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2. The Case for Legal Reform in the IDF
- Author:
- Gabi Siboni
- Publication Date:
- 03-2026
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS)
- Abstract:
- The war has exposed a troubling pattern of legal encroachment on the battlefield, with the legal system shifting from a supporting role to a dominant force shaping security outcomes—at times at the expense of victory and at increased risk to soldiers. This paper proposes reforms to restore the balance between legal advice and security needs, remove self-imposed constraints, and return the IDF to a single clear objective: decisive victory
- Topic:
- Security, Armed Forces, Reform, and Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, and Palestine
3. Turkey–Israel Relations: Strategic Context and Policy Considerations
- Author:
- Gabi Siboni and Erez Winner
- Publication Date:
- 01-2026
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS)
- Abstract:
- Between Ankara’s regional ambition, ideological and religious zeal, and economic vulnerability—implications for Israel’s security and diplomacy
- Topic:
- Security, Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Bilateral Relations, Economy, and Regional Politics
- Political Geography:
- Turkey, Middle East, Israel, and Palestine
4. As Erdogan Tightens His Grip on Syria, What Can Israel Do?
- Author:
- Eran Lerman
- Publication Date:
- 02-2026
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS)
- Abstract:
- Following the agreement between the al-Sharaa regime and the Kurds, the consolidation of Turkish influence in Syria presents strategic dilemmas for Israel
- Topic:
- Security, Foreign Policy, Kurds, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Ahmad al-Sharaa
- Political Geography:
- Turkey, Middle East, Israel, and Syria
5. Netanyahu’s Long Game to Reorder the Middle East
- Author:
- Akram Zaoui
- Publication Date:
- 03-2026
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Istituto Affari Internazionali
- Abstract:
- As the inspirator of the ongoing war in the Middle East, Netanyahu’s actions must be read through decades of political action. US participation in the war marks the apex of years of manoeuvring in Washington to reshape the region. Goals sought include obliteration of regional strategic threats and normalisation with Arab countries from a position of undisputable strength.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Normalization, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Regional Politics
- Political Geography:
- Iran, Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and United States of America
6. The 2026 oil crisis: an opportunity for Europe's energy transition
- Author:
- Valérie Plagnol
- Publication Date:
- 04-2026
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Robert Schuman Foundation (RSF)
- Abstract:
- Seven weeks after the launch of the joint US-Israeli attacks against Iran on 28 February, the damage to regional production facilities and the virtual halt to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz have triggered a rise in crude oil prices of nearly 60% for the WTI index and over 70% for Brent. Despite the two-week truce declared on 7 April, these increases have already had a painful impact on our economies. The duration of the tensions will, of course, determine the severity of the crisis, but the damage has already been done.
- Topic:
- Oil, Armed Conflict, Energy Crisis, and Energy Transition
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Iran, Israel, United States of America, and Strait of Hormuz
7. Law and Politics of Israel and the United States’ Attacks on Iran with Maryam Jamshidi (Episode 54)
- Author:
- Sahar Aziz and Maryam Jamshidi
- Publication Date:
- 03-2026
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR), Rutgers University School of Law
- Abstract:
- Join host Professor Sahar Aziz (https://www.law.rutgers.edu/bio/sa1356) in her conversation with Professor Maryam Jamshidi (https://www.colorado.edu/law/node/125...) about the political and legal implications of Israel and the United States' unprovoked military attacks against Iran on February 28, 2026. As Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu publicly admitted, the Israeli government has been preparing for a war to topple the Iranian regime for over 30 years. (https://www.lemonde.fr/en/internation...) Knowing they do not possess sufficient military capacity to do it alone, Israel unsuccessfully attempted to persuade the United States to start a war of aggression against Iran under the Bush, Obama and Biden administrations. The reasons for restraint by past US administration were often the same. Iran posed no direct threat or conducted an imminent attack toward the US that legally justified an offensive war of aggression. The risk of a global economic downfall and the exorbitant price tag of a major war far outweighed the benefits of removing a hostile government. And perhaps most importantly from a military perspective, the United States had no exit strategy. Indeed, these were the same reasons that led to the Democratic Party winning the White House in 2008 after expensive and endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan after 2001. Republican politicians campaigned on an America First platform in the 2021 elections by explicitly rejecting wars of choice in the Middle East that cost American lives and treasure. And yet, Republican President Donald Trump violated that promise to his constituents and granted Israel its 30-year dream to start an offensive war on Iran despite no credible evidence of an imminent threat by Iran. The result has been predictably catastrophic for the Middle East and the global economy. The war has engulfed the Gulf states, the Strait of Hormuz is closed to the 20% of global supply of oil and natural gas, energy prices are skyrocketing across the world, Tehran is being bombarded daily by Israel, over 1300 Iranians have been killed thus far, and the war is costing American taxpayers $1 billion per day.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Armed Conflict, Aggression, and Global Economy
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, Palestine, North America, and United States of America
8. Black Power and Palestine: Transnational Countries of Color with Prof. Michael R. Fischbach (3/3/26)
- Author:
- Michael R. Fischbach
- Publication Date:
- 03-2026
- Content Type:
- Video
- Institution:
- Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR), Rutgers University School of Law
- Abstract:
- Journalists and others have taken note of the many Black students, religious leaders, and others who took part in demonstrations and other forms of Palestine solidarity during the recent Gaza war. This was in fact not a new phenomenon: Black solidarity with the Palestinian people dates back decades, when Black Power figures like Malcolm X and groups like SNCC and the Black Panther Party embraced the Palestinian cause in the 1960s 1970s. This lecture examines the historical roots of Black support for the Palestinians during that tumultuous period of American history and connects it with events today.
- Topic:
- History, Solidarity, 2023 Gaza War, and Black Power
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Gaza
9. Critical Perspectives on Relations Between Iran, Israel and the United States (3/17/26)
- Author:
- Juan Cole and Mojtada Mahdavi
- Publication Date:
- 03-2026
- Content Type:
- Video
- Institution:
- Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR), Rutgers University School of Law
- Abstract:
- Critical Perspectives on Relations Between Iran, Israel and the United States with Dr. Juan Cole, University of Michigan & Dr. Mojtada Mahdavi, University of Alberta (3/17/26) Israel and the United States' military attacks on Iran have prompted heated debates on the legality, political motives, and global economic impact of this latest war in the Middle East. Join the Rutgers Law Center for Security, Race and Rights for a critical analysis of the history, politics, and international relations between Israel, the United States and Iran by experts on Iran and the broader Middle East.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Law, Armed Conflict, and Global Economy
- Political Geography:
- Iran, Middle East, Israel, Palestine, North America, and United States of America
10. Urbicide and the Brutal Unmaking of the City in Gaza
- Author:
- Muhammad Alaraby
- Publication Date:
- 01-2026
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Cairo Review of Global Affairs
- Institution:
- School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, American University in Cairo
- Abstract:
- The war in Gaza speaks volumes about the future of warfare—privatized by mercenaries, automated by the large-scale deployment of AI-enabled weaponry, mediated by the live transmission of atrocities, and totally urbanized as they erase life in city centres. Although the human losses in Gaza are staggering—killing 70 thousand people, amounting to outright ‘genocide’—the war has also resulted in large-scale ‘urbicide’ through the annihilation of Gaza’s city spaces. Yet, this aspect of war will not end as the dust of destruction settles; it may resume with a new peace plan that opens Gaza to global capital to reshape its future, as envisioned by Trump.
- Topic:
- Genocide, Artificial Intelligence, 2023 Gaza War, Urbicide, and Urban Warfare
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Gaza
11. When European Semi-Fascism and Israeli Occupation Converge
- Author:
- Erwin van Veen
- Publication Date:
- 01-2026
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Cairo Review of Global Affairs
- Institution:
- School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, American University in Cairo
- Abstract:
- Semi-fascist parties in Europe support the exclusionary politics of Israel’s ultra-nationalists and ultra-religionists, raising concerns about their own plans once in office.
- Topic:
- Nationalism, Politics, Occupation, Fascism, Far Right, and Political Extremism
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Middle East, Israel, and Palestine
12. Palestine 2025: Views on Governance and Domestic Power Balance
- Author:
- Khalil Shikaki
- Publication Date:
- 01-2026
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Arab Barometer
- Abstract:
- Gaza War reshaped Palestinian society: priorities shifted from growth to basic services; trust mixed but satisfaction fell; civil liberties eroded. Public still values democracy yet increasingly favors a strong leader who can deliver stability. Politically, Fatah's support has collapsed, while Hamas has maintained its base, but the largest group is the politically alienated. Social norms grew more conservative. This landscape signals a deep crisis of governance and a public desire for new leadership. These are summary findings from the latest round of the Arab Barometer survey in Palestine, the ninth since these surveys began in the Arab world nearly twenty years ago. The survey was conducted by the institute for Polling and Survey Research West Bank and Gaza Strip during 8–26 October 2025. The period preceding the survey witnessed several important developments, including the continuation of the war on the Gaza Strip until a ceasefire was reached two days after fieldwork began. In the West Bank, settler violence and terror continued against vulnerable, unprotected Palestinian towns without intervention by either the Palestinian or Israeli police to stop these assaults—indeed with complicity and even encouragement in some cases from the Israeli government and with the army providing protection to settlers only. The Israeli army enforced closures on Palestinian areas and restricted Palestinians’ access to main roads in the West Bank.
- Topic:
- Corruption, Education, Migration, Governance, Democracy, Economy, Survey, Freedom, Political Participation, Palestinians, and 2023 Gaza War
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Gaza
13. Conflicts and Trends to Watch in 2026
- Author:
- Jessica Anania, Vicka Heidt, Anna Tuohey, and Jessica M. Smith
- Publication Date:
- 02-2026
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
- Abstract:
- Entering 2026, the global security landscape is defined by record-high levels of armed conflict, democratic backsliding, geopolitical fragmentation, and an accelerating climate crisis—dynamics unfolding alongside unprecedented cuts to foreign aid and development assistance. These converging pressures are reshaping conflict environments in ways that disproportionately endanger women and girls while eroding the systems meant to protect them, even as women remain central actors in humanitarian response, peacebuilding, and civic resistance. Women, Peace and Security: Conflicts and Trends to Watch in 2026 integrates gender-responsive analysis into conflict forecasting by drawing on insights from the Women, Peace and Security Conflict Tracker and expert consultations. This report identifies three cross-cutting trends expected to shape conflict dynamics in the year ahead: the increasing weaponization of hunger as a tactic of conquest and control, with devastating gendered consequences; political transitions that intensify repression, violence, and women’s exclusion at critical decision-making moments; and worsening climate shocks that compound displacement, insecurity, and economic loss for women and girls. The report also profiles 10 settings—Colombia, Ethiopia, Iran, Israel & Palestine, Mali, Pakistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela—where these dynamics are likely to be especially acute in 2026. By centering gendered risks as early warning indicators of instability, this report addresses a critical gap in mainstream conflict analysis and offers policymakers, donors, multilateral institutions, and civil society leaders a more inclusive framework for anticipating crises, protecting civilians, and advancing more durable and inclusive peace and security outcomes.
- Topic:
- Security, Women, Armed Conflict, Inclusion, Democratic Backsliding, Women, Peace, and and Security (WPS)
- Political Geography:
- Pakistan, Iran, Sudan, Ukraine, Israel, Colombia, Palestine, Venezuela, Ethiopia, Mali, South Sudan, and Global Focus
14. Israel's Recognition of Somaliland Heightens Tensions in the Horn of Africa
- Author:
- Jędrzej Czerep
- Publication Date:
- 02-2026
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM)
- Abstract:
- Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland as an independent state on 26 December last year triggered a series of dangerous processes in the Horn of Africa. These could lead to an escalation of armed conflicts within Somaliland’s declared borders and in its immediate vicinity. The EU should be guided in this matter by the criteria of legality and stability in the wider Horn of Africa.
- Topic:
- European Union, Borders, Armed Conflict, and Recognition
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Somaliland
15. Israel, Qatar, and the Hierarchy of Warning
- Author:
- Muhammed Ziyade
- Publication Date:
- 03-2026
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Military and Strategic Studies
- Institution:
- Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- On September 9, 2025, Israeli missiles struck a residential neighbourhood in Doha while U.S. Space Force tracked the operation in real time and relayed no warning to Qatar — the very state that hosts CENTCOM's forward headquarters. This study traces the detection-to-dissemination chain across the September 9th strike and two prior Iranian missile attacks on U.S. bases in Erbil (2020) and Al-Udeid (2025), and demonstrates that who fires the missile determines whether the warning precedes the impact. The Qualitative Military Edge doctrine, codified in U.S. law since 2008, sustains this hierarchy. Its operational consequence is stark: Iranian threats activated direct military channels within minutes, while the Israeli attack routed through a four-layer political chain (CENTCOM to President to Special Envoy to Qatar). September 9th exposes a most-favoured-nation design in American alliance architecture and compels Gulf capitals to construct sovereign early warning capabilities that do not route through the political hierarchies of their guarantors.
- Topic:
- Military Affairs, Alliance, Space Force, Quantitative Military Edge (QME), and CENTCOM
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, Palestine, Qatar, and United States of America
16. Between Realism and Constructivism: Theorising Foreign Policy Shifts After the Israel-Gaza War
- Author:
- Abeeta Hilal and Meha Pant
- Publication Date:
- 01-2026
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
- Institution:
- Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
- Abstract:
- The Israel-Gaza conflict, following the events of October 7, reignited global scrutiny of foreign policy postures, revealing a stark contrast between official state narratives and widespread public dissent. Whereas most governments resorted to a complex of realism in the reassertion of the strategic alliances and security interests, the responses of civil society, such as protests, advocacy, and media critique, emphasised the increasing pressure of a constructivist, norm-based approach to international engagement. This changing dynamic, the literature tends to present realism and constructivism as pugnacious rather than complementary paradigms, leaving a considerable gap in explaining the complexity of modern foreign policy-making. The theoretical deficit is addressed in the current paper, which examines changes in foreign policy from an integrative perspective that reconciles realist and constructivist theories. Using qualitative and historical data, the study analyses Western responses to the Israel-Gaza war, revealing tensions between strategic interests and ideological principles, requiring hybrid theoretical approaches.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Public Opinion, Realism, Constructivism, Norms, and 2023 Gaza War
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, and Gaza
17. Justice For Some: Law and the Question for Palestine with Noura Erakat (Episode 59)
- Author:
- Sahar Aziz and Noura Erakat
- Publication Date:
- 05-2026
- Content Type:
- Video
- Institution:
- Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR), Rutgers University School of Law
- Abstract:
- How has international law been strategically deployed to shape the Palestinian struggle for freedom across a century-long arc, from the Balfour Declaration in 1917 to present-day wars in Gaza. Join host Sahar Aziz (https://saharazizlaw.com/) in conversation with Noura Erakat about the promise and risk of international law in the pursuit of Palestinian freedom and the broader relationship between law and liberation. Our discussion examines the concept of "legal work"—the deliberate efforts by powerful actors to bend legal doctrine to their objectives—and how this has transformed international law to advance certain interests over others. We delve into the "sovereign exception" framework that has enabled the creation of exceptional legal categories excluding Palestinians from otherwise applicable protections, from the British Mandate period through Israeli occupation and colonization. Legal strategies have been used to consolidate territorial control, facilitate dispossession, and legitimize military tactics that compromise civilian protections globally, while also exploring moments when weaker actors have leveraged law's emancipatory potential through strategic and tactical ingenuity. Professor Noura Erakat’s groundbreaking work demonstrates that the law's current outcomes were never inevitable—that law is politics, and its meaning depends on political intervention by states and people alike. Through original interviews with principals from Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and comprehensive historical analysis, she reveals how Palestinian leaders gained significant legal victories at the UN before eventually exchanging hard-won international recognition for a bilateral peace process that accelerated their dispossession. Her work shows both the profound limitations of international law when serving the powerful and its counterintuitive utility when mobilized in support of political movements seeking liberation.
- Topic:
- International Law, Sovereignty, Law, and Justice
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Gaza
18. The Threshold of Dissent: A History of American Jewish Critics of Zionism with Marjorie Feld 4/9/26
- Author:
- Marjorie Feld
- Publication Date:
- 04-2026
- Content Type:
- Video
- Institution:
- Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR), Rutgers University School of Law
- Abstract:
- The Threshold of Dissent: A History of American Jewish Critics of Zionism with Professor Marjorie Feld (4/9/26) Throughout the twentieth century, American Jewish communal leaders projected a unified position of unconditional support for Israel, cementing it as a cornerstone of American Jewish identity. This unwavering position served to marginalize and label dissenters as antisemitic, systematically limiting the threshold of acceptable criticism. In pursuit of this forced consensus, these leaders entered Cold War alliances, distanced themselves from progressive civil rights and anti-colonial movements, and turned a blind eye to human rights abuses in Israel. In The Threshold of Dissent, Marjorie N. Feld instead shows that today’s vociferous arguments among American Jews over Israel and Zionism are but the newest chapter in a fraught history that stretches from the nineteenth century.
- Topic:
- Human Rights, Leadership, Zionism, Jews, and Antisemitism
- Political Geography:
- Israel, Palestine, and United States of America
19. Who are the Israel-backed armed groups fighting Hamas in Gaza?
- Author:
- Nasser Khdour
- Publication Date:
- 04-2026
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
- Abstract:
- When Hamas rejected a proposal by the United States-backed Board of Peace for the group’s full disarmament, it pointed not only to Israel’s continued violations of the ceasefire, but also to its support for anti-Hamas armed groups.1 While fears of continued Israeli attacks reinforce Hamas’ assertion that full disarmament would leave Gaza defenseless, the growing activity of Israel-backed groups has further hardened its position. As long as Israel continues providing these groups with weapons, training, and other support, their activities are likely to intensify. Violence from these groups will make Hamas even less willing to compromise on disarmament. Still, the groups don’t pose a credible threat to Hamas’ existence on their own. Anti-Hamas groups have grown in number and become more active since the October ceasefire. At least five of these groups now operate from Israel-controlled areas east of the Yellow Line across all Gaza governorates (see visual below). ACLED records more than 40 violent events since October involving these groups that resulted in nearly 80 fatalities. Their activity has intensified since February 2026, which coincided with the US’ efforts to advance phase 2 of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the conflict in Gaza.
- Topic:
- Armed Forces, Hamas, Ceasefire, Armed Conflict, and 2023 Gaza War
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Gaza
20. Israel-Kurd Relations in the Middle East Post-October 7
- Author:
- Uri Zaki
- Publication Date:
- 01-2026
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Mitvim: The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies
- Abstract:
- This policy paper examines the relationship between Israel and the Kurdish nation against the backdrop of the dramatic changes in the Middle East since the events of October 7, 2023. The collapse of the old order in Syria, developments in the Turkish arena, and the deepening confrontation between Israel and Iran have created a new regional reality in which the Kurds – a nation of 40 million dispersed across Syria, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran – have become a significant actor in shaping the regional balance of power. This paper is based on in-depth discussions with senior Kurdish officials and opinion leaders from the four major territories populated by Kurds, and seeks to diverge from an approach that views the Kurds as an assemblage of disparate communities. Consistently emerging from these discussions is the perception of the Kurds as a single nation despite the political and legal differences between their various concentrations, and the expectation of Israel to adopt an overarching long-term policy, tailored to the various Kurdish arenas. From Israel’s perspective, its relations with the Kurds should be considered an independent component of its regional policy rather than a by-product of its confrontations with other regional actors. In the Syrian arena, the continued existence of effective Kurdish autonomy serves Israel’s interests of decentralization, containment of Turkish influence, and protection of minorities. In the Turkish arena, the Kurd issue is intertwined with efforts to deal with a hostile Hamas-supporting regime, while in Iran, the Kurds constitute a unique opposition with potential for domestic action. This paper was completed shortly before the recent events in northeastern Syria, which included aggressive military actions against Kurd autonomy by the al-Sharaa regime, which threaten the community’s very existence. These developments underscore the fragility of the arrangements in the Syrian arena and reinforce the need for an Israeli strategy vis a vis the Kurds. The English transaltion of the original Hebrew memo, is published in the midst of the war between the US & Israel and Iran. In which the Kurds, again, might play a crucial role. This paper proposes a series of actionable recommendations for a proactive Israeli policy based on diplomatic and security tools and on soft-power civilian, academic, and cultural tools, grounded in an understanding that the question is not whether Israel will be forced to take a stand on the Kurdish issue, but how it should do so in an informed, strategic manner. Read here
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Kurds, Regional Politics, October 7, 2023 Gaza War, and 2026 Iran War
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Kurdistan