All Policy Analysis by David Makovsky

The Israeli prime minister and U.S. president appear to be taking steps to ensure next week's visit avoids past minefields.

Twenty years later, the assassinated prime minister's hopes for Palestinian separation still resonate.

If Palestinians do not publicly acknowledge the Jewish connection to holy sites, violence could continue and possibly intensify.

Poll results and political statements offer ample insight into how Israelis and Palestinians view the city's future, but public concerns about violence would be the most likely driver of any concrete change on the ground, such as rerouting the security barrier.

An Israeli journalist and a former Palestinian advisor discuss the implications of the violence in Jerusalem. Watch video or read a summary.

Renewed security upgrade talks would go a long way toward mending relations, and Netanyahu could further help matters by engaging members of Congress who may have been rankled by his previous U.S. visit.

The visit focused on Syria-related issues such as ensuring deconfliction, preventing the transfer of strategic Russian arms to Hezbollah, and keeping the Golan quiet, though potential Palestinian friction at the upcoming UN session may have come up as well.

The nuclear deal can't be defeated, but it can be toughened with smart bipartisan action.

Since the announcement of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), members of The Washington Institute’s Iran Study Group have met to assess the agreement’s relationship to the parameters outlined in the study group’s June 24 policy statement. Members of the study group have also benefited from several hours of

Given the current state of the region, close U.S.-Israeli security and intelligence cooperation is more vital than ever, but repairing the rift between the two governments will require much more than symbolic gestures.

Even with a deal now signed, the Obama administration still has many tools for countering Iran’s menacing behavior across the Middle East.

Cairo and Jerusalem have a shared interest in helping Gaza's long-suffering residents but restraining Hamas.

Although Israel should not be immune to critique, efforts to delegitimize its very existence are dangerous to American campuses and the prospects for a peaceful two-state solution.

Last-ditch campaign promises and bruising coalition negotiations have led Netanyahu to form a fragile government that may have trouble handling important domestic issues and foreign relationships.

Israel's next government may have a turbulent start given its relative lack of political moderates, but a rightward trajectory on settlements and other issues is not guaranteed.