better off engaging with the process and lodging their objections there than dismissing it outright.

Jul 18, 2024

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Alexander Loengarov

A screenshot from MarineTraffic shows the past tracks of the livestock carrier Shorthorn Express (IMO 9167318), which as of July 2, 2024, was sailing toward the British Isles.

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Are the Houthis Attacking Ships in the Mediterranean?

Direct strikes from the Yemeni group are unlikely at the moment, but a more aggressive Hezbollah could alter the threat picture.

Jul 3, 2024

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Noam Raydan
Farzin Nadimi

◆ Maritime Spotlight

Articles & Testimony

Europe Can Still Make a Difference in the Middle East

The challenge is to find a common line that accounts for different national positions on regional issues while still promoting a coherent foreign policy.

Jul 2, 2024

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Ehud Yaari

Israeli flag, Hezbollah flag, implied Lebanon border

Video

Brief Analysis

Hezbollah-Israel Escalation: Prospects for War

A former Israeli military planner joins three experts to discuss each side’s current calculus and the U.S. policy implications if they opt for war or a truce.

Jul 2, 2024

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Matthew Levitt
Hanin Ghaddar
David Schenker
Assaf Orion

The Mari-B and Tamar gas platforms in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel - source: The Washington Institute

Brief Analysis

Israel Plans to Hike Gas Output Despite Hezbollah Threats

The deal could eventually boost supplies to Egypt, though Hezbollah’s robust missile arsenal and public threats against East Mediterranean energy targets may dampen broader regional investment in the sector.

Jul 1, 2024

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Simon Henderson

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Saraya Awliya al-Dam Finds New Mission in Israel Attacks

The brand appears to have been reactivated by its parent organization, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, to claim certain attacks on Israel during the Gaza war.

Jun 27, 2024

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Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight

UNRWA workers at Nuseirat camp, Gaza, after Israeli strike (left); French diplomat Catherine Colonna (right)

In-Depth Reports

Evaluating UNRWA After the Colonna Report

The obvious nature of multiple recommendations points to scandalous mismanagement at the UN aid agency over decades.

Jun 27, 2024

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James G. Lindsay

Photo showing flame and smoke rising over Lebanon's border with Israel.

Articles & Testimony

Behind the US Plan to Prevent an All-Out Israel-Hezbollah War

An American-led diplomatic initiative to separate their forces at the border appears to be falling short, and time is running out.

Jun 25, 2024

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David Schenker

A protester's shadow falls across the flag of the Republic of Cyprus - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Hezbollah Threatens Cyprus: Capabilities, Intentions, and Potential Consequences

If Hezbollah’s conflict with Israel widens, the group could use its large missile and drone arsenal to attack Cyprus, the allied military presence based there, and a wide array of shipping and energy assets in the East Mediterranean.

Jun 21, 2024

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Hanin Ghaddar
Farzin Nadimi
David Schenker

Brief Analysis

Hamas and Iran Are Trying to Ignite Israel’s Eastern Fronts

Jordan and Israel can take assertive action to alleviate the risk, from additional border security measures to economic steps such as lifting the ban on West Bank workers and establishing a humanitarian corridor in south Syria.

Jun 20, 2024

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Ehud Yaari

President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu meet at the United Nations in New York in September 2023 - source: Prime Minister's Office

Articles & Testimony

Israel and the United States Must Agree on How to End the War in Gaza

If Netanyahu’s definition of victory is too broad, Biden’s is too narrow—Gaza must be measurably and permanently demilitarized.

Jun 19, 2024

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Dennis Ross
David Makovsky

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Iraqi Groups and Yemen's Houthis Claim More Joint Attacks on Israel

The Iraqi "resistance" and their Iran-backed fellow travelers in Yemen have added a new example of jointly branded attacks to their growing list of collaborative claims.

Jun 17, 2024

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Hamdi Malik
Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight

Chinese and Israeli flags on a table at a diplomatic conference - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Facing Off—China and Taiwan in the Contexts of the Swords of Iron War

Three Israeli experts analyze the strategic quandaries raised by Beijing’s vocal support for Hamas during the war.

Jun 16, 2024

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Assaf Orion
Roy Ben Tzur
Ofir Dayan

Hamas commander Yahya al-Sinwar speaks at a 2023 event in Gaza.

Brief Analysis

How Hamas Is Trying to Shape the “Day After” in Gaza

A detailed look at what the group has been telling other Palestinians as it maneuvers to retake a role in the wider national movement and rebuild its forces.

Jun 13, 2024

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Ehud Yaari

Brief Analysis

With Gantz Out, Can Netanyahu Resist the Far Right’s Pull?

U.S. officials are wary of Israel’s expanding political minefield and prefer to avoid direct intervention on domestically sensitive issues, but the policy implications of Gantz’s resignation—particularly the strengthening of the far right—will make it difficult to avoid weighing in.

Jun 11, 2024

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David Makovsky

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Featured experts

David Makovsky

David Makovsky is the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations.

Dennis Ross

Dennis Ross, a former special assistant to President Barack Obama, is the counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute.

Ehud Yaari

Ehud Yaari is the Lafer International Fellow at The Washington Institute.

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