Jewish Policy Center: Recent Episodes
Jewish Policy Center
The Jewish Policy Center, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, provides timely perspectives and analysis of foreign and domestic policies by leading scholars, academics, and commentators.
The rise of antisemitism on the right of the American political spectrum is alarming. But it is important to note that the discussion and the argument are taking place in public; there is no hiding.
Join us for a discussion with Ken Timmerman, author, political analyst, and Christian Zionist, about the split in the Christian community and why, in fact, Zionism and pro-Israel advocacy are pro-American positions.
https://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/podcast-player/27639/event-us-central-asian-relations-in-the-era-of-abraham-accords.mp3The Jewish Policy Center joined with the Energy, Growth, and Security Program of the International Tax and Investment Center (ITIC) for a panel to examine US strategy in Central Asia. JPC Senior Director Shoshana Bryen moderated the group of regional specialists who emphasized a growing and often overlooked dimension in the region’s diplomacy: its deepening relationships with Israel and new openings created by the Abraham Accords.
The panel included:
- Ariel Cohen, Ph.D. of ITIC
- Stephen Blank, Ph.D. of the American Foreign Policy Institute
- Margarita Assenova, Senior Fellow at The Jamestown Foundation, and
- Kamran Bokhari, Senior Director at the New Lines Institute
During a wide-ranging discussion of security, economics, and emerging geopolitical alignments, panelists noted that Central Asia’s five republics—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan—have maintained stable diplomatic ties with Israel for more than three decades.
Cohen described the five as “culturally moderate Sunni Muslim countries” whose longstanding channels with Israel have quietly expanded since their independence. He argued that this moment offers the first serious possibility of extending the Abraham Accords beyond the Middle East into the Eurasian space. Cohen pointed to Azerbaijan’s increasingly open interest in joining the Accords and suggested that Central Asian states could follow, describing such a development as a potential “force field for prosperity, investment, and American security.”
Bokhari tied policy shifts to a “new US geo-strategy,” one that connects the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia into a single emerging architecture, with Israel playing an increasingly important role in energy, security cooperation, and technological exchange across the broader Eurasian corridor. October 7, he said, had not derailed the Accords but only delayed and reshaped the path forward. And Kazakhstan’s recent move toward joining the Abraham Accords—something many analysts believed was years away—signaled accelerating diplomatic realignment.
Assenova tied the changes as well to the countries’ realization that they were “between the Russian bear and the Chinese dragon” after Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine and China’s decreased investments in its Belt and Road initiative. Determined that the way forward was to become politically and economically important, in 2015 the C-5 was established to coordinate and advance the capabilities and resources of the five countries together.
The discussion framed Israel not only as a political partner for Central Asia but also as a technological and environmental one. Cohen highlighted US–Israel leadership on water technology—an area of growing urgency as Central Asia faces shrinking glaciers, reduced inflows to the Caspian Sea, and long-term water stress. He noted that Israeli and American expertise in desalination, water recycling, and efficient irrigation fills a critical gap in regional capabilities.
Blank, emphasizing that increasing water shortages and our understanding of the dislocation and political upheaval that drought has brought to Africa, argued for “sustained bureaucratic support” from the US, including the creation of assistant secretaries for Central Asia in the Departments of Energy, State, and Treasury – as well as in the Pentagon – and close cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Energy is another major driver in Central Asian planning, as European countries are increasingly turning to the region to supplant Russian energy.
This evolving alignment, panelists agreed, places countries like Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan at the crossroads of Israel–Gulf–Central Asia relations. Assenova underscored that Azerbaijan in particular has “organic” links to the Middle East and is strengthening ties that connect the South Caucasus with Central Asia through energy corridors, trade routes, and now diplomatic channels shaped by the Accords.
As the forum closed, participants emphasized that new links between Israel and Central Asia are not a sideshow but a key part of a broader reordering of Eurasia—driven by regional integration, shifting great-power balances, and US efforts to cultivate stable partners across the continent. They argued that this moment marks the most promising opening in decades for deeper cooperation involving Washington, Central Asia, and Israel.
And indeed, Kazakhstan did announce its accession to the Accords while the program was underway – serendipity for the panel and for the audience.
We were pleased to record a session with Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and we are pleased to share the podcast with you.
Jonathan wrote recently, “Israel stood unwavering in the face of withering assaults, one more punishing than the next. And with help from the American president, it emerged from the fighting bruised but intact.”
The situation is not perfect, and may never be, but his assessment offers reason for optimism and suggests a path forward.
The Gaza “ceasefire” lasted only until Hamas refused to return the bodies of the deceased Israeli hostages. Since then, Hamas sent civilians to violate the IDF lines, has forsworn disarmament, and has been murdering Palestinians in the streets of Gaza. Some people – including in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain – are becoming nervous. As they should. And the US position appears to need modification.
Join us for a conversation with Or Yissachar, Executive Director of the David Institute for Policy and Strategy, an arm of the Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF-Habithonistim).
Many people have been holding their breath for the past two years, unsure that the Abraham Accords – the brilliant accomplishment of the first Trump administration – could withstand the pressures of the war in Gaza. We admit to being among them. But not only have the Accords survived, it now seems that they are ripe for expansion as parts of the Arab and Muslim world reject the vicious terrorist philosophy of Hamas, Hezbollah, and their sponsor, Iran.
Join us as David Schenker, Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and former US diplomat, takes us through the region to understand the resilience of the Accords and the political winds blowing through the Arab world and beyond.
While our attention has been taken up largely with events in the Middle East, China has been pursuing its own long-term regional goals – some of which are inimical to American interests and the interests of America’s allies. What has China been doing? How does Washington understand China’s increasing military confidence? Is the US assessment evolving – and have US capabilities kept pace?
Join us as former Pentagon official and security specialist Stephen Bryen brings us an analysis of China’s growing military capabilities and the geopolitical challenges Beijing presents in the Indo-Pacific region.
Reports coming from Lebanon are, in many ways, encouraging – the Lebanese government, it seems, is done with Hezbollah and the wreckage of a once-beautiful and prosperous country. The question is, can the government carry out the mandate to remove Hezbollah, its weapons and its influence and create peaceful relations with Israel?
Hussain Abdul-Hussain, research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, walks us through the disparate threads of Lebanese politics – from the comforting and hopeful to the skeptical, cynical, and despairing.
A Crumbling but Shifting Status QuoHussein Abdel-Hussain cautiously celebrated what he called one of the most consequential developments in Lebanon’s modern history: the weakening of Hezbollah following the reported assassination of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and what he described as Israel’s “crushing” of Hezbollah’s operational capabilities. This surprising turn of events has opened what he characterizes as a “window of opportunity” for the Lebanese state to reclaim sovereignty and redefine itself as more neutral and nationally focused.
Although Hezbollah and its Shia political partner Amal initially agreed to a cessation of hostilities in late November 2024, they have since moved the goalposts. Specifically, Hezbollah now demands Israeli withdrawal from strategic hilltops before it will even consider discussions on disarmament, thus reverting back to old patterns of negotiation delay and defiance—strategies previously employed by figures like Yasser Arafat.
Legal and Political BreakthroughsDespite Hezbollah’s resistance, the Lebanese government has achieved a historic milestone. For the first time since 1969, the Cabinet passed a resolution asserting that only state institutions are authorized to bear arms inside Lebanon. This directly challenges Hezbollah’s decades-long extralegal military presence. Even more remarkably, the decision was made with Hezbollah-affiliated ministers still in the temporary caretaker government, giving the resolution additional political weight.
The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have been officially tasked with drafting a plan to disarm Hezbollah—a move that underscores a shift from rhetorical opposition to potential enforcement. A meeting to review the military’s disarmament plan is set, though the LAF has indicated that a full disarmament could take 15 months, well beyond the end-of-the-year deadline set by the Cabinet.
The Struggle of the Lebanese Armed ForcesThe Lebanese military, although increasingly seen as the backbone of national unity and sovereignty, faces severe logistical, operational, and financial challenges. Salaries have plunged to poverty levels due to the economic collapse, and the rank-and-file soldiers struggle with basic needs—including fuel and clean drinking water. Many soldiers hold second jobs to survive, and troop numbers are insufficient to handle complex disarmament tasks.
While the United States once provided $144 million annually to support the LAF, this aid has intermittently lapsed due to political friction and has recently been replaced by funding from Qatar, which raises concerns about foreign influence.
Qatar and Turkey: External Influences and Islamist AmbitionsAbdel-Hussain expressed discomfort with growing Qatari—and increasingly Turkish—influence in Lebanon, particularly within the Sunni community in the north and in Beirut. These nations, he warned, are promoting Islamist factions aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood. This power vacuum, created by Saudi Arabia’s retreat from Lebanon since 2017, has allowed pro-Qatar and pro-Turkey candidates to gain municipal influence.
Worse yet, Turkey is replicating strategies previously demonstrated by Iran—investing in loyalist militias and seeking political hegemony in Syria and Lebanon alike. Abdel-Hussain emphasized that Turkey’s intelligence chief-turned-foreign minister Hakan Fidan could become the “new Qassem Soleimani” in terms of aspiring for regional dominance.
The Role of the United States: Mixed Messaging, Diplomatic FumblesThe conversation took a critical turn when examining America’s diplomacy. Abdel-Hussain strongly criticized US Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barak for bypassing Israel while presenting a policy paper outlining the roadmap to disarm Hezbollah. That paper was approved by the Lebanese cabinet and included commitments from Israel—commitments that Israel had never actually seen or endorsed. This misstep wasted valuable diplomatic capital, undermined credibility, and gave Hezbollah a new talking point.
High-level U.S. diplomacy in the region, Abdel-Hussain argued, has become imbalanced and bureaucratically overloaded—with the same officials covering Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon. He emphasized the importance of restoring proper diplomatic structure and cautioning against over-centralized decision-making.
Hezbollah’s Deep Systemic RiskWhile there are Shia soldiers in the Lebanese army, there is scant evidence of systemic Hezbollah infiltration in the senior ranks, according to Abdel-Hussain. He cited funerals of Shia Lebanese soldiers killed in ammunition depot incidents potentially connected to Hezbollah, emphasizing that the community—especially its younger members—showed signs of divergence from militant loyalty.
He dismissed the idea that Hezbollah’s weapons are essential for Shia security, explaining that Lebanon’s Shia are one-third of the population and not an embattled minority like the Syrian Alawites. The rationale for armed militancy, he said, is increasingly seen as a cover for political control, not existential protection.
UNIFIL: An Expired MandateUNIFIL, the UN force stationed in southern Lebanon since 1978, received sharp criticism. Abdel-Hussain blasted it as ineffective, politically unwieldy, and financially wasteful. He accused the French of prolonging its life to maintain influence and jobs, describing it as a “sacred cow” that enables Hezbollah by acting as a passive buffer while spending over $500 million annually. The recent decision to terminate UNIFIL’s mandate was hailed as long overdue, with a final 16-month extension granted as a political compromise with France.
Iran’s Declining Influence—But Stay VigilantWhile not declaring Iran fully out of the picture, Abdel-Hussain argued that its effectiveness is waning. Much of the infrastructure and political capital Iran built in Lebanon and Syria through Hezbollah and the Assad regime is significantly diminished. However, vigilance is required, lest Hezbollah regroups or Iran seeks to finance a resurgence. Currently, he sees Iran’s threat limited mostly to missile capabilities from within its borders or via Yemeni Houthis.
France: Their Influence Viewed as DestructiveHussein Abdel-Hussain sharply criticized French involvement in Lebanon, alleging that it has become a source of obstruction and incoherence. The French approach, he argued, is economically motivated, opportunistic, and inconsistent with the best interests of the Lebanese people or with stability in the region.
The Final Question: Can Lebanon Become Unitary and Neutral Again?Wrapping up on a cautiously optimistic note, Abdel-Hussain argued that history provides the answer: from 1943 to 1975, Lebanon was a neutral, largely self-governed and pluralistic society that emphasized commerce, leisure, and coexistence. The key to its rehabilitation lies in a return to a small, libertarian-minded state that stays out of regional power struggles.
He asserted that, if left alone, the Lebanese people would opt for peace and prosperity. However, foreign intervention—especially from Iran, Turkey, and Qatar—must be firmly resisted, and Hezbollah’s grip must weaken to restore national unity.
ConclusionThere’s no hiding the uphill nature of Lebanon’s path forward, but for the first time in decades, there may exist a genuine foundation for change. If internal unity can hold—and external pressure can be strategically curtailed—following through on disarming Hezbollah could pave the way for constitutional stability and regional reintegration.
Is peace possible? Perhaps not yet—but for Lebanon, neutrality might just be the first great victory.
Summary prepared by a LLM.
Jewish Policy Center Senior Director Shoshana Bryen hosted Professor Mark Meirowitz, a foreign policy and Turkey expert from SUNY Maritime College, for a deep dive into Ankara’s growing regional role, its involvement in Syria’s evolution, and its increasingly fraught relationship with Israel. With characteristic clarity and urgency, Prof. Meirowitz broke down the labyrinth of regional alliances and rivalries, calling the situation “literally mind-boggling” and comparing Syria to a “petri dish for chaos.”
HTS, Al-Shara, and the Shake-up in SyriaThe ousting of Bashar Assad by the jihadist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Ahmed al-Shara (also known as al-Jolani), marks a significant shift in Syria’s power structure—and possibly the region’s. Once associated with al-Qaeda and ISIS, al-Jolani now wears suits and promotes a veneer of moderation. “Maybe the Turks provided him with some of these outfits,” Meirowitz quipped, questioning the authenticity of his transformation.
Al-Jolani was “boosted by” Turkish support, Meirowitz explained, calling him a Turkish client rather than an independent actor. HTS’s limited control—bolstered by foreign fighters like Uyghurs—has led to violent, sectarian repression, particularly against Alawites, Druze, Christians, and Kurds. “We’re with al-Shara, and a lot of people are depending on him,” Meirowitz said ominously.
Turkey’s Interests: Stabilizing Syria to Serve Domestic NeedsTurkey’s involvement, Meirowitz stressed, is strategic. With over 3 million Syrian refugees inside its borders, Ankara is pressuring Damascus to stabilize and repatriate them. “The Turks want them back to Syria,” he said, noting the domestic strain and political sensitivity of the refugee crisis.
Turkey has walked a fine line—signing infrastructure and defense agreements with HTS-controlled Syria while avoiding giving it full military autonomy. “Turkey’s position is that Al-Shara is the go-to person… Let al-Shara unify the country,” Meirowitz explained. But internal Kurdish dynamics—particularly involving PKK, now in peace talks with Erdogan’s government—make full alignment with HTS and Syrian Kurds tenuous.
Will Turkey’s NATO Membership Complicate It All?One of the more sobering insights from Meirowitz was the hypothetical scenario of Turkey, a NATO power, declaring a no-fly zone over Syria—potentially triggering Article 5 protections if hostilities break out with Israel. “That, to me, is the number one worry… that Israel and Turkey would come to conflict,” he warned.
He emphasized the ongoing “deconfliction meetings” between Israel and Turkey, and Israel and Syria—possibly triangulating with al-Jolani himself. But of all the moving parts, Meirowitz emphasized Turkey’s NATO status remains a critical leverage point: “Let’s be realistic here. If there was a skirmish…Article 5 could be on the table.”
Humanitarian Crises and Jihadi Control: Who is Really Running Syria?The ongoing massacres of minorities, particularly the Druze in Suweida, raise urgent questions about al-Jolani’s power. “Has he lost control over the jihadis in his own ranks?” Meirowitz pondered, highlighting the grim possibility of Syria spiraling toward becoming a full-blown jihadi state.
“The optics are totally opposed to [the idea of moderation],” he said, noting public executions and forced beard-shaving of Druze men as disturbing parallels to Nazi visual propaganda. “Clearly, this is reprehensible. The United States isn’t going to stand for it,” he added, referring to conditional American Congressional support for lifting sanctions on Syria.
Erdogan’s Domestic Calculations: Kurds, Elections, and PowerTurning inward, Turkey’s President Erdoğan is eyeing another term in 2028. Despite constitutional term limits, he may seek early elections or amendments—with the support of Kurdish parliamentarians. “He’s very popular in Turkey,” Meirowitz said, crediting Erdoğan’s projection of Turkey as a global power broker. “Turkey’s been made into a player on the world stage.”
However, he noted Turkey’s lira is down, inflation is high, and economic growth is tenuous beneath the surface. This tension is compounded by Erdoğan’s crackdown on political opponents, including jailing rivals and invalidating degrees to prevent candidacies.
The Bigger Stage: Turkey in Africa, NATO, and the UNTurkey’s ambitions extend far beyond Syria. From military expansion in Africa to attempting alignment with BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Ankara aims to diversify its global relevance. “They see themselves as undervalued,” noted Meirowitz. “It’s not aggrandizement—it’s coming from a feeling of being ignored.”
Erdogan’s call that “the world is bigger than five” is a veiled critique of the UN Security Council’s permanent members—hinting at Turkey’s desire for global restructuring that reflects its new stature. “They’re trying to flex their muscles,” as one webinar participant insightfully noted.
Israel, Hamas, and the Limits of PragmatismMeirowitz criticized Turkey’s staunch support for Hamas and Hezbollah, calling it “a rabbit hole of disaster.” While support for Palestinian causes earns Erdogan domestic points, it’s constraining Turkey’s global relationships. “If everybody’s a freedom fighter, that doesn’t fly,” he said.
At times, Israel and Turkey have found pragmatic partnership—like continued trade and oil transits during Syria’s civil war—but the anti-Israel posture, sanctions, and rhetoric place those gains at risk. “We need to get together,” Meirowitz relayed from a Turkish businessman. “We like the same things… same food… same values.”
Final Thoughts: Cautious Optimism, But Beware the Fault LinesIn his closing remarks, Prof. Meirowitz struck a “guarded optimism” tone for Turkey’s trajectory. “I believe Turkish leadership is going to give further thought to these directions,” he said, hoping Ankara will reconsider its Hamas alliance for more fruitful cooperation with Israel and the West.
Bryen offered sober context: “Israel and Iran were friends once, too—until they weren’t.” As Prof. Meirowitz put it, “Hamas is not a future for Turkey.”
As the region’s political tectonics keep shifting, one question looms: Will Turkey’s pragmatism prevail over ideology—or will ambition lead it down a path of strategic overreach? The answer, as Bryen put it, remains a moving thread.
Hussein Abdel Hussein, a distinguished research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joined us today to share his expertise on Middle Eastern politics, particularly focusing on the Druze community and regional dynamics. As a leading authority on the subject, Hussein brings extensive knowledge about the complexities of Syrian politics, inter-community relations, and the broader geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. His insights have been particularly valuable in understanding the current situation facing the Druze community, their defensive mindset, and the intricate relationships between various regional powers. Hussein’s deep understanding of Middle Eastern sovereignty challenges and his experience in analyzing regional conflicts makes him uniquely qualified to address the complex issues facing Syria and its minority communities.
Druze Community and Israeli InterventionThe meeting focused on the situation in Syria, particularly the Druze community and Israel’s intervention to protect them. Hussein Abdel Hussein, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, explained the unique characteristics of the Druze, including their defensive mindset and loyalty to their host countries. He emphasized that the recent violence in Syria was not initiated by the Druze, who were instead defending themselves against invaders. The discussion highlighted the complexities of Middle Eastern politics and the challenges of prioritizing democratic elections and individual rights in a region with a different cultural and societal focus.
Druze Plight and Shara’s LeadershipHussain discussed the situation in Syria, focusing on the Druze community’s plight and the actions of the new leader, Ahmad Shara, who previously had ties to Al-Qaeda. He criticized the approach of giving Islamists financial support, citing past failures, and emphasized the need for conditions to be set for Shara to gain trust. Hussain praised Israel’s intervention to protect the Druze and expressed frustration with Western countries, particularly the UK and France, for not supporting the Druze and for their previous role in backing Shara. He also highlighted the importance of shared power and concessions from Shara to ensure the safety of minority groups in Syria.
Syria Post-Assad Governance StrategyHussain and Shoshana discussed the situation in Syria, emphasizing the lack of a concrete plan for post-Assad governance. Hussain argued that the U.S. and its allies could support non-Islamist factions like the Druze, Kurds, and Christians without direct military involvement, focusing on diplomatic and economic support. They highlighted the roles of Turkey, Qatar, and Iran in supporting Sunni Islamists and the need to exclude these countries from any reconstruction plan. Hussain proposed aligning with allies like the UAE, Kuwait, Morocco, Israel, and Cyprus to create a stable, inclusive Syria under Assad’s presidency, with concessions made to him in exchange for cooperation.
Druze Attacks: Turkish-Israeli Proxy WarHussain discussed the brutal attacks on the Druze in Syria, highlighting the involvement of two major clans from the northeast, Gaddat and Naim, which he believes were orchestrated by Syrian intelligence and Turkish interests, rather than being a simple tribal revenge. Shoshana raised questions about whether Al-Shara was directing these attacks and expressed skepticism about the possibility of a lasting peace if the attackers are true Islamists. Hussain explained that the main driver of the conflict in Syria is the competition between Turkey and Israel, and he suggested that the attack on the Druze was part of Turkey’s strategy to establish a foothold on the border with Israel.
US-Turkey-Qatar Relations: Strategic ChallengesShoshana and Hussain discussed the complex dynamics between the US, Turkey, and Qatar, highlighting the challenges of balancing relations with Turkey as a NATO ally while addressing concerns about its and Qatar’s support for groups like Hamas. Hussain emphasized the need for an honest conversation with Turkey and Qatar, expressing frustration with their double-standard policies and calling for sanctions or confrontation if they continue undermining US interests. Shoshana raised questions about the US’s approach to negotiations with Hamas and Qatar, expressing skepticism about their willingness to align with US interests. Both participants expressed disappointment with the lack of action from Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states in addressing regional issues, particularly in Syria and Lebanon, and questioned the effectiveness of current strategies in the region.
Middle East Sovereignty ChallengesHussain and Shoshana discussed the challenges of self-determination and sovereignty in the Middle East, highlighting inconsistencies in how different groups are treated. They explored how nation-states have been imposed on various populations, with Hussain noting that the Gulf region’s success may be due to its organic evolution compared to forced European ideas in other areas. They agreed that the West cannot force these concepts on others but can offer guidance and suggestions. Hussain optimistically viewed Israel’s recent actions as creating a window of opportunity for positive change in the region.
This recap was generate by computer.
The Jewish Policy Center hosted a webinar featuring Professor Harold Rhode, an expert in Middle Eastern history and culture, to discuss the recent developments involving the Hebron sheikhs, tribal dynamics in the West Bank, and the broader Middle Eastern context, including Syria and the Druze.
Key points from the discussion include:
Hebron Sheikhs and Tribal Dynamics* In Middle Eastern society, loyalty is to family, clan, and tribe, not nationality or land. * The Hebron sheikhs, representing local clans, have proposed creating an autonomous “Hebron Emirate” in cooperation with Israel, recognizing it as a Jewish state. * These sheikhs view the Palestinian Authority (PA) as foreign and illegitimate, imposed on them by outsiders through the Oslo Accords. * The PA is perceived as weak in Hebron, and the sheikhs have governed themselves effectively for generations. * Clan structures dictate marriage, loyalty, and governance, making Western political models like individual rights hard to apply.
Implications for the Palestinian Authority* The PA has dismissed the Hebron initiative as Israeli propaganda. * However, the reality on the ground suggests strong opposition to PA rule from local clans. * Efforts to crush or dismiss these tribal leaders could backfire, weakening the PA further.
Broader Regional Dynamics and Gaza* Similar clan-based governance could be applied in Gaza, provided Israel supports and protects cooperative families. * Past Israeli failures to protect allies (e.g., during withdrawal from southern Lebanon or early Gaza operations) undercut potential partnerships. * To succeed, Israel must demonstrate strength and reliability, which are critical virtues in the Middle East.
Violence and Power in the Region* Peace, as understood in the West, doesn’t exist in Middle Eastern political culture. The best outcome is enforced calm through strength. * Groups like Hamas and PA operate as power players, and only decisive action garners respect and compliance.
Syria, the Druze, and Israel’s Strategic Posture* Recent attacks on Syria’s Druze drew a strong Israeli response, cementing Israel’s role as a protector of Druze communities. * Israel’s reaction contrasted with its silence on atrocities against the Alawites, underscoring its selective engagement based on alliances and strategic interests. * The conversation also referenced differences between various Muslim sects and longstanding historical grievances.
Western Misunderstandings* U.S. and Western policy tends to prioritize democratic elections and individual rights, which do not align with the group-based logic of Middle Eastern societies. * Examples include the unintended consequences of forcing elections in Gaza (leading to Hamas’s rise) and undermining allies through misplaced idealism (Jimmy Carter and the Shah of Iran). * American notions of goodwill are seen as weakness in the region.
Solution Framework* Peace in the region comes through strength, respect for local power structures, and enforcing order rather than imposing Western democratic ideals. * Israel can work with tribal structures to create security and economic cooperation, as long as it respects their methods and provides firm support.
Recommendations for Further Reading* Professor Rhode highly recommends Bernard Lewis’s work, especially “The Return of Islam” (Commentary, 1976), for understanding the deeper cultural and ideological foundations of Middle Eastern thinking. * He also wrote a short book, “Modern Islamic Warfare,” available for free at harold-rode.com.
The webinar underscored the need for nuanced understanding of local structures, the power of tribal and group loyalties, and the role of strength in fostering stability in the Middle East.
The recap of this webinar was generated by computer.
Kurdish people span a broad area in the Middle East – across parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. They constitute one of the largest ethnic groups without a state of their own, but have worked with the US – and with Israel – to create stability and security in the places they live. A longtime supporter of the Kurdish people, BG Audino recently spent time traveling in the region.
Join us as he explains how American interests can be enhanced by cooperative relations.
The American attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, coordinated with Israel, has changed the trajectory of the Middle East.
- What happened?
- Why now?
- What is next?
- Winners and losers
We will have two programs this week – and that probably is not enough.Join us Monday for a conversation with Dr. Stephen Bryen, former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense and an expert in security strategy and technology.
JPC Senior Director Shoshana Bryen was pleased to be invited to interview FDD President Clifford May at the Republican Jewish Coalition leadership meeting in Washington, DC on June 12, 2025. Because it preempted our usual podcast, we’re happy to bring you a video of their conversation..
“If you ask yourself what you would have done if you had lived in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust, the answer is clear. What you do today, when antisemitism is again raising its ugly head across the world, is what you would have done then if you had been alive during the Holocaust.”
Tomas Sandell, founder of the European Coalition for Israel in 2003, summarizes the battle. “It is pivotal that we do not give up our streets in Europe to those groups who call for the destruction of Israel and death to the Jews.”
Is the battle being won or lost?Join us for an important conversation.
President Donald Trump changed the format for American policy in the Middle East. He announced the capitulation of the Houthis in their war against AMERICAN shipping; invited Qatar and Syria – terror ties notwithstanding – to join the Abraham Accords along with Saudi Arabia; and made (limited) overtures to Iran. At the same time, he has ensured American weapons deliveries in full to Israel; has not commented on Israel’s new offensive in Gaza; and is participating with Israel in the movement of food. Israel remains firmly ensconced in USCENTCOM.
How is the US-Israel relationship changing? Join us for a conversation with Dr. David Wurmser, a Senior Analyst for Middle East Affairs at the Center for Security Policy as he tracks the shifts and their implications for Israel and for regional security.
Pundits like left-wing journalist Glenn Greenwald portray pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas campus activists as underdogs battling Zionist-dominated university bosses. But when you listen to someone like Northeastern U. Professor of Political Science Max Abrahms, who has had a front-row seat to observe the raw anti-Semitism that has flourished on US campuses since October 7, it seems clear that Greenwald and Company are peddling their own version of the Big Lie.
Aside from a few schools like Brandeis University and Yeshiva University, scholars who are sympathetic to Israel are marginalized and forced into the shadows virtually everywhere else. Abrahms told a Jewish Policy Center webinar on Thursday. Professors say privately that to be a faculty member, you need to be “anti-Zionist” and that if you dissent from this orthodoxy your career advancement opportunities will be limited.
Abrahms said he supports the Trump administration’s efforts to use the threat of withholding federal aid to force schools to expel students who engage in violence and intimidation. But he expressed concern that the hostility to Israel is so ingrained that the federal pressure may not be sufficient to bring about reform.
Abrahms believes that university administrators, not students, are chiefly to blame for the situation, calling them “an integral part of what’s wrong.” These administrators, he said, “create this atmosphere” where anti-Semitism can flourish.
So-called Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) plans aimed at helping victimized groups are “inherently anti-Semitic,” according to Abrahms. He said that when he attempted to meet the chief diversity officer at his own school, he was informed that they do not view anti-Semitism “as one of the things they are fighting.” Later, Abrahms learned that the head of the school’s Chabad organization had been told the same thing.
He believes that, by leveraging their financial support, Jewish donors could create a powerful incentive for reform. According to Abrahms, professors sympathetic to Zionism currently “face an incentive system geared toward keeping them silent.”
Donors “need to place conditions” on academic institutions they support, Abrahms said. “That’s the only way to change things.”
In his new book, “Lawless: The Miseducation of America’s Elites,” Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Ilya Shapiro shows how US higher education has been transformed away from a place where students learn how to think critically, make cogent arguments and respect viewpoints that are different from their own.
Today, however, those schools are more like indoctrination factories where students are taught to see themselves as victims in need of “safe spaces” and entitled to respond violently if they are forced to confront people who dissent from progressive orthodoxy.
Recently, we’ve witnessed disturbing scenes where Jewish students are terrorized by Hamas backers at Columbia University and hundreds of other colleges across the United States, At Stanford U., a mob of students – egged on by the school’s associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion – blocked US Appeals Court Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan from speaking. At Yale, the war against free speech became so disruptive that more than a dozen federal judges announced they would no longer hire law clerks from that school.
Most university administrators are “spineless cowards,” Shapiro told a Jewish Policy Center webinar on Thursday. He added that these administrators opt to “capitulate to the mob” rather than lose opportunities to move up the career ladder in academia.
Shapiro emphasized that while hate speech is protected by the First Amendment, terroristic threats and physical violence are not. He noted in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis was able to show that Students for Justice in Palestine, a group that has been linked to much of the virulent pro-Hamas, anti-Semitic activity on US campuses in recent years, has provided “material support” to a terrorist organization, Hamas in violation of the Florida and US codes.. As a result, SJP has been disestablished on Florida public university campuses.
The first round of revenge killings in Syria appears to be over. Don’t mistake that for calm.
Ankara and Damascus are negotiating a “peace treaty” that would allow Turkish troops to operate inside the country, and Turkey has begun efforts to take control of an airbase known as T-4, including the deployment of air defenses. Turkey claims it is “stabilizing” Syria.
Israel has a different view.
Join us for a discussion with Hazem Alghabra, a former US State Department official with roots in Syria. We will look at Turkey’s increasing control in Syria, the Syrian government’s acquiescence, and the Israeli government’s response. And there is always time for Iran.
JPC Senior Director Shoshana Bryen was invited by sister organization The RJC to host its program on April 8 with Eugene Kontorovich.
Summary: The International Criminal Court (ICC), established in 1998, was intended to prosecute the worst violations of human rights when national governments fail to act. Like many other international institutions, the ICC was created based on the highest ideals, says Eugene Kontorovich, a professor at George Mason University Law School. But ICC officials have come to realize that going after Israelis is easier than making a difference for global justice, he told a Republican Jewish Coalition webinar on Tuesday.
Last year, the ICC indicted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on war-crimes charges in connection with Israel’s prosecution of the war against Hamas after October 7. And, in an effort to purportedly show “balance,” the court indicted three senior Hamas terrorists – Ismail Haniyeh, Muhammad Diff and Yahya Sinwar. All three are deceased.
In more than two decades of existence, the ICC, with an annual budget of more than $200 million, has prosecuted only six people. Numerous high-profile cases have collapsed, and dictators including Vladimir Putin of Russia have just ignored ICC indictments.
Efforts to impose sanctions against the ICC have been blocked by Democrats led by former Senate Majority Leader and current Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Kontorovich was sharply critical of the Egyptian government’s refusal to open its border to Palestinians seeking to flee Gaza. He said Cairo is violating a legal obligation to open the border to refugees. He also discussed the legal concept of Uti Possidetis Juris and its application to the borders of Israel.
Foreign agitators who have who staged violent protests on US college campuses, cheering on the Hamas pogrom of October 7 and terrorizing Jewish students have no legal right to remain in the United States, according to Heritage Foundation legal scholar Hans von Spakovsky.
Many of those who vandalized and destroyed property and buildings and blocked access to classes and dormitories, were neither American citizens nor even students. In reality, they were engaged in pro-terrorist activities, roaming throughout the country to mobilize support for Hamas, which the United States designated a terrorist group in 1997.
Yet, for more than a year, President Biden’s Justice Department refused to prosecute any of these cases, Von Spakovsky told a Jewish Policy Center webinar on Thursday. The Justice Department, he added, has authority to act against pro-Hamas thugs on campus under the Enforcement Act of 1870. That measure, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses Grant, gave federal prosecutors authority to target the Ku Klux Klan and its masked marauders who were terrorizing, assaulting and killing Black Americans.
Today, this law is codified at 18 USC Section 241, and is particularly applicable to Hamas backers because of their proclivity for hiding behind masks. All of the masked Hamas terror supporters infesting US college campuses were “in disguise” and therefore subject to prosecution for hindering other students from getting an education.
Under Section 241, violators are subject to heavy fines and up to 10 years in prison. The Trump administration has begun identifying these people and revoking their visas.
“All foreign students should have their visas revoked,” von Spakovsky said. “They should also be criminally prosecuted for threatening, dangerous behavior.”
Westerners who think the new government in Damascus will turn out to be moderate and willing to compromise with the west are kidding themselves, according to Middle East scholar Harold Rhode.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), is the coalition of Sunni Islamist insurgent groups which overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December, toppling a Baathist dictatorship which ruled Syria for more than half a century. Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, who previously served as head of the Nusra Front, al-Qaida’s branch in Syria, is head of HTS as well as Syria’s new president.Jawlani is his nom de guerre; these days, he goes by his given name, Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa.
Jawlani/Sharaa “doesn’t talk for Syria,” Rhode told a JPC webinar Thursday. “He talks for his terrorists.”
Rhode, who served as an advisor on the Islamic world in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 1982 to 2010, characterizes HTS as “”al-Qaida in another form.”
There are two groups inside Syria’s complicated ethnic/political mosaic with a history of good relations with Israel: First, there is the Druze community, mostly in southern and western Syria near the Golan Heights and Lebanon, which is establishing, in large part, closer ties with Israel. Second are the Syrian Kurds, in particular the Syrian Democratic Forces SDF), a Kurdish-dominated militia that signed a peace treaty with the HTS government earlier this month.
A critical question is what the SDF will do with thousands of ISIS prisoners it has been guarding for almost a decade in the wake of the US-led military campaign against that group:Specifically, would the Kurds release a large number of violent, dangerous prisoners to curry favor with HTS?
Rhode doubts that would happen.
At 6:30 a.m. on October 7th, Ella Mor’s life was irrevocably transformed when she awoke to the reality that her two young nephews had hidden in a closet for many hours, after losing their parents. From that moment, she embarked on an unexpected journey – transitioning from a homeopath with a private clinic in Jaffa to a global advocate for Israel.
Ella’s lecture does not focus on the pain of October 7th but rather on the incredible inner strength that emerges in times of crisis – inner strength that emerged among the people of Israel.
Join us for an extraordinary conversation.
President Trump’s plan for Gaza was, not unexpectedly, shocking. UAE Ambassador to Washington, Yousef al-Otaiba, called it “difficult,” but said, “We’re all in the solution-seeking business, we just don’t know where it’s going to land yet. I don’t see an alternative to what’s being proposed. I really don’t.”
After a burst of negative reaction from Jordan and Egypt, they, along with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman met in Riyadh to talk about Gaza.
Join Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies to learn whether the Arab states have a plan – and, if so, how it works with Israel’s security needs and the determination of the US and Israel to uproot Hamas from the region.
The overthrow of Bashar Assad in Syria by the Jihadist-oriented HTS ended one horrifying chapter in Syrian history. It also fundamentally changes the Middle East both politically and militarily. The US, Turkey, Israel, and others – including Kurds, who live across various borders – face the worrisome possibility of the re-emergence of ISIS.
Join us as Dr. Mark Meirowitz, Professor of Humanities at SUNY Maritime College, and expert on Turkish foreign policy, discusses the complex elements of an evolving regional crisis that has rarely made it into the American media.
Since the rise of American industry after the Civil War, the titans of American business have wrestled with the very difficult question of how to deal with an increasingly powerful federal government. In his superb new book, The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry, presidential historian Tevi Troy analyzes how titans of the corporate world, including John D Rockefeller and Henry Ford, dealt with government power and a growing administrative state.
In his book, Troy explains in detail how Rockefeller tried to keep the federal government at arm’s length, only to President Theodore Roosevelt break up his Standard Oil Company. Ford worked to persuade President Woodrow Wilson to stay out of World War I, lobbying so aggressively that at one point Wilson ejected him from the White House.
Ford, a fervent isolationist, fought hard to keep the United States out of World War II. But after the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Ford became a strong supporter of the war effort even though he detested FDR.
Speaking to a Jewish Policy Center webinar Thursday, Troy provided vivid images of a visit to a Ford plant by FDR and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to see firsthand how the company was contributing to the war effort. At one point, Ford found himself in the back seat of one of his vehicles, sandwiched uncomfortably in between FDR and Eleanor.
In his book, Troy provides plenty of interesting stories and colorful detail about prominent business figures like Time magazine founder Henry Luce and Hollywood icon Lew Wasserman, a Democratic Party donor who nonetheless developed strong ties to Republican leaders as well.
While his book was published before Elon Musk’s all-out plunge into the 2024 campaign on behalf of Donald Trump, Troy said he was surprised by the “level of hatred” directed at Musk by the ideological left. He added that the “woke whiners” at The Washington Post who complain about efforts by the paper’s owner, Jeff Bezos, to distance it from the hard left, don’t seem to understand something important: that Bezos is tired of losing millions of dollars as a result of his paper’s plummeting circulation.
On October 7, 2023, the world witnessed events that significantly reshaped the security landscape in Israel and beyond. This webinar will delve into how Israelis perceive global dynamics and navigate the complex security challenges that have emerged in the aftermath. Join us as Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA) discusses the minds set of Israel’s security and political establishment, as well as the society at large.
Hamas started the war against Israel long before 10/7. But Israel’s response since that date has delivered extraordinary blows to Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, and the Iranian government. Iran’s proxy Bashar Assad has fallen to Turkish-supported, ISIS-aligned HTS. Russia has been removing military assets from Syria, while the US have been striking ISIS bases and Israel takes out Syrian weapons depots, including chemical weapons sites.
Is the continuing upheaval news or bad? Will it bring stability or more war?
David Daoud, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies will join us on what is – accidentally but fortuitously – Lebanon’s presidential election day.
There was a moment of relief that the murderous war criminal Bashar Assad was ousted. It was followed by awe at the IDF’s ability to deny the rebels Assad’s stocks of chemical weapons, Russian and Iranian military equipment, and air defense capabilities.
But then, the next round of worry started. Who does the “interim government” represent? (Hint: HTS and its leader are on the US & UK terror lists.) What role does Turkey play? How will Iran respond? What will happen to Israel’s friends, the Kurds? Or to Syria’s Druze community – family to Israel’s Druze citizens? Or to Jordan?
Join us for a conversation with Barry Shaw, Senior Associate for Public Diplomacy at the Israel Institute for Strategic Studies as he explores the actors and the actions in post-Assad Syria.
The “ceasefire” agreement between the US and Israel, and between the US and Lebanon, along with a “designated” interlocutor for Hezbollah, is complicated to say the least. And questions arise. Start with: What did Israel gain? Will the agreement last? Who will enforce it? What happens if one party tries to enforce provisions and another party calls it an act of war? Is the UN/UNIFIL a reliable partner? We have a lot more questions.
Join us for a conversation with EJ Kimball, Director of Policy and Strategic Operations for the non-profit US-Israel Education Association as we look forward.
Last month, an identifiably Jewish Chicago man was shot while walking to synagogue on the Sabbath. While attacks against American Jews have generally been prosecuted as “assaults” or “hate crimes,” this time the assailant was charged with “terrorism.” A native of Mauritania, he had been “encountered by US Border Patrol at the California border in 2023,” according to ICE, but then entered the country.
- Was this a “one-off” or part of a pattern?
- How much do Federal authorities actually know about would-be terrorists crossing America’s insecure borders?
- What steps are they taking to secure our country?
- With the new administration, what changes are likely along the borders – and have we already seen some?
Join us for a conversation with Todd Bensman, Senior National Security Fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies to discuss the current state of America’s borders – north and south.
Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and, of course, Iran are interlocking parts of Israel’s security picture. Iraq and Syria have to be accounted for as well. Alongside those are Egypt, Jordan, and the Abraham Accords countries – and the United States. How to manage the disparate elements while fighting a hot war for the shape of its future is an enormous challenge, and the one Israel faces.
Join us for a wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Approaching the Hebrew calendar anniversary of the unimaginable horrors of October 7, Israelis are dealing with tragic losses, the continuing plight of hostages in Gaza, a horrific barrage of rockets launched by Iran, and the ensuing wars to protect and defend Israel from Iran and its proxies. Israeli society has been stressed almost beyond measure. Yet, in the 2024 world ranking of happiest countries, Israel ranked 5th – among young people, it is 2nd.
How is that possible?
Avi Mayer, Co-Chair of the Advisory Board of Global Jewry, and immediate past Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post, will discuss the astonishing resilience of the people of Israel.
Since October 7, Hezbollah has fired more than 8,000 rockets into Israel, and IDF intelligence has uncovered plans for a ground operation by Hezbollah into the Galilee with the intention of repeating the horrors of October 7. Israel pre-empted. The battle is moving fast – but there is an almost unmentioned element of this war: […]
In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine after a series of demands and counter demands among Moscow, Kiev, Washington, and several European countries. The US provided Ukraine with weapons, more than $100 billion in aid, and political support including an invitation for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to appear before Congress. The military and political battles were front […]
Parts of our media and political leadership have been working hard to distract the public on the issue of the Supreme Court, asking, “Do we need a Supreme Court? Maybe the world is different now and the old job of the Court is no longer relevant.” “If we have to have it, can it be […]
What’s going on in Gaza? You know what the media says – and don’t believe most of it. Where are you supposed to get serious, on the ground information about what the IDF is doing and how it is doing it? With the JPC. Join us for a conversation with Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, USAF (ret.). […]
For good reason, when thinking about nukes, we give most of our attention to weaponization and Iran – the consequences of rogue powers having nuclear weapons are terrifying. But there is another side of the nuclear equation: Nuclear power is low-carbon, renewable, clean, and domestic. Like all energy sources, it has drawbacks, including a poor […]
The French government’s decision to ban Israeli companies and nationals from participating in the Eurosatory 2024 defense conference went mostly unnoticed in U.S. media. French courts reversed the ban – too late to be useful – but the controversial decision sent ripples through the global defense community. Israel’s defense tech is respected and admired around […]
The war in the Red Sea appears to have receded. Don’t be fooled. The Houthis are active pawns of China, which has a base in Djibouti, as well as of Iran. They attack shipping they claim is going to Israel as well as US naval vessels. In the first two months of 2024, traffic into […]
Cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank—in which the PA governs the territory but Israel exercises overriding security control—is the best solution for Gaza after the IDF withdraws, veteran Israeli security expert Efraim Inbar said Thursday. Israel wants a “modest thing: freedom of military action after we leave Gaza,” Inbar told […]
Since the October 7 mass terror attack by Hamas, the Israeli military has been faced with one of the most difficult challenges in its history: to destroy the ability of this group to carry out terrorist attacks from Gaza, while keeping civilian casualties to a minimum, notwithstanding the fact that Hamas uses places including schools, […]
First Amendment to justify violence, intimidation, and thuggery in support of Hamas, according to Heritage Foundation scholar Hans von Spakovsky. The people Americans have witnessed screaming anti-Semitic epithets, assaulting students and faculty and destroying property are nothing more than “hooligans”, von Spakovsky told a Jewish Policy Center webinar May 9. He noted that government has […]
Americans often say, “Let bygones be bygones,” “That’s history,” means something is no longer of importance. But the American view of compromise and conciliation is not universal, and may be preventing the US from taking necessary steps to secure American and allied interests in the Middle East. Join us for a conversation about how allies […]
Israel should insist its war against terrorists in the Gaza Strip “will end if Hamas [Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement] surrenders and releases the hostages,” says Barry Shaw, senior associate for public policy at the Israel Institute for Strategic Studies. But “the shoe was put on the other foot,” he told participants in the Jewish Policy […]
After more than four months of war, the IDF has taken control of the northern Gaza Strip, and its forces continue eliminating the Hamas infrastructure – above and below ground. Progress has also been made in Khan Yunis. As the IDF moves south, the US and others have raised objections to the nature of a […]
President Joe Biden and Sen. Chuck Schumer are losing patience with Israel’s defensive war in Gaza. While pressing Israel for “regime change” they are also threatening greater American pressure to achieve an outcome that suits the administration’s political priorities. But the Government of Israel has priorities as well, chiefly to ensure the security of the […]
Since October 7, American Jews have been faced with a wave of antisemitic incidents. Most of the news focus has been on demonstrations on college campuses and in large cities But younger American Jews face rising challenges as well – not always seen, not always confronted. Join us for a conversation with Rebecca Schgallis, Senior Education […]
The Biden Administration’s timid approach toward Iran and its Houthi proxies has placed American servicemembers and crucial global trade routes at grave risk. An estimated 12 percent of international trade, amounting to over $1 trillion in goods annually normally navigates through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Since the Houthi attacks began, freight rates […]
October 23 marks the 40th anniversary of the bombing of a U.S. Marine Corps barracks at Beirut International Airport and a French military installation nearby. A total of 307 people died, including 241 U.S. forces and 58 French. It is critical for U.S. security—and that of Israel and other American allies—that we remember who the […]
Stephen Bryen believes Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of Russia’s Wagner group mercenary army, died in the wreckage of one of his private planes on August 23. Some early news reports noted speculation Prighozin might not have been aboard. Bryen also strongly suspects that the plane was shot down, not felled by a bomb smuggled on board […]
Suppose Chinese leader Xi Jinping finds himself in a box of his own making and, to break out, decides to do the unexpected? Connecting the dots of recent developments analyst Guermantes Lailari for one would not be stunned by a Chinese surprise that happens as early as this month. A former U.S. Air Force foreign […]
Recep Tayyip Erdogan won Turkey’s presidential runoff election May 28 with just 52 percent of the vote. That showed at least two things, Mark Meirowitz told participants in a Jewish Policy Center webinar on June 1. One, that after 20 years in power—during which he has closed a number of critical news media and jailed […]
As Iran moves closer to nuclear weapons capability and enriches uranium to just under the threshold for a bomb, the region faces increased threats and greater instability. The United States and Israel have held exercises in CENTCOM with regional partners to help ensure that Iran will not get “the bomb.” But what will it take […]
While we were gone, China brokered rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, countries separated by religious belief, national ideology, and plans for their respective futures. While the Iranians claimed the Houthis in Yemen would stop attacking Saudi Arabia, the Saudis advocated for the return to the Arab League of Bashar Assad’s Syria, a move opposed […]
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is in the 18th year of a four-year term, 87 years old, and a heavy smoker. A recent Palestinian public opinion poll indicates that Abbas and the PA are unpopular with the West Bank Arabs they administer and continue to lose influence to groups like Hamas, the Iranian-backed Islamic Resistance […]
The two powerful earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, and their dozens of aftershocks—which killed more than 40,000 people and left at least two million homeless, mostly in the former—should cause Americans “to rethink everything we thought about Turkey,” says Mark Meirowitz. A professor of foreign policy, U.S.-Turkish relations, American history, and […]
The “prevailing ideas and culture both within the military and politically” in the United States hold that the country is “not in a pre-war period but an interwar period,” Seth Cropsey told participants in a Jewish Policy Center webinar February 7. “I disagree.” In fact, said Cropsey, president of the Yorktown Institute and former Defense […]
Russia’s war against Ukraine makes sense if one recognizes that Vladimir Putin sees himself as a modern czar, obligated to restore the Russian empire. So Cliff May, president of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a Washington, D.C. think tank, told participants in a Jewish Policy Center webinar January 26. Putin in 2005 lamented […]
An “alarming” deterioration in Israeli-Jordanian relations sparked Jonathan Schanzer’s trip to Amman in September. Meetings with senior officials and other Jordanian stakeholders in domestic and regional matters confirmed that “things are not well.” Schanzer, senior vice president for research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies think tank in Washington, D.C., said “I don’t […]
The Saudi Arabia of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) is not the Saudi Arabia of his father. The relationship with the United States has changed, as have the roles of the religious establishment and women in society, and relations between the Kingdom and Russia, China and the State of Israel. Join us for a conversation with […]
There is an emerging consensus about the military and technological threats presented by Communist China to the United States and its regional allies. That is the good news. The less-good news is that American efforts to address those threats appear to be lacking. What can the incoming Congress do to rebalance the scales? Dakota Wood […]
Russia used Iranian-built drones to attack civilians and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. But Iran was under UN sanction that covered drones and drone technology – imports and exports. How did Iran build a drone capability under sanction? Who helped? Can the illicit program be stopped? By whom and how? Join Dr. Stephen D. Bryen, senior […]
“The sky is not falling” as a result of Israel’s most recent election—the fifth in less than four years—says Israeli political analyst David Weinberg. Disappointing the Israeli left, “and some diaspora Jews, as a matter of fact,” the vote appears to give former prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud the opportunity to form a […]
Less than meets the eye, and not likely to last. David Wurmser gave that assessment of the Israeli-Lebanese maritime agreement the same day it was being signed. Wurmser, senior analyst and director of the Project on Global Antisemitism and the U.S.-Israel Relationship at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Security Policy and former Middle East advisor […]
Join the JPC as investigative journalist Kenneth Timmerman, author of And the Rest is History, brings us the latest information from the Iranian uprising. Where it is, who has joined the rebellion, what the leadership is saying – and most important – where it appears to be headed.
Americans haven’t seen inflation like this in more than 40 years. With energy and food prices leading the indicators, people are changing habits and worrying about a financial future that had seemed secure. But some people saw it coming more than a year ago. Economist Steve H. Hanke, professor of applied economics and founder and […]
President Joe Biden visited Israel and Saudi Arabia, but the tremors of that visit spread much farther, affecting Israel’s friends and adversaries. David M. Weinberg, senior fellow at the Jerusalem-based Kohelet Forum, which specializes in diplomatic and defense affairs; and a research fellow at Habithonistim: Israel’s Defense and Security Forum, will join us to talk […]
The Supreme Court has been in transition for nearly a decade. It has been impacted by politics, “cancel culture” and what appears to be a lack of historical perspective among court-watchers and activists. From its origins as a quiet authority on the constitutionality of bills passed by the legislature and signed into law, it has […]
An advocate of Israeli-Palestinian co-existence, Mayor Revivi discusses his “bottom-up” approach, nurturing and deepening Efrat’s relationships with neighboring Palestinian villages. He brings new solutions to the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. Mayor of Efrat since 2008, from 2016-2020 Mayor Revivi was also Chief Foreign Envoy of the YESHA Council, acting as the political representative of […]
Hezbollah (the Iranian-funded Shi’ite “Party of God”) and its Amal movement allies lost their majority in Lebanon’s May 15 parliamentary elections. One consequence, says Hussain Abdul Hussain, is that Hezbollah—the country’s strongest political and military group—has stalled parliament’s selection of a new Lebanese president and approval of a new cabinet. Hussain, speaking on a Jewish […]
The COVID-19 pandemic, followed by Russia’s war against Ukraine, have delivered a one-two punch to post-World War II institutions meant to defuse or at least minimize international turmoil. Some, like those affiliated with the United Nations, often have proven to be ineffective but others, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, are showing encouraging resilience. […]
Israeli-Palestinian tension over Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque and Temple Mount has been inflamed if not instigated by an Iranian-operated “nerve center” in Lebanon. Though Hamas (the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement) and Hezbollah (Iran’s surrogate Lebanese Shi’ite “Party of God”) contribute to the operation, management comes from Tehran. That’s the view of Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice […]
Durns, author of “Iran is Willing to Fight to the Last Israeli Arab,” in the current issue of the JPC’s inFOCUS quarterly and a senior research analyst for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analyses (CAMERA), noted that reported homicides in Israeli Arab communities have jumped from 58 in 2013 to 126 […]
Stephen Bryen, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Security Policy, former under secretary of defense and author of six books on technology and national security, titled his April 20 Jewish Policy Center webinar “The Russia-Ukraine War: A Preliminary Assessment.” But that assessment was more than preliminary: “I don’t think Ukraine can survive […]
The new Iran nuclear deal the Biden administration reportedly is close to finishing will change the Middle East, but not for the better, says Ellie Cohanim, former deputy special envoy for monitoring and combating antisemitism in the Trump State Department. Probably the most significant consequence will be “the perception of the United States’ historic allies […]
In this bitter age of partisanship, we could use a reminder of the relationships between Democrats and Republicans in Washington that carried us through the difficult years of World War II and the postwar period. Join us as historian and author Lawrence Haas discusses parallels between that time and this, issues that could form the […]
Antisemitism isn’t bad only for Jews. It’s bad for antisemites, too. So said Tevi Troy in a March 10 Jewish Policy Center Webinar. Troy, a JPC Fellow, White House staffer and deputy secretary of Health and Human Services in the administration of President George W. Bush, and author of Fight House: Rivalries in the White […]
The unified nationalist stand taken by Ukrainian citizens in the face of the Russian invasion has been widely admired around the world. Yet nationalism, broadly defined, has been an object of disdain and condemnation among the elites of the United States and Western Europe. Countries closest to the borders of the former Soviet Union view […]
The JPC welcomes Ilan Berman, Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council, to discuss the latest developments from Russia’s war with Ukraine.
Iran is funding and arming Houthi terrorists fighting the internationally-recognized Government of Yemen and attacking The UAE and Saudi Arabia with missiles and drones. Israel’s burgeoning relations with the Gulf States under the Abraham Accords and participation in US-led military exercises in the Red Sea as a member of US CENTCOM puts Israel right on […]
The U.S. and Russia have made no breakthrough at talks on Ukraine. The Kremlin continues to escalate its rhetoric – perhaps to justify an invasion of its southern neighbor. Is war inevitable? Can NATO deter Vladimir Putin from military action? Can Washington? What if they can’t.? Join the JPC for a conversation with Stephen Blank, […]
If the idea of a new Iran Deal scares you, it should. The Biden administration has been working to entice the Iranian regime into a new arrangement by easing sanctions on Tehran and holding America’s traditional Gulf allies (and Israel) at arm’s length. Join us for a conversation with Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at […]
Turkey’s economy is wracked by unemployment, soaring inflation, and a weak lira. Turkey’s voters blame the Erdogan government. Abroad, relations with Washington are strained by Turkey’s military activity in Syria and Libya, and Turkish claims to Greek and Cypriot energy resources. The risks are clear – the opportunities, perhaps, less so. Join us for a […]
The U.S. and Israel agree on the end-game with Iran: no nuclear weapons capability for the Islamic regime. However, they often appear to disagree on the best approach. How might this play out? And how do allies deal with their differences and maintain the strength of the long-term US-Israel security relationship? Dr. Eran Lerman, Vice […]
The first jihadist terror attack against the United States was in 1983. Between then and 2001, there were nearly 50 attacks on US soil, plus attacks on US government assets abroad. Since 9/11/2001, the US has won its military engagements with our enemies, but lost the political war. Join Lebanese-American scholar Walid Phares as he […]
Jonathan Schanzer has a new book: Hamas, Israel & Eleven Days of War. You thought you understood Hamas, join us as Jonathan challenges and corrects a deeply flawed narrative prevalent in news reports during the conflict. A Senior Vice President at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, he has talked to sources in a variety […]
International human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky joins the JPC from Israel to discuss the ramifications of the Biden administration’s intention to locate a consulate for Palestinians within Jerusalem, recognized by the United States as Israel’s capital. What does international law say about such a decision? What does the Government of Israel say? What is likely […]
Join us as we welcome Jewish community leader and advocate for Israel and for Jews everywhere, Richard Heideman. His new book, The Bloody Price of Freedom, addresses today’s meteoric rise of anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism. Heideman discusses Israel’s battle for legitimacy and security since 1948, analyzing the insidious attacks and worldwide propaganda against it, and economic, academic, […]
Iran’s newly appointed Cabinet, under President Ebrahim Raisi, contains 12 officials subject to sanctions imposed by the US, EU, UN, and/or the UK for human rights abuses, support for Iran’s nuclear program, and ties to terrorist groups. These men hold portfolios in the ministries of defense, interior, and petroleum as well as two vice presidencies. […]
Iran’s proxy Lebanon is a wreck. The Hezbollah-governed state has a collapsed currency and no energy supplies. For the past several weeks, plans have been floated (literally) either to bring Iranian oil into Lebanon on a ship – which would trigger sanctions – or to bring gas from Egypt – which would require working with Syria. […]