Publications

A pressing question concerns the extent to which the Gulf states are prepared to send forces to stabilize and rebuild the Gaza Strip. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which possess significant economic and diplomatic leverage, are setting strict conditions for their involvement: the disarmament of Hamas and the transfer of its powers to the Palestinian Authority (PA). The UAE also demands a fundamental reform of the PA. These conditions may reflect a lack of real willingness to become involved, an understanding that Hamas cannot be...

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...

President Trump’s initiative for the Gaza Strip, which received the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and of Arab states, represents an important attempt both to break the deadlock in which Israel has found itself in its war against Hamas and to move from a bilateral confrontation framework to a multilateral process involving the United States and Arab states. The initiative also signals a welcome intention to integrate political and military efforts—through the reconstruction of the Strip and the cultivation of a...

Sharing the responsibility for rebuilding the Gaza Strip with moderate regional actors, primarily Saudi Arabia and/or the United Arab Emirates, could be a possible solution for the deadlock Israel is facing regarding the war in Gaza. However, the Israeli government is not responding positively to these countries’ demands to present a “day after” plan for the Strip, which is being posed as a prerequisite for sharing the burden. Their willingness to do so is also doubtful due to economic pressures and concerns that investments might...

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...

During Israel’s ongoing war, the Arab peace states—especially Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates—have expressed deep mistrust, frustration, and even bewilderment over Israel’s conduct. These sentiments have recently intensified and appear to have reached a peak. While these countries acknowledge Israel’s military achievements and recognize that they could have a positive impact on the Middle East, they are also profoundly disturbed by what they perceive as Israel’s rigid, one-dimensional militaristic approach—namely, the...

The Israeli government has authorized the IDF to finalize preparations for “Gideon’s Chariots”—a plan to conquer the Gaza Strip and defeat Hamas, concentrate the population of the Strip in its southern region, and encourage emigration from it. The execution of this plan would come at a heavy cost: the killing of hostages and the loss of information regarding their whereabouts; additional casualties within the IDF; a decreasing likelihood of achieving normalization with Saudi Arabia; a deepening of internal divisions in Israel due to...

After approximately a year and a half of war in the Gaza Strip, Israel stands at a crossroads and must formulate a relevant strategy regarding the future of the Strip. It faces a rather grim range of alternatives, all problematic in their implications and feasibility: encouraging “voluntary emigration”—an option whose strategic consequences have not been thoroughly examined in Israel and whose feasibility is low; occupying the Strip and imposing prolonged military rule—while this may severely weaken Hamas, it does not guarantee its...

The deal to release the hostages is reshaping the course of the military campaign in the Gaza Strip but leaves Israel facing complex strategic challenges. While the agreement may achieve the objective of bringing the hostages home, it also highlights the failure to eliminate Hamas. Israel has not succeeded in establishing an alternative to the organization during the long months of war. As a result, Hamas will continue to pose both security and civilian challenges. Compared to the options such as imposing military governance,...