Israel

Middle East

As a strong ally in the Middle East, Israel’s domestic politics and geopolitical role are of primary concern for the United States. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has confounded one administration after the other, with various attempts at brokering a peace process falling short of success. As Israel inches closer to the east with increased economic cooperation with India and China, as well as semi-discreet displays of engagement with Gulf neighbors, Israel’s independent foreign policy and controversial domestic policies continue to shape its relationship with the United States.

Featured commentary & analysis

Trilateral tribulations: The upcoming Israeli advisers meeting

Dispatches
Jun 17, 2026

What the US-Iran deal means for the rest of the Middle East (and beyond)

By
Atlantic Council experts

Atlantic Council experts look at the ways the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran will affect other countries.

Conflict
Economy & Business

Dispatches
Jun 10, 2026

From a gap to a chasm: Diverging US and Israeli interests in the war with Iran

By
Daniel B. Shapiro

The once-modest gap between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump has widened in recent weeks.

Conflict
Iran

MENASource
May 5, 2026

Dispatch from Beirut: Israel-Hezbollah talks risk falling into a failed, decades-long pattern

By
Nicholas Blanford

As the war with Israel revives Hezbollah and divides Lebanon, the ongoing negotiations echo failed 1983 talks.

Conflict
Israel

Programs

The Project for Middle East Integration is dedicated to advancing US interests by strengthening relations and trade among key partners and allies in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

Learn more

Learn more about the Middle East programs

Middle East Programs

Working with our allies and partners in Europe and the wider Middle East to protect US interests, build peace and security, and unlock the human potential of the region.

EXPLORE THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL’S MIDDLE EAST PROGRAMS

Content

MENASource

Jun 24, 2019

Trilateral tribulations: The upcoming Israeli advisers meeting

By Mark N. Katz

Iran and its role in Syria are likely to be the main agenda item at the June 24-26 trilateral meeting of the US, Russian, and Israeli national security advisers in Israel. What US National Security Adviser John Bolton and his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben-Shabbat, want from Russia is clear: Moscow’s in reducing or even eliminating the Iranian presence in Syria. Russian National Security Adviser Nikolai Patrushev, though, is unlikely to meet their demands on this score.

Iran Israel

News

Jun 13, 2019

Jonathan Fulton quoted in NTD: White House Senior Official Warns Israel About Chinese Investment

By Jonathan Fulton

Israel

In the News

Jun 11, 2019

Mark Katz quoted in Lobe Log: Will US And Israel Convince Russia To Alter Its Syria Policy?

By Mark Katz

Israel’s political meltdown

By Shalom Lipner

Six nail-biting weeks after he was first tasked by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to construct Israel's next government, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to concede defeat and admit that he had failed to cobble together a new ruling coalition.

Elections Israel

In the News

Jun 3, 2019

Lipner quoted in The Wall Street Journal on Hamas testing Israel

Israel Security & Defense

In the News

May 31, 2019

Lipner quoted in The Wall Street Journal on delays in US push for Israeli-Palestinian peace

Israel Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

May 30, 2019

Netanyahu’s political setback casts a shadow over Kushner’s Middle East peace plan

By James B. Cunningham

Netanyahu now finds himself the victim of a political landscape which he himself had a large part in shaping over the past ten years, unable to build his Likud into a majority party, and beholden to far-right and ultra-orthodox religious parties on the one hand and to the secular followers of Avigdor Liberman on the other.

Elections Israel

MENASource

May 30, 2019

Why is Bahrain hosting the mideast peace conference?

By Grace Wermenbol

Following a long period of anticipation and repeated delays, US officials announced earlier this month that they will hold an economic workshop in Bahrain in late June as the first step in the administration’s road map for peace between Israel and Palestine.

Israel Middle East

In the News

May 30, 2019

Lipner quoted in The Telegraph on the White House’s plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace

Israel Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

May 29, 2019

Holly Dagres quoted in Mondoweiss: Israeli ‘intelligence’ is fostering US bellicosity toward Iran — but ‘quietly’

By Holly Dagres

Greece Iraq

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Issue briefs and reports

Fast Thinking

Dispatches

Inflection Points

UkraineAlert

MENASource

Econographics

Israel

Featured commentary & analysis

What the US-Iran deal means for the rest of the Middle East (and beyond)

From a gap to a chasm: Diverging US and Israeli interests in the war with Iran

Dispatch from Beirut: Israel-Hezbollah talks risk falling into a failed, decades-long pattern

Programs

Learn more about the Middle East programs

Content

Trilateral tribulations: The upcoming Israeli advisers meeting

Jonathan Fulton quoted in NTD: White House Senior Official Warns Israel About Chinese Investment

Mark Katz quoted in Lobe Log: Will US And Israel Convince Russia To Alter Its Syria Policy?

Israel’s political meltdown

Lipner quoted in The Wall Street Journal on Hamas testing Israel

Lipner quoted in The Wall Street Journal on delays in US push for Israeli-Palestinian peace

Netanyahu’s political setback casts a shadow over Kushner’s Middle East peace plan

Why is Bahrain hosting the mideast peace conference?

Lipner quoted in The Telegraph on the White House’s plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace

Holly Dagres quoted in Mondoweiss: Israeli ‘intelligence’ is fostering US bellicosity toward Iran — but ‘quietly’

Experts

Ahmed F. Alkhatib

Amir Asmar

Alia Brahimi

Danny Citrinowicz

Ariel Cohen

Jonathan R. Cohen

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