The Muslim Brotherhood Inside the Israeli Government

In an attempt to justify breaking his repeated promises not to form a government with the support of the United Arab List (Ra’am) because of its opposition to Israel’s existence and backing of Palestinian terror organizations, new PM Naftali Bennett is portraying Ra’am as a pragmatic Islamic party seeking to advance the interests of the Israeli Arab sector. But pragmatism must not be confused with moderation.

Challenges to Gaza Ceasefire Are Arising Quickly

Yaakov Lappin
June 24, 2021
Paper No. 2079

Hamas will always prioritize its radical ideological and political objectives over pragmatic considerations whenever those two factors come into conflict. As Israeli decision makers monitor Hamas’s renewed efforts at force build-up following Operation Guardian of the Walls, they face dilemmas as they look for “least-worst” options.

Iran, Russia, and Turkey: A Eurasionist Model of Foreign Relations

Emil Avdaliani
June 22, 2021
Paper No. 2078

Iran, Turkey, and Russia are building a new model of bilateral ties. Unshackled by formal alliances, the trio is showing it can work together to limit Western influence while avoiding an overreliance on one another. This mixture of correlating and contradictory interests, which characterizes the new Eurasianist model of bilateral relations, is a product of the changing global order.

Erdoğan’s Caricature State

Burak Bekdil
June 21, 2021
Paper No. 2077

Power fatigue per se does not fully explain the decline of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He will have a hard time uniting a majority of Turks around the flag and the mosque in the presidential elections of 2023.

China’s New Security Concept for Afghanistan

Emil Avdaliani
June 20, 2021
Paper No. 2076

The announced withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan could represent an opportunity for Beijing to expand its geopolitical influence westward. This would be fraught with security risks for Xinjiang and Central Asia. Beijing might be creative in how it manages the Afghan problem, possibly establishing a quartet of states that share not only security and economic interests but a deep revulsion toward an America-led world order.

Concessions to Hamas Lead to Violence. Holding Firm Leads to Calm

Israeli concessions in Jerusalem led to the recent outbreak of serious fighting, but insisting on the flag parade led to relative calm. Will the new leadership of Bennett and Lapid take this to heart, or will Israelis pay the costs of a misguided belief in concessions?

Erdoğan’s Eastern Med Repentance: Too Little, Too Late

Burak Bekdil
June 17, 2021
Paper No. 2074

Turkey’s string of failures and increasing isolation in the Eastern Med have forced President Erdoğan to recalibrate his policy toward the region.

Imagining a World Without US Primacy

Emil Avdaliani
June 16, 2021
Paper No. 2073

The shrinking of the American presence in Eurasia will accelerate the creation of new spheres of influence. The US will still be a prominent player, but its power will be significantly curtailed and the global institutions it has built will decay—the inevitable result of illiberal states ganging up on the last remnants of the liberal order remaining in the heart of Eurasia.

Changing the Focus of Israel Advocacy

Larry D. Weiss
June 14, 2021
Paper No. 2072

Those who advocate for Israel often take a defensive posture in response to endless attacks from advocates for the Palestinians. The debate focuses entirely on Israel’s perceived imperfections. Instead, pro-Israel advocates should take an offensive posture, shifting the focus of debate onto Palestinian behavior and holding Palestinian leaders accountable for their malfeasance.

Did the Latest Israel-Hamas Round of Fighting Increase Criticism of Israel?

The visibility of pro-Palestinian protesters during the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, especially in the US, gave the impression that the delegitimization of Israel has reached new heights. An analysis of Google Trends indicates otherwise.

Perspectives Papers