The results of the municipal elections that were held across Turkey on March 31 surprised many Turkish commentators because of the magnitude of the blow that voters delivered to the government. For the first time since it came to power, the party of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan did not finish in first place. In contrast, the opposition recorded a historic achievement. Not only did the opposition prevent Erdoğan-backed candidates from retaking control of Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, but it also recorded victories in many other...
In the shadow of the October 7 massacre and the subsequent war that erupted in the Gaza Strip, Israel and Egypt recently marked the 45th anniversary of signing the peace accord between the two countries. While the events of the past few months have presented Israel and Egypt with a formidable test, the repercussions of this situation have not exceeded the traditional ambivalence that characterizes their relationship. Although the public and official discourse on both sides has been full of inflammatory, hostile, wary, and mistrustful...
Against the backdrop of efforts by the American administration and the Palestinian Authority (PA)—with the backing of part of the Israeli defense establishment—to reinstate the PA as the governing body in the Gaza Strip, we should remember the cyclical dynamic between Hamas and Fatah—rivalry, reconciliation efforts, and renewed crisis. Given the addition of fierce disagreements over the significance of the war between Israel and Hamas, it is highly unlikely that the PA will be able to effectively implement any mandate it receives for...
There are more holes than substance in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s document detailing his plan for “the day after” Hamas’s rule in the Gaza Strip. Even if Israel achieves its stated goals of the war—the release of the hostages, toppling Hamas’s regime, and dismantling its armed wing—no magic solution will bring stability and rebuilding to Gaza. Unlike the Israeli prime minister’s vision, a renewed Palestinian Authority returning to power in Gaza is the default option for Israel, especially in terms of the United States and...
Israel’s decision to bar entry to over 140,000 Palestinian workers from the West Bank due to the outbreak of the war with Hamas and concerns over their allegiance with Hamas heavily strains the Palestinian economy and the stability of the Palestinian Authority. Moreover, this move also affects the Israeli economy, which has not yet found replacements for these workers. Particularly the construction and agriculture sectors, heavily dependent on Palestinian labor, are in a state of crisis. The rise in anti-Palestinian sentiment...
The month of Ramadan—holy to Muslims across the world, including the Palestinians —is due to start on March 10 or 11. Ramadan has its own character and unique dynamics that could create an energy that is today missing and could cause the Palestinians to escalate the violence. Due to the sensitivity of Ramadan and the potential violence it could bring, it is important for Israel to consider an extraordinary move, which would turn the table and shift the responsibility onto Hamas—by making an offer that includes an end to the fighting...
As part of the preparations for “the day after” the war in the Gaza Strip, the United States aims to formulate a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia and to involve Saudi Arabia in the Palestinian arena, including the Gaza Strip. Against this backdrop, and considering the time that has elapsed since the Arab Peace Initiative was issued as well as the increasing significance of the Palestinian issue in the Arab region, there is a need for a renewed and updated Arab peace initiative. A new initiative would bridge...
At the current stage of combat, Israel needs a combination of two approaches: (1) achieving full control over the northern Gaza Strip; and (2) hermetically sealing the Philadelphi corridor, which is used for smuggling, as a practical solution to prevent Hamas and other terrorist groups from rearming. Separating northern Gaza from the rest of the Strip, preventing Hamas from recovering, and at the same time, encouraging the emergence of a local leadership that is not afraid of Hamas (because the IDF has military control of the...
Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and the ensuing war in Gaza, there has been very little security-related news coming out of East Jerusalem. This is in stark contrast to the growing security challenges in the West Bank and to previous campaigns involving Israel and Hamas, in which there were clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians not only on the streets of East Jerusalem and at the al-Aqsa Mosque, but also in Israeli cities such as Acre and Bat Yam. This article offers reasons that may explain this discrepancy....
Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip monitor developments in Israel closely, while weighing and refining the organization’s suspension and attrition strategy. Their goal is to bring an end to the war while ensuring the survival of Hamas as both a military and governmental entity within the Gaza Strip; that to them would be the essence of victory. The more optimistic the Hamas leadership becomes, the less inclined it is to demonstrate flexibility or consider proposals that could potentially end the war, signaling the demise of their...
Singapore attaches utmost importance to racial and religious harmony and recognizes that its impressive success in this critical area is not to be taken for granted and that maintaining it requires ongoing vigilance. It is no surprise, therefore, that in the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7 terror attack and the subsequent Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, the island’s highly shrewd sociopolitical senses responded powerfully, including with practical measures. Singapore and Israel exist in fundamentally different...
Since the Hamas terror attack in the Negev on October 7 and the start of the war in Gaza, there have been escalating attacks by the Houthi terror organization, disrupting navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The stated aim of the organization, one of the most prominent Iranian proxies, is to harass and damage ships linked directly or indirectly to Israel, in response to Israel’s operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. However, most of the Houthi attacks so far have damaged ships that have no link to Israel. In view of the...
