The question “When does anti-Zionism become antisemitism?” has become one of the most common ways of framing contemporary debates about Jews, Israel, and discrimination. Yet for policymakers, this may not be the most useful question. It assumes that the central task is to classify anti-Zionism as an idea before addressing its consequences. A more practical approach would ask how anti-Zionism operates in contemporary political life: whom it targets, what burdens it places on Jews and Israelis, and whether it denies Jews forms of...
Camera networks in Israel are vulnerable to infiltration attempts by hostile actors, including Iran. The head of the National Cyber Directorate noted that since the beginning of the war, Iran and Hezbollah have been working jointly to hack security cameras across Israel for intelligence-gathering purposes. The information is used, among other things, to pinpoint missile strikes and target specific individuals. This highlights the dual-use nature of advanced cameras, particularly Chinese cameras originally designed for civilian needs...
The visit of United States President Donald Trump to Beijing took place against the backdrop of intensifying great-power competition and the war in Iran. Trump sought to present concrete diplomatic and economic achievements and to demonstrate that the United States continues to manage its competition with China from a position of initiative. For its part, Beijing aimed to stabilize relations with Washington and shape a framework that would reflect recognition of its status as an equal great power, while setting clear boundaries...
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...
