Policy Analysis

A leading Muslim thinker explains how religious figures can play a truly effective role in regional peacebuilding by questioning the embedded norms that fuel intercommunal violence, including in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Washington should push to negotiate limited border understandings now—it makes little sense to open a larger, more catastrophically destructive conflict if the outcome is likely to end up at the same place.

The Gulf states were right about the Houthi threat and the West was wrong, so another large-scale confrontation is inevitable.

Israel’s cloak-and-dagger pager ploy was extraordinary, but will it change the group’s calculus?

Besides strengthening both countries’ economies, the visit represents a new model of international partnership where traditional alliances intersect with cutting-edge innovation.

The Emirati leader will likely focus on the future of bilateral economic and technological integration, but discussions will also cover sensitive matters such as great-power concerns over China and Russia, regional nuclear proliferation, and a potential role for his country in postwar Gaza.

Three experts discuss the findings of a new Washington Institute compilation on jihadist governance, highlighting several of the case studies and data points explored in the book.

Elections in which Kurdish voters can authentically choose their leaders are not only what Kurdish citizens deserve; they increase the likelihood that the KRG will address the myriad concerns about its governance.

A low-profile Iraqi militia that is deeply linked with Iran's Qods Force and plays important roles in storing advanced conventional weapons provided by Tehran and suppressing Iraqi moderates.

Iranian missiles for Russia, Houthi attacks on Israel, and North Korea’s surprise display of centrifuges have quickly changed the atmosphere of the nuclear agency’s annual meeting.

The debate over making Saturday the official second day of the weekend nationwide instead of Thursday has become a hot topic in Iran in recent months, highlighting the clash between the the regime’s ideology and the country’s economic reality.

UN officials should not be holding events hosted by Iraqi militia figures responsible for the deaths of protesters and other gruesome offenses, yet that is precisely what is happening under a new militia "human rights" bureau.

Iran’s leaders are playing a long game; Israel’s leaders are not.

To defeat Iran’s "resistance" axis, the IDF needs a new strategy—and a unified country.

The group maintains significant control over Gaza’s population despite its considerable losses, and removing it from power will necessitate a long campaign that no actor seems willing to undertake.

In Jordan, Hamas is working to create a misleading narrative that conflates support for ending the war in Gaza and the Palestinians' right to self-determination with supporting Hamas.

Two veteran ambassadors discuss bilateral efforts in the security, economic, and technology sectors, noting the agreement’s potential as a template for other countries in the region.

As UNITAD's mandate ends, all involved parties should examine the limitations of what the organization was able to accomplish for the victims of ISIL's crimes after seven years.

Even if an Israeli-Saudi normalization deal proves unattainable for now, Washington and Riyadh should still seek ways to enhance military and defense cooperation in order to advance common interests and prepare for future security challenges.

The incumbent president is set to win another term, but shifting opposition politics at home and geostrategic realities abroad could raise bilateral bumps down the road.