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.

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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: Thai-Cambodian Clashes, Coup Attempt in Benin

Renewed fighting. Thailand and Cambodia have accused each other of violating a U.S.-brokered ceasefire following new clashes over the weekend. According to Thai officials,...

Kazakhstan’s Strategic Breakout: The Abraham Accords as a Route to the High Seas

Kazakhstan’s decision last month to join the Abraham Accords carries strategic implications that extend far beyond efforts to wind down the eight-decade conflict between...

Daily Memo: Ukraine’s European Backers Get Weak in the Knees

Paying for it. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said it would be ā€œprematureā€ for Rome to participate in NATO’s program to buy U.S. weapons...

For Israel and Saudi Arabia, Normalization Is No Longer a Priority

During a meeting at the White House on Nov. 18, U.S. President Donald Trump pressured Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to join the...

Daily Memo: Productive and Unproductive Meetings

U.S.-Russia talks. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov and the presidential special envoy on foreign investment and economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, held talks with U.S....

Daily Memo: Putin in Central Asia, Syrian Unrest

Regional talks. Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Kyrgyzstan for a three-day visit. He met on Wednesday with President Sadyr Japarov to discuss bilateral...

The US Snubs the Lebanese Army

The Lebanese army is facing increasing pressure from both the U.S. and Israel to strengthen its efforts to disarm Hezbollah. Its lack of progress...

Daily Memo: Ukraine Peace Plan Progresses, Gaza Plan Falters

Progress toward peace? Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators met in Geneva and discussed changes to Washington’s 28-point plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war. According to...

Daily Memo: Israel and Russia Bolster Their Presence in Syria

Israel in Syria. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli troops deployed to the buffer zone in Syria. Accompanied by the Israeli foreign minister,...

Saudi Arabia’s Burden-Sharing Test

As the most volatile theater in the international system, the Middle East poses the greatest obstacle to President Donald Trump’s effort to operationalize a...

Daily Memo: New Ukraine Plan, US-Saudi Deal

Ukraine proposal. The United States is working with Russia to develop a new plan to end the war in Ukraine, Axios reported. The 28-point...

Daily Memo: Explosion on Polish Railway, Iran’s Water Crisis

Unprecedented. An explosion on a Polish rail line on Sunday was an ā€œunprecedented act of sabotage,ā€ Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said. The blast,...

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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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