Middle East Programs Research & Reports

Our reports feature policy-relevant analysis that focuses on transatlantic priorities while centering the concerns of citizens in the Middle East.

All in-depth research & reports

In-Depth Research & Reports

Sep 11, 2026

Submission to the UN: Advancing the just repatriation of illicit funds 

By Britt Gronemeyer, Celeste Kmiotek

How can the UN and the international community ensure that when illicit funds are seized, victims of the illicit activity benefit? The Atlantic Council's Strategic Litigation Program contributed a brief to the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights with six key recommendations on the subject.

Corruption Financial Crimes & Illicit Trade

Issue Brief

Sep 1, 2026

What it will take to rebuild Gaza’s remote-work sector

By Avia Liberman, Melanie Robbins

Remote work could offer Gazans a path to income and economic recovery—but only if access to electricity, connectivity, and equipment improves.

Civil Society Digital Policy

Issue Brief

Aug 26, 2026

Could a stablecoin jumpstart postwar reconstruction?

By Avia Liberman, Melanie Robbins

A stablecoin could give the Palestinian economy a secure, fast, and cost-effective pathway toward greater financial stability and autonomy.

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

Issue Brief

Aug 21, 2026

Currency policy options for the Palestinian economy

By Avia Liberman

The Palestinian economy conducts much of its daily interactions in a currency it does not issue or control. Is there a viable alternative?

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

Report

Aug 21, 2026

The future of money in Palestine

By Atlantic Council experts

Gaza needs more than billions in reconstruction funding. It needs a financial system that can move that money securely to households, businesses, and public institutions—and keep it from being lost, diverted, or blocked.

Civil Society Digital Currencies

Issue Brief

Aug 13, 2026

Digitizing Gaza’s financial system

By Sami Abu Yousef, Melanie Robbins

A modern payment system could allow households and businesses in Gaza to receive aid, earn income, and transact safely during reconstruction. But it can only function with reliable internet, suitable devices, and robust identity verification.

Digital Policy Economy & Business

Report

Jun 30, 2026

A network of corridors is the only reliable hedge against Middle East chokepoint disruptions

By Afaq Hussain, Maisoon H. Kafafy

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor was proposed in September 2023. Progress stalled shortly after, in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel. With the economic cost now clear of reliance on maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, the proposed network of road and rail corridors linking Europe and India through the Middle East has taken on even greater relevance.

Economy & Business India

Issue Brief

Jun 5, 2026

Countering terrorist propaganda in the age of AI

By Danielle Cosgrove, Doug Livermore, Erin K. McFee, Morgan Tadych, Timothy “Tito” Torres

More people are being exposed to violent propaganda online, and the time between seeing such content, recruitment by a terrorist organization, and action is getting shorter. Counter-terrorism today thus must mean limiting the spread of terrorist content.

Artificial Intelligence Politics & Diplomacy

Issue Brief

Mar 16, 2026

Reconstructing Gaza starts with giving Palestinians financial agency

By Melanie Robbins 

Palestinians are dependent on Israeli banks for cash and access to the financial system, and Jerusalem has floated the possibility of cutting off that access. Any credible reconstruction plan for Gaza has to account for this—otherwise, essential aid organizations can’t pay local staff, and households and businesses can't pay for daily necessities.

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Israel

In-Depth Research & Reports

Feb 26, 2026

The state of great power competition in the Gulf

By Jonathan Fulton

This issue brief examines Gulf states' strategic positioning amid shifting global power dynamics, the opportunities and challenges of great power competition, and regional efforts toward de-escalation and development.

Economy & Business Energy & Environment