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An Israeli flag is projected on the Eiffel Tower in Paris in response to the Hamas terror attacks on Israel in October 2023 - source: Reuters
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
International Reactions to the Hamas Attack on Israel
At least forty-four nations have condemned Hamas and decried its tactics as terrorism, but regional players such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria, and Iraq have pinned responsibility on Israel.
Oct 11, 2023
◆
  • Cleary Waldo
  • Gabriel Epstein
  • Sydney Hilbush
  • Aaron Y. Zelin
◆ Tracking International Reactions to the Hamas-Israel War
Illustration of chess pieces and the Russian and Ukrainian flags - source: Reuters
Articles & Testimony
Middle Eastern Ambivalence Toward Russia and Ukraine
An in-depth look at how regional states have responded to Putin's invasion of Ukraine—by their actions as much as their words.
Oct 10, 2023
◆
  • Anna Borshchevskaya
A Palestinian woman walks by a mural in Bethlehem
Articles & Testimony
Peace With Saudi Arabia Is Transformative But Requires Choices
Riyadh understands that immediate Palestinian statehood is not an option, but it still needs Israel to take steps that demonstrably improve daily life in the West Bank and curtail settlement growth.
Oct 4, 2023
◆
  • Dennis Ross
Houthi fighters parade with their missile systems in Sanaa in September 2023 - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
Yemen’s “Southern Hezbollah” Celebrates Coup Anniversary in Deadly Fashion
Ending the war and facilitating other U.S.-Saudi diplomatic tracks is crucial, but neither goal will be served by turning a blind eye to the Houthis’ latest jumps in militarization.
Sep 28, 2023
◆
  • Michael Knights
  • Farzin Nadimi
The flag of the IAEA
Brief Analysis
Saudi Arabia Signals It Will Accept Stricter Nuclear Inspections
Official statements at the latest IAEA meeting are effectively a concession in the kingdom’s negotiating stance on normalization with Israel.
Sep 26, 2023
◆
  • Simon Henderson
President Joe Biden arrives in Saudi Arabia in July 2022
Brief Analysis
Israel Normalization Negotiations and the U.S.-Saudi Defense Relationship
In discussing a potential deal with Israel, Riyadh is pressing Washington for expedited access to more advanced U.S. weaponry.
Sep 25, 2023
◆
  • Grant Rumley
President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu meet at the United Nations in New York in September 2023 - source: Prime Minister's Office
Brief Analysis
Saudi Dealmaking to Top Biden and Netanyahu’s New York Agenda
The long-delayed meeting should clarify the contours and possible requirements for normalization with Riyadh, though Israel’s ongoing domestic turmoil and policy toward the Palestinians may necessitate some difficult political choices.
Sep 19, 2023
◆
  • David Makovsky
Saudi flag
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
A Third of Saudis Want Business With Israel Now, Even Without Formal Ties; “Muslim Rights” Top List of Public’s Terms for Full Normalization
A unique new public opinion poll from Saudi Arabia sheds light on popular attitudes there toward a potential deal to “normalize” relations with Israel.
Sep 18, 2023
◆
  • David Pollock
Wang Yi, director of China's Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Minister of State and national security adviser of Saudi Arabia Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban shake hands in Beijing in March 2023 - source: Reuters
Articles & Testimony
Gulf De-escalation and Hedging in the Shadow of US Retrenchment
Although any decrease in tensions is welcome, Washington should be concerned that regional rapprochement is being driven by diminished confidence in the United States.
Sep 12, 2023
◆
  • David Schenker
Articles & Testimony
Saudi Arabia and Lebanon: A Love-Hate Relationship
Riyadh won’t lend a helping hand in Lebanon unless Washington takes action on fully implementing the Taif Accord, curbing Captagon smugglers, and reversing Iran and Hezbollah’s takeover of the state.
Sep 12, 2023
◆
  • Hanin Ghaddar
President Joe Biden walks past flags of the member states at a G20 meeting - source: The White House
Articles & Testimony
Biden’s G20 Optimism Won’t Stave Off a Potential Oil Crisis
Because the Saudis and other oil players hold more leverage than the administration may care to admit, prices could balloon once again.
Sep 11, 2023
◆
  • Simon Henderson
Moviegoers look at posters and showtimes at a theater in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in August 2023, including the global hit "Barbie" - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
Barbie in the Middle East
Some countries banned the film while others let it screen amid restrictions and criticism, illustrating the region’s widening—but still comparably narrow—spectrum of views on cultural openness.
Sep 8, 2023
◆
  • Anna Brown
AR UAE importance
Articles & Testimony
BRICS Invites the UAE—Another Sign That the Multipolar World Is Here
The bloc’s simultaneous offer of membership to six additional countries shows that middle powers from the Middle East are emerging as key global players.
Aug 24, 2023
◆
  • Nickolay Mladenov
A Palestinian woman walks by a mural in Bethlehem
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Palestinians Surprisingly Split on Saudi-Israel Normalization
In Gaza, most residents are strongly supportive of increased Arab involvement in the conflict and half are open to normalizing ties with Israel were Saudi Arabia to do so. A majority of West Bank residents, however, remain hesitant about such a proposal.
Aug 17, 2023
◆
  • Catherine Cleveland
  • David Pollock
Brief Analysis
Saudi Arabia’s Nuclear “Asks”: What Do They Want, What Might They Get?
Riyadh’s reported price for peace with Israel includes a civil nuclear program, but any such deal will require Washington to carefully balance multiple diplomatic, legal, and proliferation concerns.
Aug 15, 2023
◆
  • Simon Henderson
  • David Schenker
Crown Prince Muhammad and President Xi walking in Riyadh.
Brief Analysis
Closing Washington’s China Gap with Middle East Partners
For the first time in decades, America’s top strategic priority diverges from that of its key regional partners, but Washington can close the gap by increasing their understanding of China and removing the blinders from their threat perceptions.
Aug 14, 2023
◆
  • Michael Singh
Two Ukraine-owned and operated Bayraktar drones
Maps & Graphics
In-Depth Reports
A "System of Systems" Approach to Countering Drones:
Examining Recent Operations from the Middle East to Ukraine
Military officials are seeking not a silver bullet but instead advances based on existing layered, interoperable systems.
Aug 7, 2023
◆
  • Eric Feely
Crown Prince Muhammad and President Xi walking in Riyadh.
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
How a Small Saudi City Explains China’s Role in the Saudi-Iran Agreement
China's recent mediation efforts between Riyadh and Tehran were motivated by a combination of strategic outlook and economic interest in the Middle East, signaling a gradual shift away from its traditional "free-riding" approach.
Jul 31, 2023
◆
  • Essa Nahari
Mecca
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Saudi Survey Says: Nearly Half Back “Moderate Islam”; Few Support Internal Protests or War with Iran
Saudi minds have become considerably more open to a modern version of Islam since this question was first asked in 2017.
Jul 14, 2023
◆
  • David Pollock
  • Daniel Chodorow
Photo showing fighters from the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab.
Brief Analysis
More Emirati Military Involvement in Somalia Could Help Curb al-Shabab
The United Arab Emirates has much to offer if it chooses deeper military involvement in the fight against al-Shabab, but it would need to coordinate closely with other actors, especially the United States, to optimize its contribution.
Jun 27, 2023
◆
  • Ido Levy

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Supported by the

Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy

The Washington Institute's Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy embodies the Institute's long-term research focus on the conservative Arab Gulf states -- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman -- and the key role these countries play collectively as a primary source of the world's oil and natural gas.

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Featured experts

Michael Eisenstadt
Michael Eisenstadt
Michael Eisenstadt is the Kahn Senior Fellow and director of The Washington Institute's Military and Security Studies Program.
Simon Henderson
Simon Henderson
Simon Henderson is the Baker Senior Fellow and director of the Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy at The Washington Institute, specializing in energy matters and the conservative Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
Michael Knights
Michael Knights
Michael Knights is the Jill and Jay Bernstein Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and cofounder of the Militia Spotlight platform, which offers in-depth analysis of developments related to Iran-backed militias.
Elizabeth Dent - source: The Washington Institute
Elizabeth Dent
Elizabeth Dent is a Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where she focuses on U.S. foreign and defense policy toward the Gulf states, Iraq, and Syria.
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