The Six Day War ended with a resounding military defeat for the Arab states. Indeed, in Israel’s War of Independence, the Arab armies failed in their efforts to stop the creation of the State of Israel, which at the end of the war held a larger area than it had been allotted by the UN Partition Plan. However, the Arab armies at that time were weak, and the lack of agreement among the Arab countries, which were ruled by the old regimes, prevented effective cooperation between them. In the 1956 Sinai Campaign, the Egyptian army was...
The Six Day War created a new reality in the Middle East, particularly in the Israeli-Palestinian arena. Already in the years before the war, there were defined Palestinian organizational frameworks, foremost among them Fatah and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). However, it was the military, territorial, and political outcome of the war and its complex and long term implications for relations between the Arab states and Israel that shaped the conditions for the growth of the Palestinian national movement. The strength...
The Six Day War dramatically transformed the State of Israel’s strategic position in the Middle East. From a small country just able to protect itself and maintain its existence despite the dangers from all its neighbors—who enjoyed Soviet support and petroleum wealth—Israel became a regional superpower with undeniable military superiority. The war made it clear to the Arab world, although not always explicitly, that it was not capable of destroying the State of Israel. Even the difficulties Israel encountered in the Yom Kippur War...
Recent years have witnessed the gradual emergence of closer relations between the State of Israel and a number of “pragmatic” Arab Gulf states, manifested in a growing number of cautious measures of normalization. This process reached a new height with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent visit to Oman, the first public visit in 22 years of an Israeli prime minister to the sultanate. To be sure, Israel’s relations with Oman are not new, but the publicity surrounding Netanyahu’s visit – in addition to the official presence of...
In early October 2018, the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) presented a strategic framework for the Israeli-Palestinian arena, with recommendations for Israeli policy at the present time. One important purpose of presenting the framework was to stimulate thought and public debate, and the plan indeed aroused much interest and received a wide variety of responses, some supportive and some critical. The range of responses indicates that the public is open to new ideas and understands that Israel can and must work to...
On August 31, 2018, the Trump administration announced that the United States will cease funding UNRWA, citing the organization’s operational-business model as unsustainable, given its “endlessly and exponentially expanding community of entitled beneficiaries.” This decision is no less than historic. Although the Palestinians view it as a serious blow, if it is presented as a necessary step on the path to Palestinian statehood, it has the potential to harbor long term, positive implications. While Israel should certainly...
In the quest for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the idea of a Jordanian-Palestinian federation/confederation, which has been raised from time to time, has recently resurfaced. In a September 2, 2018 meeting between Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen and a group of Israelis, the Palestinian leader said that the idea was raised by the US team engaged in the effort to renew the negotiations between the parties and formulate a proposal for a settlement. Beyond the major question regarding the Palestinians’...
The challenges facing the PA and PA President Abu Mazen have increased during the Trump administration. In addition, Egypt in effect has made it clear that it is willing to work toward a ceasefire arrangement in the Gaza Strip, even without agreement by Abu Mazen and the PA. Egypt is thus in essence granting Hamas a status that it did not previously enjoy, equal to that of the PA. Hamas speaks on behalf of the Gaza Strip population and their plight. Abu Mazen, however, still enjoys the status of exclusive representative of the...
The recent escalation between Israel and Hamas took place in the context of the efforts to reach an arrangement on Gaza: what amounts to negotiations concomitant with fire, with Hamas demonstrating that it does not fear large scale escalation and is not under pressure to reach an arrangement with Israel at any price. For its part, Israel continues to convey that it does not seek escalation, but cannot exercise restraint in the face of Hamas’s aggression. The deep distrust between Israel and Hamas and the absence of a mechanism...
After last weekend, both Israel and Hamas claimed success in implementing the respective equations they have tried to impose, but neither party is convincing. Hamas’s claims do not match the facts: the organization paid a heavy price resulting from IDF activity in the Strip, and did not respond with “attack for attack.” At the same time, it is still too early to judge whether Israel has managed to stop the arson terror and whether it has renewed its deterrence against Hamas. It appears that Hamas still estimates that Israel is...
Historically Europe has been sidelined as a broker in the Middle East peace process, playing second fiddle to the United States. However, Europe plays an important role in any future scenario, and the internal social and political changes now underway will affect how it will engage with Israel in the coming years. This article provides an overview of European engagement in the peace process and proposes recommendations to promote a two-state solution using multi-faceted approaches to build a shared vision for peace. These emphasize:...
The European Union in Turbulent Times: Challenges, Trends, and Signifcance for Israel maps, reviews, and analyzes the urgent issues on the European agenda. The essays in this collection review the political, social, and economic consequences of these issues and assess their significance, both for Europe and for Israel.
