Middle East Institute

The two leading presidential candidates in America's 2024 election have made multiple statements and established a policy track record on various Middle East matters. Where do they stand on key MENA policy issues?

For more information on the candidates' US-MENA policy stances, view the full comparison of Harris’ and Trump’s possible Middle East policies here: https://mei.edu/publications/comparing-harris-and-trump-middle-east-policy

“[Iran] put themselves in the position to have to do something, and this time they needed to be more impactful without creating another round of retaliations by the Israelis," says MEI's Alex Vatanka to The Wall Street Journal.

The Missteps in Washington and Tehran That Brought Middle East to the Brink An Iranian attack on Israel would carry the risk of a wider war.

“On top of the general background of a country that is burdened by a historic economic collapse, the health sector — in particular, hospitals, clinics, trauma centers — is not well prepared for the kind of war that is knocking on Lebanon’s door,” says MEI's Firas Maksad to NBC News.

Hammered by crises, Lebanon's hospitals struggle to prepare for war with Israel Lebanon's health care sector is suffering from economic malaise, political deadlock and pandemic aftereffects. Can its hospitals handle yet another crisis?

Since seizing control of Afghanistan on Aug. 15, 2021, the Taliban has appointed thousands of individuals to administrative positions across the country.

MEI’s Taliban Leadership Tracker is an interactive database mapping nearly 1,200 leaders and civilian/military appointees. Produced and maintained by MEI Non-Resident Scholar Javid Ahmad, the platform identifies information on these key figures wielding influence throughout the Taliban government.

Introducing the Taliban Leadership Tracker Since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban has appointed thousands of individuals to various political, military, administrative, and judicial positions across the country, occupying crucial roles as decision-makers, influencers, local enforcers, and implementers who help shape...

Amidst escalating regional conflict, MEI will convene its second annual CENTCOM Commanders Council Reception.

On October 13th, MEI’s Chairman General (ret.) John Abizaid will join General (ret.) Frank McKenzie and two former Assistant Secretaries of State for a conversation on how the U.S. should engage with its allies and counter its adversaries in the Middle East.

A year since Oct. 7, and 22 days before the U.S. presidential election, join the discussion at MEI about what the future of U.S. - Middle East relations may look like: https://www.mei.edu/centcom-commanders-council

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on Aug. 15, 2021, the country has been in a period of crisis. How has the international community engaged with the Islamic Emirate diplomatically, and what factors are blocking increased humanitarian aid?

In this week's briefing, Brian Katulis, Khaled Elgindy, Alex Vatanka, Amb. (ret.) Gerald Feierstein, Eyal Lurie Pardes, and Shanthie Mariet D'Souza examine variables in Gaza War ceasefire talks, possible Iranian responses to Israel, Israeli Supreme Court hearings on human rights violations at Sde Teiman, and near normalization with the Taliban.

Monday Briefing: US policy navigates tug-of-war between widening conflict and a cease-fire in the Middle East Read MEI's weekly briefing featuring expert analysis of key regional developments for the week ahead.

As the UN grapples with unprecedented challenges to its role as a global peacemaker, Fadi Nicholas Nassar’s new book tackles a pressing question: What do UN mediators actually do when tasked with the responsibility to forge peace in conflicts like Syria?

Fadi Nicholas Nassar is the US-Lebanon Fellow at the Middle East Institute. For more information, please click on the link in the bio.

Israel's neighbors Egypt and Jordan are caught in the cross-hairs of the escalating tensions in the Middle East. MEI's Mirette Mabrouk and Firas Maksad analyze the situation.

Tensions remain high in the Middle East following the targeted killings of Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. In a new article, MEI's Charles Lister analyzes the current situation. To read the full article use the link in our bio.

MEI guest contributor Samuel Ramani compares and contrasts Russian and Chinese engagement with the Houthis in a new article. For more information use the link in our bio.

This week’s two-part episode of Middle East Focus features insights from Ni**od Goren & Paul Salem on the Israeli strike on a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut & the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Listen here 🎧 ⬇️
https://www.mei.edu/multimedia/podcast/israeli-strikes-and-risk-regional-escalation

Hamas leader, Ismail , was killed in an airstrike in on July 31. The shock assassination threatens widening the conflict to a full-blown regional war. What does it all mean? MEI’s scholars break it down.

A rocket attack hit the Arab Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on July 27, killing 12 young people. MEI experts analyze the situation. For more information visit the link in our bio.

Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the United States, H.E. Motaz Zahran held a private roundtable discussion on July 25 at the Middle East Institute, moderated by Mirette F. Mabrouk, Director of MEI’s Egypt and Horn of Africa Program. Ambassador Zahran discussed a variety of issues critical for Egypt and its neighbors, as well as Egyptian-US relations.

The Middle East and the Horn of Africa are currently in a state of flux, with rising regional tension and ongoing conflict. With wars raging on three borders and an economy struggling to get back on its feet, Egypt is trying to put out myriad fires simultaneously. As the most populated country in the Middle East and North Africa, with a uniquely connected geostrategic location, what happens in Egypt has far-reaching impact and influence.

Listen to the on-the-record conversation here: https://youtu.be/2O6KWyoVmwU

Nine months into the Gaza War, how has the Biden administration progressed toward achieving its stated policy goals around the conflict? In his latest paper, MEI’s Brian Katulis grades the current progress and explains the limits of Biden’s Middle East diplomacy.

Read the full paper here: https://www.mei.edu/publications/limits-bidens-middle-east-diplomacy-assessment-us-policy-april-july-2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently in Washington DC addressing a joint session of Congress. According to MEI's Ni**od Goren, before this week's domestic political developments, many Americans and Israelis found the timing of the visit to be awkward. Goren comments on how President Biden's recent decision to withdraw from the election has complicated the visit.

A Houthi drone hit a Tel Aviv apartment building on July 19. In response to the incident, Israel launched airstrikes against the group the following day. MEI's Fatima Abo Alasrar and Michael K. Nagata (LTG(R), US Army) discuss the implications of the latest escalating tensions between the and .

President Biden has announced that he will not seek reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. How will this decision influence US foreign policy? MEI's Brian Katulis analyzes the situation.

In a new article, MEI's Charles Lister analyzes the surge of activity in in the first half of 2024. To read the full article visit www.mei.edu

MEI's Ni**od Goren was recently quoted in the German newspaper Tagesspiegel, discussing the rise in settler violence in the West Bank and its effects.

In less than ten days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address Congress in Washington, DC. MEI's Eran Etzion discusses the political situation that accompanies the Prime Minister's upcoming visit.

Pakistan's Information Minister has announced plans to ban former Prime Minister, Imran Khan's party. MEI's Marvin G. Weinbaum and Gerald M. Feierstein analyze the situation. ⁠
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The Middle East Institute was honored to host His Excellency Omran Sharaf, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs for Advanced Science and Technology in the United Arab Emirates for a private roundtable on July 11. MEI’s Mohammed Soliman, Director of Strategic Technologies and Cybersecurity Program, served as moderator.

The discussion focused on the recent steps the has taken to develop its sector, including in artificial intelligence. H.E. Sharaf also discussed the priorities of the UAE’s space program and how the UAE and the US seek to collaborate on projects of mutual interest.

On July 10, MEI hosted an in-person roundtable discussion with Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, secretary general and co-founder of the Palestinian National Initiative.

Dr. Barghouti’s visit provided an opportunity to hear a prominent Palestinian civil society leader and political analyst discuss the latest developments in Israel and Palestine.

MEI's Turkey Program examines the CHP, the pro-Kurdish party’s strategy, & Erdoğan’s economic & foreign policies to ask “what comes next for Turkey?”

Read the full study below ⬇️

What Comes Next for Turkey? Prospects for Change on the Political, Economic, and Foreign Policy Fronts After two decades in power and following the Justice and Development Party’s historic defeat in the 2024 local elections, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is now at his most vulnerable. What comes next is not only important for the future prospects of Turkish democracy but also holds import...

The Middle East Institute and the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL) are pleased to announce their latest joint policy brief, "Securing Lebanon to Prevent a Larger Hezbollah-Israel War and Wider Escalation."

The report proposes a framework for robust diplomacy designed, first and foremost, to steer Lebanon away from the precipice of war, and then help establish a direct and sustainable path to stability and recovery.

Visit www.mei.edu for more information.