With the situation in Gaza and Israel entering a critical stage, Foreign Affairs has put together a package of articles that offers analyses from subject experts on the crisis. The articles in this package cover different aspects of the conflict such as the future of Israeli democracy, the ability of Egyptian president El-Sisi to negotiate a ceasefire and regional implications. In addition to the articles from Foreign Affairs, you can read op-ed pieces from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) by senior CFR fellows and executives such as Leslie Gelb, Elliott Abrams, and Robert Danin. The articles and op-ed pieces are as follows:
“Bibi’s First War” by American Task Force for Palestine Senior Fellow Hussein Ibish
“As things stand, this conflict bears all the hallmarks of a classic lose-lose scenario, at least in the short run. Netanyahu might calculate that the price of being sucked into a pointless and bloody attack on Gaza was worth paying to avoid the political harm that would come from doing nothing in the face of enormous public pressure. But the risk-averse and cautious Israeli politician cannot be comfortable this week. The most Netanyahu can hope for is that when the dust settles the new normal in Gaza looks comfortingly like the old normal, something both Netanyahu and the Israeli public believe they can live with, at least for now. But with everything in the region in flux, that expectation may be unrealistic.”
“The Near Enemy” by Haverford College Professor Barak Mendelsohn
“With Hamas busy firing rockets at Israeli cities, it’s only natural that the Israeli public’s primary concern in recent days has been physical security. But it should also be attuned to other, equally dangerous, problems posed by the current crisis. As Israel shifts to war footing, the authority of the Israeli state and the country’s ability to remain a pluralistic democracy are under threat.”
“Expendable Egypt” by Middle East analysts Benedetta Berti and Zack Gold
“The 2012 Gaza war was an important test for Egypt’s last president. So, too, is the current conflict a test for (current president Abdel Fattah el-) Sisi. The Egyptian president has openly stated his desire to be directly involved in restoring calm. Egyptian intelligence and security leaders recognize the detrimental effect of tensions on Egypt’s borders. And so, Israel and the international community are watching to see if Sisi can be an effective partner. At an even deeper level, if Sisi can reach an agreement with Hamas, despite the vitriolic rhetoric directed at the Palestinian group from Cairo, it could also signal the new president’s potential to reconcile with domestic political opponents that have been on the receiving end of similar rhetoric.”
Op-ed pieces from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR):
“Here’s What The U.S. Has to Do to Deal With the Mad Middle East,” a Daily Beast op-ed by CFR President Emeritus Leslie Gelb
“Why Israel Is Winning This War,” a Weekly Standard op-ed by CFR Senior Fellow Elliott Abrams
“Hamas and Israel in a Bind,” a CFR Interview with CFR Senior Fellow Robert Danin
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