All Policy Analysis by David Makovsky

In this season of the Decision Points podcast, authors of seminal books on the U.S.-Israel relationship and the history of Zionism and Israel join Institute Senior Fellow David Makovsky to unpack their work and engage in striking, insightful conversations.

The imminent election and the resultant rush to strike a deal are distracting from what could be a significant diplomatic and economic milestone for both countries.

The first in a series of Washington Institute articles about the upcoming vote discusses how the rival coalitions are shaping up, why extremists are gaining ground on the right, and which policy issues are most likely to steer the national debate.

Seven experts examine how the fraught decision to start production might affect Beirut’s negotiating stance, Hezbollah’s military calculus, U.S.-Israel relations, and other factors.

Years of declining international aid, unsustainable public patronage, and controversial policies have pushed the Palestinian government and banking sector to the brink of insolvency.

Regional governments are going to reach out to Israel anyway, so why not take advantage of this activity to help the Palestinians and encourage Jerusalem toward constructive moves?

The Gulf capitals and Jerusalem may not agree entirely on what “regional security cooperation” means or what an anti-Iran alliance should look like, but opportunities for other types of cooperation abound.

Their political temperaments and policy priorities are a good match, but this chemistry does not guarantee progress on Iranian and Palestinian issues during an election year.

Watch an expert webcast examining the collapse of the year-old coalition government, the impact on President Biden’s upcoming Middle East trip, and the potential consequences for broader U.S.-Israel policy.

Following Prime Minister Bennett’s resignation, an expert assesses the coalition’s prospects of finding a more viable configuration—and Netanyahu’s chances of completing his return to power.

Despite the government’s progress on deepening foreign ties, safeguarding domestic institutions, and bringing Arab Israeli leaders into national decisionmaking, it may soon be brought down by opposition maneuvers and fallout from terrorist attacks.

Communities outside the West Bank security barrier constitute an obstacle to a future two-state solution and a potential source of friction between Washington and Jerusalem.

His coalition is just one lost seat from being legislatively hobbled or even ousted altogether, leaving him and his allies in Washington with little time for essential damage control.

By participating in the Negev Summit, Arab states are signaling their appreciation for Israel’s status as both a local power and a unique interlocutor with the United States.

The head of the first Arab party to join an Israeli governing coalition answers questions about the country’s domestic and foreign policies, including its approach to Palestinian issues and diplomacy with Arab states.

With their constituents upping the pressure on hot-button factional issues, Prime Minister Bennett and Mansour Abbas are starting to feel the vulnerabilities inherent in their still-fragile coalition.

The meeting confirmed how eager both countries are to keep their economic progress humming along, but such cooperation could become complicated if concerns about Iran’s nuclear program come to a head.

Washington should look to economic forums in other regions as a model for establishing regular cooperation between Arab and Israeli officials, business leaders, academics, and civil society groups.

Given Bennett’s emphasis on bipartisanship and Biden’s desire for good news, Washington has ample room to avoid the public tensions seen during Netanyahu's tenure.

The two leaders have been looking forward to an upbeat summit, but the test will be if they can establish trust and work through their differences on thorny regional issues.