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Perspectives Papers

Perspectives Papers provide analysis from BESA Center research associates and other outside experts on the most important issues pertaining to Israel and the Middle East.

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Possible Succession Scenarios In Iran

A presidential election will take place in Iran on June 18, and it is rumored that Ali Khamenei prefers one candidate above the others: Chief Justice Ebrahim Raisi. While Raisi has never belonged to the IRGC, his election would nevertheless represent a victory for the hardliners. Despite his lack of religious credentials, Raisi is also considered a serious contender to succeed Khamenei as Supreme Leader.

Iran’s Threat to Iraq Is a Threat to the US

The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence recently released its annual threat assessment, in which Iran is mentioned no fewer than 60 times as part of a “diverse array of threats” facing the US. Iran is moving toward its goal of full domination of Iraq and the expulsion of the last remaining US forces from that country, a result that would represent a great success for the Islamic Republic.

Biden’s Use of the G-Word Furthers Turkey’s Isolation

President Joe Biden’s use of the word “genocide” on Armenian Remembrance Day was not a game-changer in US-Turkish relations, which are plagued by more fundamental problems. But it enhances Turkey’s political isolation, weakens its arguments on whether a genocide did or did not occur in 1915-24, and further destabilizes whatever is left of Ankara’s soft power.

China: A Necessary Rival to the US

Ever since America’s rivalry with the Soviets came to an end in the 1990s, the US has struggled to determine what its global position should be. It could be that a rival is necessary for the US to clarify its goals and revitalize its stagnating position on the world stage. China could play the role of necessary rival.

Israeli Arabs Crossed a Red Line

The widespread riots initiated during Operation Guardian of the Walls by Israeli Arabs in support of Hamas—riots that took place while the terror organization was raining thousands of missiles down on the Jewish state, which it seeks to destroy—were a major escalation in their relations with the country’s Jewish majority. This is a serious development, and one that must not be ignored by the Israeli government. Anyone who identifies with Israel’s enemies at any time, let alone in wartime, should no longer be considered a citizen of the country and forfeit the right to benefit from its advantages.

Turkey: How Not to Handle a Pandemic

Turkey’s official COVID-19 numbers reveal the government’s efforts to combat the pandemic as worthy of a commedia all’Italiana. As of mid-April, Turkey was the second-worst performer in the world, with 710.46 cases per million people. This is despite the country’s possession of a strong health infrastructure.

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