Israel and the Palestinian Territories
For over seven decades, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has shaped Middle East politics. Hamas’ terror attack on October 7, 2023, and the Israeli military response in Gaza, have sparked a new phase in the conflict’s trajectory and efforts to resolve it, with lasting impacts that will transform Israeli and Palestinian societies, as well as regional dynamics. Building on over 30 years of partnering with Israeli and Palestinian peacebuilders; facilitating confidence building steps between the parties; and informing policy considerations of U.S. and international mediators, USIP is supporting Israeli and Palestinian civil society partners seeking to foster trust within and between their traumatized societies and take joint action to prevent the spread of violent deterioration. The Institute also contributes to policy deliberations, with an emphasis on convening Israeli, Palestinian and regional partners to ensure insights from the ground inform the pursuit of a regionally-supported, just, peaceful and sustainable solution to the conflict.
Featured Publications
The Growing Flashpoints Between the U.S. and Iran
Tension between Washington and Tehran has been a growing undercurrent of the war in Gaza, even as both countries tried to prevent it from sparking a direct confrontation during the first six months of fighting. Robin Wright, a joint fellow at USIP and the Wilson Center, explores the evolving flashpoints in the world’s most volatile region as well as the challenges for U.S. diplomacy, the new triggers for a wider regional conflagration and the historical backdrop.
As Hezbollah-Israel Tensions Simmer, Lebanon’s Domestic Crises Drag On
Nearly six months after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, tensions in two key flashpoints — Lebanon and Syria — continue to rise with significant Israeli airstrikes in both countries, leading to the highest death tolls in each country since October 7. Amid these rising tensions, ongoing clashes between the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) threaten to escalate into a wider war. At the same time, Lebanon continues to reel from a series of crises that have unfolded over the past four and a half years, highlighting Lebanon’s perilous position as the Gaza conflict continues to reverberate throughout the region.
What Does the U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution Mean for the Israel-Gaza War?
On March 25, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed Resolution 2728, calling for an “immediate” cease-fire in Gaza. The motion’s passage came after weeks of back and forth and posturing among the UNSC’s permanent and rotating members. The exact phrasing of the resolution and its relevance to the situation on the ground, as well as bilateral and multilateral relations — particularly U.S.-Israel ties — have been the subject of heavy public and media attention since Monday, raising questions about the resolution’s subtext, intent and limitations. USIP’s Robert Barron looks at these questions.