Israel

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.

Alfoneh Quoted by the United States Institute of Peace on Iran’s Role in Syria

MENASource
Jun 24, 2025

Dispatch from the Gulf: Finding middle ground amid Israel-Iran war

By
Allison Minor

Congressional delegation visit coincided with Israel and Iran squaring off in a direct military confrontation.

Iran
Israel

Alfoneh Quoted by the United States Institute of Peace on Iran’s Role in Syria

MENASource
Jun 18, 2025

Dispatch from Jerusalem: Inside Israel’s bunkers as Iran war erupts

By
Sarah Zaaimi

The stakes are higher as two opposing rhetorics about the region’s future are at play: Pan-Abrahamism and Revolutionary Islamism.

Civil Society
Iran

Alfoneh Quoted by the United States Institute of Peace on Iran’s Role in Syria

Inflection Points
Jun 14, 2025

Israel’s Iran strike provides a historic chance for Middle East realignment

By
Frederick Kempe

History will remember this moment less for the Israeli strikes themselves and more for what follows.

Iran
Israel


Israel-Hamas war

Experts from across the Atlantic Council are providing insight and analysis at speed and in depth on the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Israel’s response, and how the emerging conflict is upending the Middle East and the world.

Programs

The N7 Initiative, a partnership between the Atlantic Council and the Jeffrey M. Talpins Foundation, seeks to broaden and deepen normalization between Israel and Arab and Muslim countries. It works with governments to produce actionable recommendations to deliver tangible benefits to their people.

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Content

In the News

May 21, 2018

Alfoneh Quoted by the United States Institute of Peace on Iran’s Role in Syria

By Ali Alfoneh

Read the full article here.

Iran Israel

New Atlanticist

May 17, 2018

Has The United States Jeopardized Its Prospects For ‘The Ultimate Deal’ In The Middle East?

By Rachel Brandenburg

Early in his presidency, Donald J. Trump set out to achieve “the ultimate deal”: Israeli-Palestinian peace. The US president deputized his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, with the task, claiming the feat could be achieved within the first year of his administration. A little over a year later that “ultimate deal” is nowhere to be seen. Instead, […]

Israel Middle East

In the News

May 15, 2018

Hellyer in The Globe and Mail: To Arabs, Jerusalem Represents the Symbolic Denial of Freedom

By H.A. Hellyer

Read the full article here

Israel Middle East

In the News

May 15, 2018

Cunningham Joins Fox to Discuss Trump’s Decision to Move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem

By James Cunningham

Watch the full discussion here

Israel

New Atlanticist

May 14, 2018

All You Need to Know As The United States Opens its Embassy in Jerusalem

By Ashish Kumar Sen

[Editor’s note: This blog post has been updated.] Massive protests have erupted in the Gaza Strip on May 14 as the United States relocated its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, becoming the world’s first nation to have an embassy in the holy city. On December 6, US President Donald J. Trump announced his decision […]

Israel

IranSource

May 11, 2018

The President’s Speech and the Prospects of an Iranian-Israeli War

By Ehud Eiran

The evening US President Donald J. Trump took the United States out of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), it smelled in Israel as if war was coming. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a trip to Cyprus. His Chief of Staff canceled  his speech in the prestigious Herzliya conference. A few minutes before President […]

Iran Israel

In the News

May 10, 2018

Slavin Quoted in The Independent on the Iran-Israel Clash in Syria

By Barbara Slavin

Read the full article here

Iran Israel

In the News

May 10, 2018

Blanford Quoted in The Daily Beast on Hezbollah’s Brace for a Showdown with Israel

By Nicholas Blanford

Read the full article here

Israel

IranSource

May 8, 2018

With Iran and Israel at the Brink, Where Does Hezbollah Stand?

By John Duchak

On April 29, 2018, Israel carried out airstrikes against a number of Iranian positions in Syria, including a weapons storage site that housed a large cache of Iranian surface-to-surface missiles. This is only the latest strike in Israel’s increased attacks against Iran in Syria in 2018. Previously, Israel struck the T4 (Tiyas) airbase on April […]

Iran Israel

IranSource

May 8, 2018

How the World Is Reacting to Trump’s Iran Decision

By Ashish Kumar Sen

US President Donald J. Trump on May 8 withdrew the United States from the multilateral nuclear agreement with Iran. The deal—formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)— was struck in 2015 by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, Germany, and Iran.

Iran Israel
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Experts

Fellow

Ahmed F. Alkhatib

Resident Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Arabic Conflict

Fellow

Carmiel Arbit

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Civil Society Extremism

Fellow

Amir Asmar

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Intelligence Israel

Fellow

Alia Brahimi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Danny Citrinowicz  

Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Cybersecurity

Fellow

Ariel Cohen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Central Asia Politics & Diplomacy
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