Egypt, Israel, and the Levant
Political, economic, and security trends in Egypt, Israel and Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan
Syria’s decade-long conflict continues to destabilize the Levant. Syria remains an arena for proxy wars by external forces, millions of Syrians experience protracted displacement in the region, and compounding crises in Syria and Lebanon indicate prolonged economic hardship. Meanwhile, Israel’s new relationships with Arab states are creating new opportunities, while it seeks to manage enduring threats from Iran and its proxies in the Levant. The Middle East Program analyzes the evolving political, geopolitical, and humanitarian dynamics in the Levant and Egypt, providing analysis and recommendations for U.S. policy.
See the Middle East Program's publications and past events on Egypt and the Levant HERE.
Featured Analysis
Stability vs. Accountability: The Cost of Political Settlements in the MENA Region

Dalal Mawad: The Port of Beirut Explosion Through Women's Eyes
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman Will Todman and Leah Hickert — October 17, 2023

Photo: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images
Running Dry: Exploring the Water Crisis in Syria
Please join the Middle East Program for an event that sheds light on the water crisis in Syria and explores its effects on local communities with a focus on the political, financial, and social obstacles to alleviating water insecurity.
Event by Natasha Hall Marjolaine Bos Simav Hassan Marie Schellens Peter Schwartzstein and Nadeen Taha

Israel’s Third Juncture in History
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — July 24, 2023

Photo: JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images
Scaling Out: Lebanon’s Civil Society Joins Forces to Tackle the Waste Crisis
Commentary by Martin Pimentel

Photo: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images
A Saudi-Israeli Deal Is Likely to Take Years, Not Weeks
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman

Haneen Sayed: Lebanon's Economic Crisis
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman Will Todman and Martin Pimentel
Israel-Hamas War

Khalil Sayegh: What We Get Wrong About Gaza
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert — November 14, 2023

Neri Zilber: Inside Israeli Politics During Wartime
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert — October 31, 2023

Photo: YAHYA HASSOUNA/AFP/Getty Images
Israel Could Lose
In a new commentary, Jon Alterman explains that while Israel has the most formidable fighting force in the region, it needs to prioritize winning back global support, invigorating the Palestinian Authority, and splitting Hamas off from the population.
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — November 7, 2023
The Way Forward: A Conversation with H.E. Ayman Safadi, Foreign Minister of Jordan

Photo: KHALED DESOUKI/POOL/AFP/Getty Images
The World Can’t Solve the Israel-Hamas War without Egypt
Commentary by Daniel Byman and Jon B. Alterman
The Outlook for Israel’s Military Campaign against Hamas
Event by Seth G. Jones Jon B. Alterman Emily Harding and Daniel Byman

Photo: MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images
What Comes after War in Gaza
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman
All Egypt, Israel, and the Levant Content
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Gaza's Solar Power in Wartime
Commentary by Will Todman Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. and Jennifer Jun — November 21, 2023
“Israel Could Lose”: Audio Brief with Jon B. Alterman
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman — November 10, 2023

Israel Could Lose
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — November 7, 2023
The World Can’t Solve the Israel-Hamas War without Egypt
Commentary by Daniel Byman and Jon B. Alterman — October 25, 2023
Biden’s Efforts to Bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — September 22, 2023
A Saudi-Israeli Deal Is Likely to Take Years, Not Weeks
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — September 19, 2023
Israel’s Third Juncture in History
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — July 24, 2023
The Data Dead Zone
Commentary by Natasha Hall — June 12, 2023
Environmental Civil Society in the Middle East
Commentary by Will Todman — June 9, 2023
Earth Day: Lessons for Environmental Cooperation
Commentary by Natasha Hall — April 24, 2023