Six Days That Redrew the Map of the Middle East
Speeches, source documents and analyses from the 1967 war, gathered into one playlist you can listen to end to end — from the closing of the Straits of Tiran to the aftermath.
Election Watch 2026: Ranked Issues Motivating the Israeli Electorate According to August Polling Data
The top issues motivating Israeli voters two months before the October 27, 2026, election are national security, October 7 accountability and the cost of living, but other issues affect how those topics influence voting decisions.
Mecca Defense Agreement: A Muslim Security Pact for an Uncertain Middle East
Three powerful Muslim countries agreed to a still-vague mutual defense pact both to constrain Iran and to increase their strategic flexibility amid regional changes and U.S. concerns.
Election Watch 2026: Israeli Polling in the Month Ending July 31 CIE+ members only
Three months from the 26th Knesset election, polling shows the anti-Netanyahu bloc on the cusp of enough votes to form a coalition without the Arab parties.
In the News: “How Israeli Elections Differ From US Political System” CIE+ members only
CIE President Ken Stein speaks with the Atlanta Jewish Times in advance of the October 2026 election about differences between the U.S. and Israeli electoral systems.
Explainer: A Short History of Hamas and the Hamas-Israel War CIE+ members only
Updated July 10, 2026; originally posted October 2023. By Ken Stein Hamas’ Origins The 1988 Hamas Charter and remarks by its leaders and other publications express hatred of Zionism, Israel and Jews. It is thus unmistakable that Hamas…
Comparing the U.S. and Israeli Declarations of Independence CIE+ members only
July 4, 2026 By Ken Stein, President, Center for Israel Education A short comparison of key concepts found in the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, and the Israeli Declaration of Independence, May 14,…
Evaluating Any U.S.-Iran Deal Against President Trump’s 2018 Criteria CIE+ members only
The success or failure of 2026 U.S.-Iran negotiations may be judged by the elements President Trump listed in 2018.
Explainer: Zionists and Arabs — Historical Sources on the Path to the Modern State of Israel CIE+ members only
Update June 9, 2026; originally posted June 2021. Compiled by Dr. Ken Stein, CIE President, June 9, 2026 These sources and references unfold the history of the Jewish state through 1949, from state-seeking to state-making…
Explainer: Israel’s Declaration of Independence CIE+ members only
The Israeli Declaration of Independence was crafted in the final month before independence but reflects a thoughtful approach to citizens, neighbors and American precedents.
Strait of Hormuz: A Struggle to Determine Iran’s Strength Tomorrow CIE+ members only
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 CIE+ members only
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 War CIE+ members only
While too much is unknown after a week of fighting to make definitive statements about the war, certain possible outcomes can be explored.
Explainer: Turkey-Israel Relations CIE+ members only
Turkish-Israeli relations have swung between friendship and hostility since Turkey became the first Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel in 1949.
Controversies Uncool for Israel’s Olympic “Shul Runnings” CIE+ members only
Israel wasn’t expecting gold, silver or bronze in the 2026 Winter Olympics, but it also wasn’t expecting controversy to mar the happy story of its first Olympic bobsledders.
9 Key Questions About Theodor Herzl’s “The Jewish State,” February 14, 1896 CIE+ members only
Nine questions guide key understandings about Theodor Herzl’s “The Jewish State.”
Israel Sends 10 Athletes to Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics CIE+ members only
Israel is competing in bobsled, alpine and cross-country skiing, skeleton, and figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy.
Stein: The Causes and Consequences of the 2023-2026 Hamas-Israel War (transcript) CIE+ members only
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.
Status of Israel’s Judicial Overhaul, January 2026
Three years after the Israeli government began the process to overhaul the judiciary, and after two years of war delayed efforts, the drive to rein in judicial independence continues.
New Year’s 2026 Unrest in Iran and Its Context for Israel and the Middle East CIE+ members only
January 2, 2026 A week of unrest in Iran does not guarantee a revolution even if 85-plus million Iranians are angry at the country’s autocratic, theological rulers. Iran is a security-clerical oligarchy where kleptocracy, cronyism…
U.S. Defense Law Focuses on Postwar Middle East, Israel, December 2025 CIE+ members only
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.
Explainer: Three Jewish States or Commonwealths, 1030 B.C.E.-Present CIE+ members only
The First Commonwealth: Kingdom of Israel/the United Monarchy (circa 1030-930 B.C.E.) under Kings Saul, David and Solomon. The monarchy split into two kingdoms in 930 B.C.E. The northern Kingdom of Israel endured until 722 B.C.E., when…
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.
Donna Robinson Divine, “Politics and Society in Ottoman Palestine: The Arab Struggle for Survival and Power” CIE+ members only
Divine, Donna Robinson, Politics and Society in Ottoman Palestine: The Arab Struggle for Survival and Power, Lynne Reinner Publishers, Boulder, 1994, pp. 191-215 (with author’s permission, September 2025) This is a rigorous analysis of the struggles of…
