Publications

Despite the prevailing perception that China retreated from the Middle East in 2025 amid the renewed strengthening of the United States in the region and the absence of significant Chinese involvement in the Israel-Iran war, the reality is more complex. A multi-dimensional analysis of trade, investment, technology, as well as security and diplomatic ties, shows that not only has China not retreated from the Middle East, but it has continued to consolidate and deepen its economic foothold there, maintaining a consistent pattern of...

On April 25, 2026, local elections were held across the Palestinian Authority territories—in the West Bank and in Deir al-Balah within the Gaza Strip. The elections took place across 403 cities and local municipalities, yielding a relatively low overall voter turnout of approximately 53%. Hamas boycotted the elections and did not officially participate, despite being the most popular political organization among the Palestinian public. An analysis of the elections reveals a complex picture of a society attempting to maintain a...

“Operation Roaring Lion,” the war against Iran and its proxies, has not yet reached its conclusion. Although the final outcome remains unclear and the current situation may soon shift, the campaign’s distinctive characteristics allow for an interim assessment. This is the most extensive war fought in the Middle East since the Second Gulf War, and the first in which Israel is fighting as an active partner in a coalition with the United States. While its global implications have yet to fully emerge, it is already clear that...

While Pakistan led mediation efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, Egypt also played an active, albeit secondary, role in the process. Faced with concerns over the war’s negative impact on its economic stability and on the regional balance of power, Egypt participated in mediation efforts within a new quadrilateral coordination mechanism alongside Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Its aim was to consolidate this framework into an Arab-Islamic Quartet capable of leveraging the member states’...

The Jewish community of the United States is a valuable national security asset of the State of Israel. Over the years, including during the Gaza war, American Jews have helped to secure essential diplomatic and military support for Israel in the United States and have raised much-needed funds for Israeli civil society and nonprofit organizations. The capacity of American Jews to provide such support in the future, however, is called into question by a range of developments, including a weakening of American Jewish communal...

With the start of the second Trump presidency, a prevailing assumption in Moscow was that, under the leadership of the new American administration, the United States would prioritize understandings and agreements over escalation. It was believed that Washington would avoid the use of military force that could draw it into prolonged, costly, and uncontrollable operations. This assumption shaped Russia’s risk assessment and its perception of Washington’s conduct. However, the campaigns against Iran in June 2025, and the one...

The integrated map offers a broad, clear, and accessible visual overview of the current state and plans for transportation, communication, and energy infrastructure in the Middle East. At a time when regional infrastructure is becoming a central factor in shaping economic, political, and security relations, the map enables a rapid understanding of the complex network of connections spanning across the region. By integrating multiple layers of information, users can focus on each domain separately or explore interactions among them,...

In April 2026, Cheng Li-wun, Chairwoman of the National People’s Party Kuomintang (KMT), and leader of Taiwan’s primary opposition, arrived in Shanghai. The pinnacle of the visit was a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping—the first meeting in nearly a decade between the leadership of these two historic parties. Cheng described the visit as a “journey of peace” and an attempt to ease tensions with China, while her critics in the Taiwanese government viewed the move as problematic, labeling it a “shameful...

More than two months after the outbreak of Operation “Roaring Lion,” the Islamic Republic stands with significant vulnerabilities and a new leadership, yet it also has certain achievements to its credit. These include surviving a joint American-Israeli attack and exploiting levers of pressure created during the fighting, including attacks against the Gulf states and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. While it is premature to assess the full implications of the war, the conclusion of which remains uncertain, prominent...

The interactive map herein provides a situational overview of the Lebanese arena during Operation Roaring Lion (Epic Fury) and following the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on April 16, 2026. The map displays the Israeli security zone, IDF strikes in the vicinity, as well as IDF outposts and UN bases. The map is updated continuously with the highest possible precision, based on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and media reports.

Bias against Israel on English Wikipedia is a known and documented phenomenon, yet its internal mechanisms often remain hidden from the broader public. This article examines the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon through a focused analysis of the behavioral patterns of Iskandar323, a senior and experienced editor who operated on the platform for nearly twelve years before being permanently banned in early 2026 for violating prior restrictions on editing articles on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The study is based on mapping...