Israel

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.

Featured commentary & analysis

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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

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

New Atlanticist

May 4, 2018

Are Israel And Iran Headed To War?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Early in the morning on April 9, missiles streaked through the Syrian sky toward the Tiyas (T-4) air base in Homs province, northeast of Damascus. Besides Syrian forces, the base hosts Russians and Iranians, members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force. Several Iranians were killed in the strikes. Syria, Russia, and Iran […]

Iran Israel

New Atlanticist

May 2, 2018

Can Russia Serve As An Honest Broker Between Israel And Iran?

By Stephen Blank

Victory in war often brings with it unforeseen challenges and obligations.  Russia is now learning that to sustain its victory in Syria’s civil war it must play a role as an arbiter or honest broker between Iran and Israel lest their rivalry explodes into large-scale combat, engulfs the entire region, and undermines Russia’s newly-acquired position […]

Iran Israel

IranSource

May 1, 2018

Why Netanyahu’s revelations are significant

By Matthew Kroenig

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 30 provided a twenty-minute PowerPoint presentation of secret Iranian nuclear documents, acquired by Israeli intelligence. The information revealed will be unlikely to change many minds about the wisdom of the nuclear deal with Iran, but it is significant. It shows that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) […]

Iran Israel

New Atlanticist

May 1, 2018

Why Netanyahu’s revelations are significant

By Matthew Kroenig

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 30 provided a twenty-minute PowerPoint presentation of secret Iranian nuclear documents, acquired by Israeli intelligence. The information revealed will be unlikely to change many minds about the wisdom of the nuclear deal with Iran, but it is significant. It shows that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) […]

Iran Israel

IranSource

Apr 30, 2018

Netanyahu: Iran Lied About Its Nuclear Weapons

By Rachel Ansley

Less than two weeks before US President Donald J. Trump is due to decide on the future of US participation in the Iran nuclear deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that his country has found proof Iran lied about the extent of its nuclear program.  In a speech delivered on April 30, Netanyahu said Israel has […]

Iran Israel
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Experts

Fellow

Ahmed F. Alkhatib

Resident Senior Fellow, Realign for Palestine

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Realign For Palestine

Arabic Conflict

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 Senior Fellow

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

Arabic Cybersecurity

Fellow

Ariel Cohen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Central Asia Politics & Diplomacy

Fellow

Jonathan R. Cohen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

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

Greece Iraq
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