Implications of US Disengagement from the Middle East

The adverse implications of US withdrawal from the Middle East are manifold, including: the acceleration of Tehran’s drive to regional hegemony, the palpable risk of regional nuclear proliferation following the JCPOA, the spread of jihadist Islam, and Russia’s growing penetration of the region. Manifest US weakness is also bound to have ripple effects far beyond the Middle East.

The Syrian Civil War: An Interim Balance Sheet

The desire of the international community to end the Syrian civil war is offset by the inability of any individual party to enforce its preferred solution. The conflict, which is likely to continue for some time, has solidified the centrality of Russia and Iran in regional affairs. Israel’s options are limited.

The Russians Are Leaving Syria. Why the Surprise?

The partial departure of Russian forces from Syria reflects Vladimir Putin's achievement of several well-defined goals, including the stabilization of Bashar al-Assad and the bolstering of Russia's global diplomatic position. The resultant balance of power in Syria gives Israel time and space with which to bolster its defenses.

Syria’s Unraveling Gives Way to New Regional Order

Russia's increased deployment in Syria, and Iran and Hezbollah's tightening grip on areas just north of the Israel-Syria border, may soon change regional realities irrevocably. More than ever, Israel must remain determined in its efforts to prevent Hezbollah from obtaining game-changing weapons.

Russian Ambitions, and Israeli Opportunities, in the Partition of Syria

There is a contradiction between the ultimate purposes of Russia and Iran in their intervention in Syria. Putin’s concern for Assad's survival could give Israel some policy leverage, if Israel astutely navigates its way through the situation. This means that Israel should not be tempted to support Saudi-led efforts to unseat Assad or otherwise bring about a decisive outcome in Syria’s civil war.

Russia’s New National Identity under Putin’s Regime

Putin is recreating a Russian national identity for a disoriented and traumatized Russian people.

Turmoil in the Eastern Mediterranean: A View from America’s Allies

Watch Prof. Efraim Inbar deliver a speech on the shifting power dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean at the Hudson Institute, Washington DC

The Ties Between Israel and Azerbaijan

Since gaining independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has emerged as one of Israel’s closest friends in the Muslim world. Israeli-Azerbaijani ties have expanded to include oil and weapon supplies, as well as cooperation in information technology, medicine, water purification and agriculture.

The New Strategic Equation in the Eastern Mediterranean

For centuries, the Mediterranean Sea was the main arena for international interactions, before it was replaced by the Atlantic Ocean and subsequently by the Pacific. Nevertheless, as the historical meeting place between East and West, the East Mediterranean was the focus of significant superpower competition during the Cold War and still has strategic significance.

China is the Likely Winner in Ukraine

After decades of negotiations between Moscow and Beijing for a long term natural gas mega-contract, it seems that Russia has finally relented to China’s terms.