All Policy Analysis by Neomi Neumann

Mahmoud Abbas seems willing to work with the incoming administration, but will his final legacy be one of diplomatic success, or will he be forced to return to his only remaining tool of “political resistance”?

Hamas is well aware that sustaining its grip on civilian spaces is crucial to preserving its dominance in the Palestinian arena after the war, so the international community must urgently lay the groundwork for an alternative governance structure.

The demise of the Hamas leader and October 7 plotter could create significant diplomatic opportunities for Israel and the United States.

Israel’s most significant military operation in the territory since the second intifada highlights the growing danger of a new front opening alongside the Gaza war.

Four Washington Institute experts assess Israel’s calculus behind launching such high-profile attacks at this juncture, the likely effects on the Gaza hostage talks, Iran’s possible need for a face-saving military response, and more.

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.

If the PA leadership collapses under the weight of Israeli pressure and West Bank deterioration, the result could be a destabilizing reset in the Palestinian arena and a postwar void in Gaza.

If implemented in full, Israel’s latest tax, banking, and victim-compensation measures could bring the West Bank’s two decades of relative stability crashing down—along with any plans to have the PA play a postwar role in Gaza.

Hamas leaders have recently tempered their fiery rhetoric with more moderate-sounding statements about a ceasefire along the 1967 lines, but this is merely a tactical move designed to advance the group’s main goal—establishing an Islamist state “between the river and the sea.”

The crisis has given the United States, Israel, and their partners a unique opportunity to build an international coalition against Iran and show the Palestinians that the “resistance” camp is not their only viable path.

Officials are having to balance military realities, allied concerns, domestic public sentiment, and the calculations of Hamas, whose own leaders are fine with certain kinds of “defeat” so long as they can still influence Gaza.

From al-Aqsa Mosque to the heart of the refugee camps and the barracks of frustrated Palestinian security personnel, the situation remains tense and could worsen dramatically this month if authorities do not tread carefully.

The long-term political struggle against Hamas will be just as challenging for Israel as the current military campaign.

The older generation remains skeptical of what an intifada might achieve, but Israeli crackdowns and worsening economic conditions could still ignite younger Palestinians and undermine PA security cooperation.

The combination of highly motivated young extremists on the ground, supportive far-right politicians back home, and ineffective local security measures may stoke a full-scale uprising if authorities continue to look the other way.

Palestinian residents of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, along with Arab Israelis, have not yet taken up Hamas’s call to join the fight, but amid increasing tensions, all sides must work diligently to preserve the fragile calm.

Although the immediate goal is to destroy Hamas’s terrorist regime in Gaza, there is no viable alternative to a political solution in the longer term.

A panel of experts discuss the status of the crisis after nearly two weeks of fighting, focusing on President Biden’s visit, the contours of humanitarian assistance, ongoing de-escalation efforts, and more.

Veteran U.S., Palestinian, and Israeli experts and policy practitioners explore the broader strategic repercussions of the unfolding war, as well as the factors that enabled Hamas to reach its current level of malign regional influence.

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.