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.

Palestinian Leader Seeks NATO Force in Future State

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

Palestinian Leader Seeks NATO Force in Future State

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

Palestinian Leader Seeks NATO Force in Future State

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 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.

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Content

Secretary of State John Kerry sits with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, June 28, 2013

NATOSource

Feb 3, 2014

Palestinian Leader Seeks NATO Force in Future State

By Jodi Rudoren, New York Times

Six months into peace talks dominated by discussion about security, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority has proposed to Secretary of State John Kerry that an American-led NATO force patrol a future Palestinian state indefinitely

Israel Middle East

In the News

Jan 28, 2014

Hof and LeBaron Speak at Middle East Policy Council Conference

Hariri Center Senior Fellows Richard LeBaron and Frederic Hof joined the Middle East Policy Council’s 75th Capitol Hill Conference to discuss Iran’s nuclear program and its policies in the region, the concerns of Gulf states and Israel, and how an agreement would affect the balance of power in the region.

International Organizations Iran
Allies concerned about a diminished US global presence

NATOSource

Jan 23, 2014

Get Ready, the Indispensable Americans are Pulling Back

By Gideon Rachman, Financial Times

[T]he most important emerging theme in world politics is America’s slow retreat from its role as global policeman.

France Israel
NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Alexander Vershbow in Tel Aviv

NATOSource

Jan 15, 2014

Turkey Reassured that NATO Missile Shield Not Designed for Israel

By Dan Williams, Reuters

Turkey has accepted assurances a planned NATO missile defense system in which it is playing a part is not designed to protect Israel as well, the alliance’s deputy secretary-general said on Wednesday.

Israel Missile Defense

New Atlanticist

Jan 14, 2014

Ariel Sharon: Influential in Death

By New Atlanticist

“Written on every page of Israel’s history, in ink and in blood, is the name Ariel Sharon,” notes Michael Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to the United States. Even following Sharon’s death January 11, the former soldier and prime minister “will influence the future, as Israelis consider their options” in the event that US-led diplomacy fails […]

Israel

Issue Brief

Aug 12, 2013

The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

By Jean-Loup Samaan and Guillaume Lasconjarias

Jean-Loup Samaan and Guillaume Lasconjarias, research fellows at the NATO Defense College in Italy, outline in this issue brief for the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security what NATO can learn from the Israeli experience in missile defense. Samaan and Lasconjarias identify five domains where Israel’s missile defense experience may offer both helpful lessons and […]

Israel Missile Defense

New Atlanticist

Jul 20, 2013

Coping with Netanyahu on Iran

By R. Nicholas Burns

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is back in the headlines on the subject of Iran. On CBS’s “Face the Nation,’’ Netanyahu complained that there was “no sense of urgency” by the global community about Iran’s advancing nuclear program. He went on to warn that Israel will “have to address this question of how to stop […]

Iran Israel

MENASource

Oct 16, 2012

Israel, the PA, and the Inevitable Palestinian Spring

By Alex Simon

While domestic and international media are abuzz with talk of upcoming elections in both the United States and Israel, scant attention has been paid to the municipal elections set to take place in the West Bank on October 20. In fact, many Palestinians are themselves unmoved by the prospect of elections, which they view as […]

Israel Middle East

New Atlanticist

Feb 9, 2012

Israel, Iran and the United States: All Options Are Bad!

By Don Snow

The growing confrontation between Israel and Iran over the Iranian nuclear weapons program is spinning perilously out of hand, and it has within it the seeds of the most potentially dangerous threat to international peace since the Cold War ended over 20 years ago. What we are witnessing is a verbal run-up to a military […]

Iran Israel

New Atlanticist

Nov 8, 2011

Israeli Strike on Iran’s Nukes a Real Danger

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Iran’s nuclear ambitions predate the clerical dictatorship that overthrew the monarchy in 1979. The late last monarch, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, reached the same conclusion when Britain, in 1968, suddenly relinquished all of its geopolitical responsibilities east of Suez — from Singapore to the Suez Canal, including the Persian Gulf and the oil that then […]

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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