Essays
Reflections on Camp David at 40
How the Camp David Accords became a limited Egyptian–Israeli peace effort that ultimately transformed Arab–Israeli relations across the Middle East
Half Right and Still Waiting
Parsing the successes of the Israeli–Egyptian peace treaty against the failure of Camp David’s other framework agreement sheds light on the pillars of a successful security relationship, and the unique sticking points of the Palestinian–Israeli conflict
The Peacemakers’ War
After forty years, the Camp David summit continues to be the seminal shaper of the modern Middle East. However, it was an effort fraught with challenges for the peacemakers that could have resulted in its collapse
Lessons from the Thirteen Days in September
On the atmosphere, negotiating style, and mistakes made at Camp David
Asymmetry, the Spoiler
For twenty-five years since the Oslo Agreement, Palestinian–Israeli negotiations have been characterized by a starkly uneven power dynamic. To reach a final solution, today’s negotiators must commit to leveling the playing field
The Oslo Accords: A Closer Look
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?
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
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
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
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
The European Union’s foreign policy since the Arab Spring has fluctuated between outdated economic initiatives and political misreadings; instead the EU needs more internal unity and a better understanding of needs in the Arab World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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
In Northeast Africa today, Middle Eastern states vie for influence, and African governments accede—with conditions