All Policy Analysis by David Makovsky

Historians continue to debate “what if” scenarios about the pivotal conflict that reshaped the Middle East.

In the opening panel of a special three-day anniversary event, experts and former officials from Egypt, Israel, and the United States discussed the conflict’s enduring lessons for peacemaking and statesmanship today.

This remarkable compendium marks the thirtieth anniversary of the landmark Oslo I accords and includes personal perspectives from former diplomats, analysis of public opinion among Israelis and Palestinians, and policy recommendations for U.S. officials.

The long-delayed meeting should clarify the contours and possible requirements for normalization with Riyadh, though Israel’s ongoing domestic turmoil and policy toward the Palestinians may necessitate some difficult political choices.

A previously classified cabinet transcript reveals a mix of shrewd judgments, prophetic concerns, and miscalculations by the late prime minister.

A panel of former Israeli, Palestinian, and U.S. officials discuss the legacy and future of the Oslo Accords as a framework for achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Leadership dynamics make a two-state breakthrough impossible at the moment, but an Israeli-Saudi accord could help—so long as everyone honestly acknowledges what the situation would be like without Oslo.

A closer look at the domestic dynamics behind the legislature’s vote sheds light on whether and when it might affect Israel’s military readiness and relationship with Washington.

Opposition leader and former defense minister Benny Gantz discusses Israel’s domestic political challenges, the triggers for action against Iran’s nuclear program, the prospects of normalization with Saudi Arabia, and more.

The Israeli prime minister appears to have avoided a wider military conflict and received a boost in opinion polls, but minefields await.

Their willingness to stand against perceived threats to their democratic institutions is laudable, but allowing Israel to drift toward a de facto “one-state” peace solution poses serious threats of its own.

A former Israeli intelligence official joins two other experts to discuss how the situation might affect the government’s domestic political prospects, relations with Washington, and ability to counter external security threats.

Their latest gathering at Sharm al-Sheikh was a welcome opportunity to discuss de-escalation and establish closer ties between key civilian officials, but their efforts may not mean much in the end without visible movement on the security, economic, and political fronts.

A panel of former senior Israeli officials discusses how the convulsive domestic debate may affect vital issues related to military preparedness, Iranian nuclear advancement, Palestinian terrorism, and more.

Amid widening West Bank violence, the far-right minister is pursuing a policy leading to de facto annexation, and it is unclear whether Netanyahu will cap these ambitions.

If the government jettisons the idea of an independent judiciary, it could have a profound effect on the U.S.-Israel relationship.

The prime minister will need a great deal of U.S. military and diplomatic assistance to achieve his foreign policy imperatives—a fact he should not forget when mulling potentially divisive moves at home.

Conversations with key officials and close reading of the coalition agreement that produced Israel’s new government indicate that the two allies need to confer closely and clearly to avoid public blowups over Jerusalem holy sites, West Bank settlements, and other hot-button issues.

Appointing senior ministers who incite against Arabs would undermine the shared values that buttress the bilateral relationship while giving fuel to Israel’s critics in Washington.

Pollsters are finding little movement between the two main camps, though the dramatic rise of a new hard-right party has many observers on edge.