Essays

Former Palestinian foreign minister Nasser Alkidwa takes a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Oslo Accords, the lessons learned, and the way forward

Oslo and Camp David: One and the Same?

By Yossi Beilin

What we have learned from the Oslo Accords needs to influence a future agreement so that a lasting Camp David-like peace can be reached between Israelis and Palestinians

Developing the Concept of Palestinian Autonomy

By Joel Singer

How the Camp David Accords, as well as a little-known series of negotiations called the “Autonomy Talks,” came to serve as the basis for Palestinian self-rule during the Oslo negotiations

The Case for the One-State Solution

By Abdel Monem Said Aly

With the two-state solution on life support, it’s time to revisit solutions once discarded as radical—namely, the one-state option

Oslo’s Mangled Legacy

By Ghaith Al-Omari

After the PLO suffered a legitimacy crisis in the early 1990s, the organization was forced to survive by entering the Oslo talks. Despite initial success, it has since endured failures

Europe: In Search of a Role

By Pierre Vimont

The European Union’s foreign policy since the Arab Spring has fluctuated between outdated economic initiatives and political misreadings; instead the EU needs more internal unity and a better understanding of needs in the Arab World

The Inflection Point

By Jon B. Alterman

Reduced American focus on the Middle East going forward is just one of many changes with which Arab leaders will have to grapple in the coming years, and it is disorienting

The Choice for the West: Focus or Strategic Failure

By Daniel Levy

The Middle East and North Africa would be better off with diminished Western ambitions in the region. However, rather than coalescing around a more manageable and realistic set of goals, the West is beset by confusion and growing discord

An Overdue Reckoning

By David Wearing

British foreign policy in the Middle East has shifted decisively from a long period of consensus to one of sharp contestation between an empire-2.0 right and a transformative left

In the Leopard’s Footprints

By Marco Pinfari

Despite the rise of the continent’s first populist government, in its relations with the Middle East, Italy shows remarkable continuity with its recent past in its emphasis on migration and energy security

In Pursuit of a Grand Strategy

By Frédéric Charillon

France’s diplomatic sojourns into the Middle East over the past quarter century have only yielded moderate success. Can the government of Emmanuel Macron reverse this slow downward spiral?

India’s Multipolar Commitment

By Kabir Taneja

With a modern diplomatic history going back to Gandhi and Nehru, India views its role in the Middle East as a supporter of multiple powers. But how long can India’s commitment to a multipolar Middle East continue?

Russia’s Sharp Turns

By Dmitry Shlapentokh

To get involved in Syria, Russia had to turn to Iran as an unexpected ally, yet as the conflict develops, it is ready to accommodate any and all players to strengthen its foothold in the region

Patrons of Peace and Conflict

By Nanjala Nyabola

In Northeast Africa today, Middle Eastern states vie for influence, and African governments accede—with conditions

Building Fortress Europe

By Parastou Hassouri

There is hypocrisy in Europe’s migration policies, which give lip service to human rights, but actually push back those seeking access to better lives.

Migration Myths and the Global South

By Ibrahim Awad and Usha Natarajan

The discourse currently dominating international migration privileges a Northern agenda and obfuscates the real causes and consequences of why people move. A greater focus on the Global South is essential.

In a Storm Not of their Making

By Omer Karasapan

The arrival of mass numbers of Syrian refugees in Europe has ignited a “perfect storm” for the surge of xenophobia and populist politics among Europeans. Its cause, however, originates in the West and not with the Syrians themselves.

A Horrible Game Changer

By Ghaith Al-Omari

The Trump administration’s decision to cut aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East or UNRWA may highlight a need for institutional reform. Nonetheless, the humanitarian crisis and political unrest resulting from such a decision far outweigh any benefits.

A Compact for Syrian Refugee Women?

By Bethan Staton