Seven weeks after Hamas brutally killed more than 1,200 Israelis and others and kidnapped 239, hostages were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. Joy, anguish and uncertainty hovered in Israel as some hostages were released and others retained. Joining us for CIE’s eighth weekly webinar to provide insightful analyses on the war and its implications are Tel Aviv University Professor Meir Litvak, delving into the origins of Islamic antisemitism and Iran’s role as ideological choreographer seeking Israel’s destruction; Dr. Mark Heller, a Principal Research Associate at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, a veteran specialist on intraregional politics; and Dr. Steven Bayme, an astute analyst of Israel-Diaspora relations and antisemitism in America. Dr. Ken Stein, CIE President and Emory University Professor Emeritus of Middle Eastern history and political science, is the moderator Nov. 29, 2023.
Latest articles from CIE
Bibliography — BDS and Antisemitism
Articles and books on the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement and on antisemitism on U.S. campuses, with suggested sources to read on the history and politics of Zionism and modern Israel.
Vice President JD Vance “Very Optimistic” on Gaza Peace, October 2025
Visiting Israel, U.S. Vice President JD Vance expresses optimism about the rocky Hamas-Israel ceasefire and broader hopes for Middle East peace while refusing to set deadlines for Hamas to disarm or return all hostage bodies.
Timeline: Hamas-Israel Relations With Events, Statements and Clashes, 1988-Present
Hamas’ genocide against Israelis unleashed the long-blistering hatred that Hamas possesses for Israel and Jews. Entries include severe Arab criticism of Hamas, its detriment to Palestinian nationalism, statements by its leaders, and the war’s unfolding.
Photo Gallery: 20 Israeli Hostages Come Home
October 13, 2025 The final 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinians in Gaza were released October 13, 2025, under the peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump and accepted by Israel…
6 Steps to Implement Gaza Peace Plan, October 2025
October 9, 2025 Source: “Implementation Steps for President Trump’s Proposal for a ‘Comprehensive End of Gaza War,’” first obtained by Israel’s Kan News, then obtained and confirmed by multiple media outlets, including The Times of…
Trump’s Vision for Middle East Peace at Sharm el-Sheikh, October 2025
The U.S., Turkey, Qatar and Egypt commit to trying to implement President Trump’s vision for enduring peace in Gaza and the entire Middle East without offering details or obtaining the sign-on of Israeli or Palestinian officials.
Netanyahu Thanks Trump for Extraordinary Friendship After Hostage Release, October 2025
In a Knesset speech, Prime Minister Netanyahu delivers effusive praise for President Trump’s Middle East peacemaking even though the U.S. plan appears to have put the support of key Muslim powers in the region ahead of sign-on from Israeli or Palestinian officials.
World Leaders React to Gaza Peace Plan, October 2025
October 9, 2025 Edited October 12, 2025, to add a comment from Pope Leo XIV. After negotiators meeting in Egypt reached agreement October 8, 2025, on the first phase of the 20-point U.S. plan to…
President Trump’s Executive Order Promising U.S. Protection for Qatar, 2025
President Trump issued a presidential order placing Qatar under the military protection of the United States. He did not submit his policy for U.S. Senate ratification, as would be necessary for the staying power of a treaty. The U.S. had never offered such protection to an Arab country, let alone one that sits across the Persian Gulf from Iran. The action was viewed as a direct response to Israel’s intrusion into Qatar’s sovereignty three weeks earlier in a failed attack on Hamas leaders in Doha. But the order might have been a step toward including Qatar in the Abraham Accords. And Qatar is potentially a key funder in rebuilding the Gaza Strip.
