Strait of Hormuz: A Struggle to Determine Iran’s Strength Tomorrow
Iran’s move to assert sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz has short- and long-term implications for the Islamic regime and the world economy.
Michael Eisenstadt: Hamas-Israel War With Comments on U.S.-Israel-Iran War
Washington Institute Senior Fellow Michael Eisenstadt speaks about the regional effects of the 2023-2025 Hamas-Israel war and the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran war in March 2026.
Objectives and Conclusions: U.S.-Israel-Iran WarCIE+
While too much is unknown after a week of fighting to make definitive statements about the war, certain possible outcomes can be explored.
Stein: The Causes and Consequences of the 2023-2025 Hamas-Israel War (transcript)CIE+
CIE President Ken Stein addresses what is and what is not known about why Hamas attacked October 7, 2023, why Israel was caught off guard, and what happens after the war across the region.
U.S. Defense Law Focuses on Postwar Middle East, Israel, December 2025CIE+
The fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act shifts U.S. military cooperation with Israel to a postwar focus, including support for neighbors facing Iranian proxies and a response to military embargoes of Israel.
Timeline: Hamas-Israel Relations With Events, Statements and Clashes, 1988-PresentCIE+
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.
Explainer: Oslo II Agreement Between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, September 1995CIE+
September 28, 1995 After signing the Declaration of Principles (DOP) on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, commonly known as the Oslo Accords, on September 13, 1993, Israel and the PLO reached three additional interim agreements before Oslo…
U.S. Generational Divide Solidifies on Views Toward Israel, HamasCIE+
August 2025 polling data about American attitudes toward Israel and Hamas and about American political party partisanship toward Israel over the past decade.
U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel Since the October 7 AttackCIE+
May 28, 2025 “U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel: Overview and Developments since October 7, 2023,” by Jeremy M. Sharp, specialist in Middle East affairs, Congressional Research Service Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S….
June 2025 Pew Research Center Surveys on IsraelCIE+
Divided at home and condemned abroad, public opinion of Israel sinks in response to war and domestic politics.
US-Israeli RelationshipCIE+
The US-Israeli relationship is complicated, dynamic, multidimensional, and enduring. From initial American governmental opposition to the present, Washington has become Israel’s most trusted ally. Rooted in common bonds, entrenched military sharing, and valued strategic interests, the association has also greatly influenced the shaping and sustenance of American Jewish identity.
Kenneth W. Stein, “Evolving a Diplomatic Legacy From the October War: The US, Egyptian, and Israeli Triangle”CIE+
Kenneth W. Stein, “Evolving a Diplomatic Legacy From the October War: The US, Egyptian, and Israeli Triangle,” in Asaf Siniver (ed.), The October 1973 War Politics, Diplomacy, and Legacy, London: Hurst and Company, 2013. This…
Netanyahu’s Persistent Advocacy for Strong Israeli-U.S. Relationship: What Is Next for Both Countries With Changing Middle East Landscapes?CIE+
Since coming to office the first time in 1996, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has met with four presidents (Clinton, Obama, Trump and Biden) on 11 occasions. Four times he has addressed Congress, each…
Second Trump Administration’s Views on Israel, Middle EastCIE+
By Aidan New and Michael Jacobs (updated April 9) President Donald Trump’s second administration had an impact in the Middle East even before his inauguration Jan. 20, 2025: Special Middle East envoy Steven Witkoff was…
Hamas-Israel January 2025 Ceasefire — Commentary and ImplicationsCIE+
The details of the three-stage Hamas-Israel cease-fire that went into effect January 19, 2025, along with unanswered questions, insightful analyses and the relevant U.N. resolution from June 2024.
Post-Presidency Insider Ken Stein Offers Insights on Jimmy CarterCIE+
Professor Ken Stein spent decades working with and researching the presidency and post-presidency of Jimmy Carter and shared many of his insights with the media and fellow scholars after the 39th U.S. president died Dec….
Jimmy Carter — An Obituary: The Audacious Camp David Mediator and His Naive Approach to Israel, Iran, the Palestinians and the Whole Middle EastCIE+
January 9, 2025 By Dr. Kenneth Stein, Emeritus Professor, Emory University As the 39th president of the United States, James Earl Carter held office from 1977 to 1981. Carter was the longest-surviving former United States president…
Jim Zanotti, “Major Issues and U.S.-Israel Relations,” Congressional Research ServiceCIE+
This is an excellent historical review of the relationship, including discussion of the Israel-Hamas War (31p.).
Explainer: Egyptian-Israeli Negotiations, 1977-1981CIE+
By Ken Stein, October 28, 2024 When Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter became the 39th President of the United States in 1977, he had little foreign policy experience, particularly regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict. Despite this, he…
Congressional Research Service, Israel and Hamas Conflict in Brief: Overview, U.S. Policy, and Options for Congress, October 2024CIE+
On Oct. 7, 2023, the Palestinian Sunni Islamist group Hamas (a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, or FTO) led surprise attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip. More than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals (including at…
“Jimmy Carter’s Middle East Legacies,” Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, September 2024CIE+
September 2024 By Kenneth Stein Kenneth Stein is Emeritus Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History, Political Science and Israel Studies at Emory University and President of the Atlanta-based Center for Israel Education. He is the author…
David Makovsky, “Disagreements on Hostages Loom Over Netanyahu’s Washington Trip,” July 19, 2024, Washington Institute for Near East PolicyCIE+
With permission Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s latest Washington visit will center around a July 24 speech to a joint session of Congress and a meeting with President Biden two days earlier, marking their first…
Ronald E. Neumann, “Lessons for Postwar Gaza From the American Experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Jerusalem Strategic Tribune, July 2024CIE+
(with permission) “Don’t repeat our mistakes—we can do it ourselves.” This line occurred to me as I listened to discussions of “the day after” in Gaza. Plans and ideas need to address the detailed problems…
Reassessing Sadat, Begin and CarterCIE+
It is now apparent that distances between the Carter administration and Israel did not begin in earnest after Begin’s May 1977 election or over the settlements. Newly available materials show that from its outset, the Carter administration prioritized curbing Israeli influence in Washington.
