- Burak Bekdil
- Paper No. 1982
Turkey, a member of NATO, now effectively has a jihadi proxy force that it has deployed in its Syrian homeland as well as in faraway war theaters like Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh.
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.
- Dr. Frank Musmar
- Paper No. 1981
Deep-rooted and persistent antisemitism is one of the central reasons for the Arab world’s lack of innovation and development relative to Israel and the Western world. The problem of antisemitism in the Arab world needs to be addressed before attempts are made to solve the Israeli-Palestinian problem, not postponed until after a solution is found.
- Burak Bekdil
- Paper No. 1980
The shady purchase of Cougar helicopters by the Turkish military was a 1990s-era controversy. An even bigger question than the terms of their purchase is how the Turkish military managed to lose 40 soldiers while operating them.
- Emil Avdaliani
- Paper No. 1979
EU-Russia relations are at their lowest since the end of the Cold War and show limited potential for meaningful improvement. The era of attempts to reset bilateral ties is over. The estrangement between Brussels and Moscow may contribute toward a strengthening of Europe’s ties to the US.
- Prof. Hillel Frisch
- Paper No. 1978
The possible ICC probe into Israel’s behavior in Gaza will likely renew interest in the 2014 Hamas-Israel confrontation. There is much evidence to suggest that the number of Palestinian fatalities was exaggerated and that most of them were terrorists, not civilians.
- Jordan Cope
- Paper No. 1977
The UAE has long been the main sponsor of global football (soccer). In recent years, Qatar has sought to usurp that role, competing for club, league, and tournament sponsorships even as it competes for influence in the Middle East’s proxy wars. The UAE and Qatar have reconciled, but there is reason to believe Doha may be using football sponsorships to draw attention and conceal its Islamism as it seeks to supplant Saudi and Emirati influence.
- Dr. Hanan Shai
- Paper No. 1976
Brig.-Gen. (res.) Hasson Hasson’s recent depiction of the threats facing Israel is very disturbing, even if it contains no new revelations. The IDF is undergoing a revolution as it strives to be prepared to handle these threats.
- Evyatar Friesel
- Paper No. 1974
Let’s face it: Israelis aren’t interested in the problem of antisemitism. This is a mistake, as antisemitic views, in their diverse formulations and disguises, continue to influence international attitudes regarding the Jewish State. In Germany, the lumping of antisemitism together with other hatreds has resulted in a form of “antisemitism-lite” that remains as insidious as its earlier incarnations.
- Yaakov Lappin
- Paper No. 1973
Iran’s hegemony scheme for the Middle East not only includes surrounding Israel with missile bases and heavily armed proxies, but also equipping territories further away, such as Iraq and Yemen, to be future bases of attack. Behind the scenes, and despite its severe economic distress due to US sanctions, Iran is working constantly to infiltrate and consolidate its presence in lands with partial or failed sovereignty, or, in the case of Syria, ruled by an ally.
- Emil Avdaliani
- Paper No. 1972
Western pundits spend a great deal of time trying to determine “who lost Turkey.” Ankara’s relations with the West are indeed tense, but there will be no severing of ties or withdrawal from NATO. Ankara is attempting a balancing act in which it diversifies its external ties to include Eurasia rather than remain anchored solely to the West.