Israel/Palestine Conflict

The fighting that erupted between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 was no ordinary flare-up. It shattered the relative calm observed in the Middle East over the past few of years – a result of Israel’s efforts to reclaim its international status; of Iran’s efforts to reconcile with its neighbors; and of new alignments slowly forming among erstwhile enemies. Regional leadership and power dynamics are directly at stake, as is the potential shape of the Middle East itself.

Featured Content

The State of the Israeli-Gaza Conflict

The origins of the modern Arab-Israeli conflict are pretty well known. Gaza, the narrow strip of land running to the Sinai Peninsula, was originally...

The Drumbeat of War in the Middle East

Threats of impending war have permeated the Middle East since Israel’s establishment in 1948. Though Egypt made peace with Israel in 1978 and Jordan...

The Eclipse of the Palestinian Question

Until the 1970s, the Palestinian question had preoccupied the Arab world since the creation of Israel in 1948. Public figures and ordinary Arabs were...

West Bank Violence Stalls Arab-Israeli Normalization

Last month, three senior U.S. officials visited Israel and the Palestinian Territories to try to avert a third Palestinian intifada. National Security Adviser Jake...

Special Collection on the Middle East

This complete work consists of several dozen essays spread out over 8 parts tackling the region’s conflicts and historical evolution, relating them to contemporary issues. Divided into distinct regions and critical issues, the Special Collection of the Middle East is your source to better understand this volatile region and to be prepared for what comes next.

Recent Analysis: Israel & Palestine

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Daily Memo: US-Peru Cooperation, Houthis Eye Somalia

Naval assets. The United States has approved the sale of up to $1.5 billion in equipment and services for the expansion of a naval...

Daily Memo: Hamas Disarmament, Venezuelan Oil

Next steps. Hamas has privately signaled that it is ready to disarm, two U.S. officials said after Washington's announcement on Wednesday of the opening...

Daily Memo: US Weighs Options on Iran, Armenia Cedes Control of Corridor

Making contact. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff held a secret meeting with exiled former Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi to discuss the ongoing mass...

Competition in the Horn of Africa Heats Up

On Dec. 26, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his country would officially recognize Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia, as a sovereign...

Daily Memo: Mass Deaths in Iran Protests, SDF Leaves Aleppo

Deadly protests. After more than two weeks of widespread protests, Iranian state media on Sunday aired video showing mass casualties at a morgue in...

Daily Memo: Details of US Plan for Israeli-Syrian Border

Israeli-Syrian peace plan. The United States has proposed the creation of a demilitarized economic zone along the Israeli-Syrian border, according to an unnamed U.S....

Daily Memo: Developments in Venezuela and the Middle East

Showdown? The United States has reportedly seized a Venezuelan-linked oil tanker sailing through the North Atlantic. The U.S. Coast Guard tried last month to...

Daily Memo: Russian Recruitment, Iranian and Cuban Condemnation

Involuntary service. Russia is forcibly sending foreign laborers to the front lines in Ukraine, according to a report by Azerbaijani news agency APA. In...

Daily Memo: Update on Venezuela, Growing Protests in Iran

In the aftermath. Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez invited the U.S. to “work together on an agenda for cooperation” in a statement released Sunday,...

New Normals in the Middle East

The Middle East is entering a period of strategic adjustment as the United States offloads some of its responsibilities to regional allies. The region’s...

Daily Memo: Russia’s Advance in Ukraine, Turkey’s Support for Somalia

Ukraine assessment. The Russian army has captured 700 square kilometers (270 square miles) of Ukrainian territory in the past month, Russia's General Staff chief,...

Daily Memo: Zelenskyy’s Concessions, Iranian Unrest

Ukrainian compromise. Ukraine might be ready to withdraw from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions if voters give their consent via referendum, Ukrainian...

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Audio & Video

Will Trump’s Gaza Plan Work? George Friedman on Israel, Palestine and the Geopolitics of Peace

FREE
Two years ago this week, Hamas' October 7 attacks stunned Israel and the world. And now for the first time there is palpable excitement that the war in Gaza may be on the path to an end. The first part of Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan seems to have been agreed by Israel and Hamas, though the plan still faces many hurdles. Geopolitical Futures Chairman and Founder George Friedman has joined host Christian Smith on this week's episode of Talking Geopolitics to discuss how we got here, whether the plan will work and also why the Gulf states are so important to the plan's success. This interview was recorded on Thursday, October 9th 2025.

Will Trump’s Gaza Plan Work? George Friedman on Israel, Palestine and the Geopolitics of Peace

FREE
Two years ago this week, Hamas' October 7 attacks stunned Israel and the world. And now for the first time there is palpable excitement that the war in Gaza may be on the path to an end. The first part of Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan seems to have been agreed by Israel and Hamas, though the plan still faces many hurdles. Geopolitical Futures Chairman and Founder George Friedman has joined host Christian Smith on this week's episode of Talking Geopolitics to discuss how we got here, whether the plan will work and also why the Gulf states are so important to the plan's success. This interview was recorded on Thursday, October 9th 2025.

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