Israel’s Invisible Enemies

Yaakov Lappin
May 25, 2018
Paper No. 846

Radical sub-state actors are able to exercise full control of the territories they govern yet make themselves almost invisible when they choose to do so. As recent events in Gaza showed, this ability serves them not only on the military front but also in the arenas of diplomacy and public influence.

Zionism and the Wedge Between US and Israeli Jews

A troubling side effect of the Zionist enterprise is that 70 years after the State of Israel came into being, a wedge has grown between Israelis and the Diaspora, driven by guilt and presumptions of moral superiority. The root of the problem is that too many American Jews are uncomfortable with power.

The Implications of Mike Pompeo’s 12-Point Speech

Doron Feldman
May 23, 2018
Paper No. 844

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's speech on May 21, 2018 was an important step in the realization of the Trump Doctrine. The 12-point speech outlined the administration’s nuclear nonproliferation strategy against Iran, which strives to exert constant pressure on Tehran so as to goad it into a new nuclear deal.

Is Iran Considering Reactivating Uranium Enrichment at Fordow?

On April 29, satellite imagery showed irregular activity at Iran’s Fordow uranium enrichment facility, arousing suspicion that Iran is preparing to resume its activities. The Iranians had indeed threatened to do this if President Trump followed through on his plan to quit the 2015 nuclear agreement (the JCPOA). However, the unusual activity might simply be steps towards converting the facility to a civil research center for nuclear energy and physics, which would comply with the JCPOA.

The HIV Crisis in Russia

Russia is experiencing an ever-growing number of reported HIV cases since the breakup of the Soviet Union. An estimated 1.5 million HIV cases are accompanied by a general decline in the Russian population that is expected to continue over the next several decades. A diminished population will directly affect Russia’s army, its military capabilities, and its economy, and thus its ability to position itself as a world power.

Malaysia: The Return of an Anti-Semitic Prime Minister

The 92-year-old Muhammad Mahathir has come out of retirement to become Malaysia’s prime minister once again. In his 2003 welcoming speech for the Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, he said the Muslim world was in a frontal confrontation with the Jewish people. The most extreme inciters against Jews and Israel have for many years come out of the Muslim world. Mahathir’s 2003 speech and the applause he received from political leaders from the 57 Muslim states present is a prime example of major Muslim anti-Israel incitement.

The Korean Peninsula: Peaceful Change or Back to Square One?

The Korean summit between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in was full of encouraging optics, but it is too early to declare the success of the upcoming Trump-Kim summit a foregone conclusion. Nevertheless, there is reason for optimism.

China Is Treading a Fine Line in Iran

Now that Donald Trump has exited the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal with Iran, there is more at stake for the other signatories than either their belief in the deal’s virtues or their eagerness to salvage economic opportunities. Maintaining the deal without the US would deliver a severe blow to American credibility and perceptions of US power. China has long experience circumventing sanctions regimes, but the environment surrounding the reimposed sanctions is likely to be unusually confrontational.

Riyadh’s Missile Defense Systems: Strategic Opportunities

Saudi Arabia needs missile defense systems to protect its territory from adversaries. While the US is the obvious choice as a supplier, Russia and Israel are also in the running.

Saudi-Moroccan Soccer Spat Symbolizes the New Arab Politics

The spat over Saudi Arabia’s refusal to support a Moroccan bid for hosting rights of the 2026 World Cup tells the tale of the rise of individual country nationalism at the expense of Arab solidarity, Saudi determination to safeguard its alliance with the US at any cost, and creeping Saudi and UAE efforts to strong-arm countries into supporting their 11-month-old diplomatic and economic boycott of Qatar.

Perspectives Papers