Israel in the Middle East

Meron Rapoport (Courtesy)

PODCAST: Israel’s Iran paradox

Meron Rapoport argues that so long as the occupation persists, eliminating one enemy only creates the need for another.

By +972 Magazine March 13, 2026

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar meets Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi in Hargeisa, January 6, 2026. (Somaliland Presidency/X)

Israel’s Somaliland gambit reflects a doctrine of endless escalation

By projecting power into the Horn of Africa, Israel aims to increase pressure on rivals, undermine regional stability, and narrow the space for diplomacy.

By Omar H. Rahman January 13, 2026

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, September 18, 2019. (U.S. Department of State)

How Gaza’s horrors turned Israeli normalization into a Saudi domestic crisis

Before Oct. 7, the kingdom was meticulously reshaping public opinion to support a peace deal. Gaza upended this strategy — forcing MbS to recalibrate.

By Hind Al Ansari April 24, 2025

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A supporter of Egypt's ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, holds a poster of him with Arabic writing reading "The people support the president," Cairo, Egypt, on July 06, 2013. (Wissam Nassar/Flash90)

In Morsi’s death, Israel proves it prefers a non-democratic Middle East

Israel is not interested in democracy as a value. On the contrary — it has a great deal of interest in making sure it keeps bearing the title of ‘the only democracy in the Middle East.’ While many Palestinians were perturbed by the death of Egypt’s former president, Mohamed Morsi, and Knesset members of four of the…

By Orly Noy June 21, 2019

Shimon Peres, John Kerry and Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan (World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell)

Israel won’t become part of the Middle East until the occupation ends

The chance of Israel’s re-admittance to the Middle East lies in its ability to show initiative, originality and flexibility of thought. Only by attempting sincerely to solve the Palestinian problem will it have a chance to become a public and recognized player. Prof. Elie Podeh A few months ago, former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni traveled…

By +972 Magazine January 26, 2015

200,000 missiles aimed at Israel. None fired. Why?

At any given time, about 200,000 missiles are aimed at Israel, Aviv Cochavi, chief of army intelligence, told the VIPs today at the Herzliya Conference. Two-hundred thousand missiles – another important fact that will go in one ear of the Israeli public and out the other. It plays havoc with a basic national conviction, so it will be discarded.…

By Larry Derfner February 2, 2012

Israelis view the street protests in Egypt with both fear and indifference

In Israel, media coverage of the Egyptian uprising has been superficial at best. Most Israelis know little about the Arab world and are indifferent to the issues that brought Egyptians to the streets; instead, they focus on their fear that the Muslim Brotherhood, which is perceived as hostile to Israel, would fill a power vacuum…

By +972 Magazine January 29, 2011