The visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington—with the designation of Saudi Arabia as a “major non-NATO ally” at its center—reflected a US effort to lock Riyadh more firmly into the American camp in an era of great-power competition. For the United States, this means deepening the security framework with Saudi Arabia, ensuring major investments and access to advanced technologies, and integrating the move into a regional architecture built around the Abraham Accords and gradual normalization with Israel. This...
The concept of victory has become increasingly politicized, particularly the notion of an “absolute victory.” At the same time, the term “decisive defeat” is widely used but rarely defined with precision. This article examines the concept of victory through a professional, military-strategic lens, differentiating it from decisive defeat. The distinction is essential for understanding Israel’s achievements in the war against Hamas and for framing public expectations, especially regarding scenarios in which Hamas may continue to exist...
The United States is determined to advance the implementation of President Donald Trump’s framework to end the war and reshape the Gaza Strip without Hamas, and with the area demilitarized of military and terrorist capabilities. The gap between the strategic objective and the challenges of implementation indicates that the success of the framework will require coercive and sustained American involvement, close coordination with Israel, and persuasive US efforts to convince moderate Arab states to take an active role in stabilizing,...
The future of the Trump Plan regarding the “day after” in the Gaza Strip is ambiguous and fragile. The first phase of the plan has been implemented only partially (the return of all living hostages and some of the deceased, and the implementation of IDF deployment arrangements within an expanded security perimeter—the Yellow Line), while Hamas retains control in the heart of the cities, acts to suppress any expression of opposition to its rule, and violates the agreement by dragging its feet on releasing the remaining deceased...
This interactive map illustrates the IDF withdrawal line (the “Yellow Line”), major Hamas violations, and the local factions and clans currently clashing with Hamas. The platform includes a range of interactive tools, such as switchable basemaps, drawing and annotation, distance and area measurements, as well as map-sharing functions. The map is updated regularly and reflects the most accurate information available, based on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and media reporting.
This survey examines social and political issues and attitudes among the Palestinian public in the West Bank, against the backdrop of the events of October 7, 2023, and the Swords of Iron War. It is a unique survey focusing on the West Bank during wartime and provides an up-to-date snapshot of Palestinian public perceptions. The report presents an initial analysis of public opinion and highlights the challenges and opportunities facing Israelis and Palestinians.
Click here to download the full survey data | For the survey results in...
In recent weeks, voices in the Israeli political arena, particularly from the settler lobby beyond the Green Line, have intensified their call for annexing territories in Judea and Samaria, as well as in the Gaza Strip—namely, the application of Israeli sovereignty to these areas—in response to the growing wave of declarations by many states to recognize a Palestinian state. Annexation, which is by no means a new phenomenon, is intended to block any path toward Israeli disengagement from the West Bank, either from it or within it,...
Since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip, humanitarian aid has played a dual role: it is both a life-saving necessity for the Palestinian population suffering from severe and ongoing hardship and a flashpoint for disputes and struggles between competing interests. This article presents the developments in the humanitarian arena during the months of war, as well as the discussions and controversies that have emerged in this complex and charged context, divided into three distinct periods. Each period reflects a shift in the aid...
As the war in the Gaza Strip continues, Israel’s international legitimacy is eroding, its global standing is deteriorating, the IDF is being worn down, and divisions within Israeli society are widening. Escaping this deadlock requires a paradigmatic shift that moves beyond the narrow thinking of only two options (as defined by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu): either a full occupation of the Strip or capitulation to Hamas, which would remain in power, in exchange for the release of the hostages. However, there is another option—one...
The impression emerging from the widespread discussions in the media and on Arab satellite channels not identified with the Islamist stream is that, in launching the war on October 7, 2023, Hamas essentially dug a pit for itself and for other resistance movements across the Middle East. The growing anger toward Hamas—given the immense human suffering in the Gaza Strip, the destruction it has caused, and its failure to achieve the goals it claimed to be pursuing—has led most critics, including those close to the organization, to...
The consequences of the tsunami of international recognition of a Palestinian state largely depend on the Israeli government’s response. Most of the negative consequences of this increasing wave already exist, and broad international recognition could intensify them. Should the Israeli government choose a harsh retaliatory path—such as occupying the Gaza Strip, promoting the idea of “voluntary emigration” of Gazan residents, or applying Israeli sovereignty over territories in Judea and Samaria and Gaza’s security perimeter—it would...
