Jerusalem Issue Briefs

Jerusalem Issue Briefs

Israeli Security Peace Process The Palestinians Terrorism

International Law Europe and Israel The Middle East Chronological List

Israeli Security
Lessons of the Gaza Security Fence for the West Bank
Maj.-Gen. (res.) Doron Almog
As part of Oslo, Israel gave up 80% of Gaza on May 18, 1994. Disengagement from Gaza means withdrawal from the remaining 20%. A key security element in Gaza was the creation of a one-kilometer security buffer zone monitored by soldiers in high-tech observation posts. In addition to the fence, we must continue to gather intelligence throughout the territories in order to be able to intercept Palestinian terrorists.
21st Century Threats Facing Israel
Maj.-Gen. Dan Halutz
The challenge of full-scale war is not behind us. Many countries in the region do not accept the presence of Israel as a natural fact. If the time comes that someone in the region thinks we have lost our strength, we can expect to be challenged.
The Growing Threat to Israel's Qualitative Military Edge
MK Dr. Yuval Steinitz
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More publications on this topic:
Israel's Defense Industry as a Key Component of Israel's Qualitative Military Edge - Giora Shalgi
How is Israel's Economy Affected by the Security Situation? - Ezra Sadan
The International Atomic Energy Agency and Israel: A Realistic Agenda - Gerald M. Steinberg
The Vanunu Myths and Israeli Deterrence Policy - Gerald M. Steinberg
Polling the Importance of Israel's Rights to a United Jerusalem and Defensible Borders for Likely American Voters: A Nationwide U.S. Survey - John McLaughlin
The Security Fence: An Imperative for Israel - Minister Uzi Landau
Israel's Strategy after the Iraq War - Maj.-Gen. Ya'akov Amidror
Beyond Iraq: Missile Proliferation in the Middle East - Uzi Rubin
Hizballah's Threat to Regional Security - Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman

Peace Process
Bush Erases the Clinton Parameters
Dore Gold
President Bush's April 14, 2004, letter to Prime Minister Sharon represents a significant shift in U.S. policy. Bush does not insist on any land swaps involving Israeli territory, and states that Palestinian refugees should be settled in a future Palestinian state "rather than Israel." Bush refers to "defensible borders" in the context of preserving and strengthening "Israel's capability to deter and defend itself, by itself." Under Bush, security must be achieved first, as a prerequisite for peace.
The Geneva Accord: A Strategic Assessment
Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror
The Geneva Accord conceded almost all the security arrangements for the West Bank and Gaza Strip sought by past Israeli governments and leaves Israel with no safety net in the event that the agreement is violated by the Palestinian side.
Was There a Missed Opportunity for Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
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The Palestinians
Undermining Mahmud Abbas: The "Green Revolution" and the Hamas Strategy to Take Over the Palestinian Authority
Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
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Will a Gaza "Hamas-stan" Become a Future Al-Qaeda Sanctuary?
Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror and David Keyes
Would a security vacuum in a post-withdrawal Gaza facilitate al-Qaeda's entry there? In the past, al-Qaeda sought to establish itself wherever there was a security vacuum - in economically weak, failed states. To prevent a safe haven for terrorism from emerging in Gaza, Israel must maintain control over the strategic envelope around Gaza even after its disengagement, particularly air, land, and sea access to the territory.
Are There Signs of a Jordanian-Palestinian Reengagement?
Dan Diker and Pinchas Inbari
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More publications on this topic:
Democracy as a Component of Security - Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom
What is the True Demographic Picture in the West Bank and Gaza? - Bennett Zimmerman and Prof. Sergio DellaPergola
After the Palestinian Elections - Ehud Yaari
Palestinian Priorities After Arafat: Palestinian Unity or Peace? - Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
The Expulsion of the Palestinian Authority from Jerusalem and the Temple Mount - Dan Diker
The Palestinian Rebellion in Fatah: Foreshadowing the Politics of the Post-Arafat Era - Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
The Struggle of Palestinian Journalists for Freedom of the Press - Dan Diker
What Happened to Reform of the Palestinian Authority? - Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh
Is Hamas Preparing to Inherit the Palestinian Authority? - Jonathan D. Halevi
What Can We Learn from the Palestine Investment Fund Report? - Mark Sloman
The Influence of Palestinian Organizations on Foreign News Reporting - Dan Diker
The Palestinian Boycott of Jerusalem's Municipal Political Process: Consequences for the Level of Public Services and Infrastructure - Justus Reid Weiner
The Recruitment of Children in Current Palestinian Strategy - Justus Weiner
What Really Happened in Jenin?

Terrorism

The Relationship Between International and Localized Terrorism
Boaz Ganor
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Who's Right on the War on Terrorism? The 9/11 Commission, the U.S. Senate Assessment of Prewar Intelligence, and the British Butler Committee
Dore Gold
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Combating Terrorist Financing: Where the War on Terror Intersects the "Roadmap"
Matthew Levitt
Since there is significant overlap between terrorist groups in the area of financing, failure to deal with the financing of groups like Hamas undermines efforts to stem the flow of funds to al-Qaeda.
More publications on this topic:
Empirical Hubris: How "Anonymous" Disguises the Real Threat to the West and Damages the CIA - Jeff Helmreich
Washington Misled: Saudi Arabia's Financial Backing of Terrorism

International Law

Legal Acrobatics: The Palestinian Claim that Gaza is Still Occupied Even After Israel Withdraws
Dore Gold
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Ethical Dilemmas in Fighting Terrorism
Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin
An ethics committee crafted principles on how to make moral and ethical decisions in Israel's operational campaign against terror. Everyone who is directly involved in terror is a legitimate target. Because of the level of incitement, collateral damage only raised Palestinian public support for terror from 95 to 96%. In the current war Israel has lost over 1,000 people - equivalent to the U.S. suffering 45,000 dead and 300,000 wounded.

Diplomatic and Legal Aspects of the Settlement Issue
Jeffrey Helmreich
One may legitimately support or challenge Israeli settlements in the disputed territories, but they are not illegal, and they have neither the size, the population, nor the placement to seriously impact upon the future status of the disputed territories and their Palestinian population centers.
More publications on this topic:
Israel's Commitment to Domestic and International Law in Times of War - Judge Amnon Straschnov
Should the International Court of Justice Give an Advisory Opinion on Israel's Separation Fence? - Prof. Ruth Lapidoth
The Evolution of International Law and the War on Terrorism - Alan Baker and Col. Daniel Reisner
Baseless Comparisons: UN Security Council Resolutions on Iraq and Israel - Dore Gold

Europe and Israel

European Misreading of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Efraim Karsh
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Radical Islam in The Netherlands: A Case Study of a Failed European Policy
Manfred Gerstenfeld
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How Europe's Drive for Independence from America Hurts Israel
Jeffrey Gedmin
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More publications on this topic:
The EU Constitutional Crisis, the Middle East, and Israel - Manfred Gerstenfeld
Putin Leads Russia's Return to�the Middle East and the Arab Embrace - Michael Widlanski

The Middle East

The Succession of Saudi King Abdallah, the Oil Market, and Regional Politics
Mordechai Abir
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How Egypt Molded Modern Radical Islam
Zvi Mazel
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Wartime Witch Hunt: Blaming Israel for the Iraq War
Dore Gold
While some have charged that the primary interest of the Bush administration in going to war against Saddam Hussein was to defend Israeli security interests, by 2003 Iraq was clearly not Israel's primary concern. With Israeli leaders at the time calling Iran "the main existential threat to Israel," the American war against Iraq may have had an unintended side-effect of removing a secondary or tertiary threat to Israel, but not a primary threat.
More publications on this topic:
The U.S. Versus Syria and Iran: Winning the War on Terror - Maj.-Gen. Paul E. Vallely (ret.)
Will Washington Support Democracy in Iran? - Michael Rubin
The Al-Qaeda Threat to Saudi Arabia's Oil Sector - Mordechai Abir
Instability in the Gulf and the Threat to Oil Stability - Antoine Halff
Syrian Foreign Policy Under Bashar al-Assad - Eyal Zisser
How Successful is Al-Qaeda's Strategy of Depriving the West of Essential Oil? - Mordechai Abir
After Ghadafi's Declaration: The Impact of Changes in Libyan and Iranian WMD Policies on Israel and the Region - Gerald M. Steinberg
Russia and Iran's Nuclear Program - Uzi Arad

Chronological List

Volume 5:
No. 5-3: Legal Acrobatics: The Palestinian Claim that Gaza is Still Occupied Even After Israel Withdraws
Dore Gold
No. 5-2: The Succession of Saudi King Abdallah, the Oil Market, and Regional Politics
Mordechai Abir
No. 5-1: Are There Signs of a Jordanian-Palestinian Reengagement?
Dan Diker and Pinchas Inbari

Volume 4:
No. 4-27: European Misreading of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Efraim Karsh
No. 4-26: The Relationship Between International and Localized Terrorism
Boaz Ganor
No. 4-25: The EU Constitutional Crisis, the Middle East, and Israel
Manfred Gerstenfeld
No. 4-24: Democracy as a Component of Security
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom
No. 4-23: The U.S. Versus Syria and Iran: Winning the War on Terror
Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely (ret.)
No. 4-22: Putin Leads Russia's Return to�the Middle East and the Arab Embrace
Michael Widlanski
No. 4-21: Undermining Mahmud Abbas: The "Green Revolution" and the Hamas Strategy to Take Over the Palestinian Authority
Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
No. 4-20: Israel's Defense Industry as a Key Component of Israel's Qualitative Military Edge
Giora Shalgi
No. 4-19: What is the True Demographic Picture in the West Bank and Gaza?
Bennett Zimmerman and Prof. Sergio DellaPergola
No. 4-18: How Egypt Molded Modern Radical Islam
Zvi Mazel
No. 4-17: Will Washington Support Democracy in Iran?
Michael Rubin
No. 4-16: The Palestinian "Temporary Cease-Fire": Israel's Political Risks and Opportunities with the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit
Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
No. 4-15: After the Palestinian Elections
Ehud Yaari
No. 4-14: Radical Islam in The Netherlands: A Case Study of a Failed European Policy
Manfred Gerstenfeld
No. 4-13: The Al-Qaeda Threat to Saudi Arabia's Oil Sector
Mordechai Abir
No. 4-12: Lessons of the Gaza Security Fence for the West Bank
Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog
No. 4-11: How is Israel's Economy Affected by the Security Situation?
Ezra Sadan
No. 4-10: The New Iraqi Government: An Interim Appraisal
Amazia Baram
No. 4-9: Palestinian Priorities After Arafat: Palestinian Unity or Peace?
Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
No. 4-8: Ethical Dilemmas in Fighting Terrorism
Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin
No. 4-7: Will a Gaza "Hamas-stan" Become a Future Al-Qaeda Sanctuary?
Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror and David Keyes
No. 4-6: Instability in the Gulf and the Threat to Oil Stability
Antoine Halff
No. 4-5: Israel's Commitment to Domestic and International Law in Times of War
Judge Amnon Straschnov, former IDF Military Advocate General
No. 4-4: Empirical Hubris: How "Anonymous" Disguises the Real Threat to the West and Damages the CIA
Jeff Helmreich
No. 4-3: Israeli Responses to the FBI's Espionage Investigation Leak - A Compendium
No. 4-2: Syrian Foreign Policy Under Bashar al-Assad
Eyal Zisser
No. 4-1: How Europe's Drive for Independence from America Hurts Israel
Jeffrey Gedmin

Volume 3:
No. 3-32: Understanding Arafat Before His Attempted Rehabilitation
Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
No. 3-31: The Expulsion of the Palestinian Authority from Jerusalem and the Temple Mount
Dan Diker
No. 3-30: The Palestinian Rebellion in Fatah: Foreshadowing the Politics of the Post-Arafat Era
Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
No. 3-29: Who's Right on the War on Terrorism? The 9/11 Commission, the U.S. Senate Assessment of Prewar Intelligence, and the British Butler Committee
Dore Gold
No. 3-28: Pride and Dissent in the Israeli Military
Brig.-Gen. Gershon HaCohen
No. 3-27: The International Atomic Energy Agency and Israel: A Realistic Agenda
Gerald M. Steinberg
No. 3-26: How Successful is Al-Qaeda's Strategy of Depriving the West of Essential Oil?
Mordechai Abir
No. 3-25: Wartime Witch Hunt: Blaming Israel for the Iraq War
Dore Gold
No. 3-24: The Struggle of Palestinian Journalists for Freedom of the Press
Dan Diker
No. 3-23: Why the Likud Voted No to Sharon's Disengagement Plan
Ron Dermer
No. 3-22: The Vanunu Myths and Israeli Deterrence Policy
Gerald M. Steinberg
No. 3-21: Bush Erases the Clinton Parameters
Dore Gold
No. 3-20: What Happened to Reform of the Palestinian Authority?
Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh
No. 3-19: Polling the Importance of Israel's Rights to a United Jerusalem and Defensible Borders for Likely American Voters: A Nationwide U.S. Survey
John McLaughlin
No. 3-18: Should the International Court of Justice Give an Advisory Opinion on Israel's Separation Fence?
Prof. Ruth Lapidoth
No. 3-17: Israel's Redeployment and Economic Relations with Its Arab Neighbors
Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
No. 3-16: 21st Century Threats Facing Israel
Maj. Gen. Dan Haloutz
No. 3-15: The Security Fence: An Imperative for Israel
Minister Uzi Landau
No. 3-14: Is Hamas Preparing to Inherit the Palestinian Authority?
Jonathan D. Halevi
No. 3-13: Is There an Alternative to Arafat's Leadership?
Barry Rubin
No. 3-12: After Ghadafi's Declaration: The Impact of Changes in Libyan and Iranian WMD Policies on Israel and the Region
Gerald M. Steinberg
No. 3-11: Lethal Gestures
Dan Diker
No. 3-10: The Growing Threat to Israel's Qualitative Military Edge
MK Dr. Yuval Steinitz
No. 3-9: The Geneva Accord: A Strategic Assessment
Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror
No. 3-8: Balancing IDF Checkpoints and International Law: Teaching the IDF Code of Conduct
Lt. Col. Amos Guiora
No. 3-7: Undermining the War on Terrorism: The Role of Yasser Arafat and the Syrian Regime
Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad
No. 3-6: What Exactly Does Israel Have on Yasser Arafat?
Eli Kazhdan
No. 3-5: The Inevitable Disintegration of the Hudna
Eli Kazhdan and David Keyes
No. 3-4: Combating Terrorist Financing: Where the War on Terror Intersects the "Roadmap"
Matthew Levitt
No. 3-3: Who is Taking Credit for Attacks on the U.S. Army in Western Iraq? Al-Jama'a al-Salafiya al-Mujahida
Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
No. 3-2: Iran after the Iraq War
Ephraim Sneh
No. 3-1: U.S. Middle East Policy and Iran's Politico-Economic Development
Mordechai Abir

Volume 2:
No. 2-31: Prisoner Release - Veering Off the Roadmap
Eli Kazhdan
No. 2-30: Iraq - A Source of Oil or a Quagmire for the U.S.?
Mordechai Abir
No. 2-29: Towards Aqaba: Challenges Facing Israel after the Iraq War
Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland
No. 2-28: The Suicide Bombing Attacks in Saudi Arabia: A Preliminary Assessment
Dore Gold
No. 2-27: What Can We Learn from the Palestine Investment Fund Report?
Mark Sloman
No. 2-26: Russia and Iran's Nuclear Program
Uzi Arad
No. 2-25: The New Arafat-Abu Mazen Cabinet: A Roadblock to Middle East Peace
Dore Gold
No. 2-24: Israel's Strategy after the Iraq War
Maj. Gen. Ya'akov Amidror
No. 2-23: The Influence of Palestinian Organizations on Foreign News Reporting
Dan Diker
No. 2-22: Beyond Iraq: Missile Proliferation in the Middle East
Uzi Rubin
No. 2-21: The Palestinian Boycott of Jerusalem's Municipal Political Process: Consequences for the Level of Public Services and Infrastructure
Justus Reid Weiner
No. 2-20: Hizballah's Threat to Regional Security
Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman
No. 2-19: Meeting the "Depth Threat" from Iraq: The Origins of Israel's Arrow System
Uzi Rubin
No. 2-18: Mubarak Changes His Tune
Victor Nahmias
No. 2-17: Deterrence in the Era of Terrorism and Non-Conventional Weaponry
Dan Meridor
No. 2-16: Diplomatic and Legal Aspects of the Settlement Issue
Jeffrey Helmreich
No. 2-15: Turkey's Elections and Israel
Efraim Inbar
No. 2-14: The Evolution of International Law and the War on Terrorism
Alan Baker and Col. Daniel Reisner
No. 2-13: Sunni and Shiite Terrorist Networks: Competition or Collusion?
Lenny Ben-David
No. 2-12: The Assad Visit to London: Background and Implications
Mark Ami-El
No. 2-11: Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the War on Terrorism
Mordechai Abir
No. 2-10: A New Palestinian Agenda After Iraq?
Maj. Gen. Amos Gilad
No. 2-9: Israel, Iraq, and the Palestinians - As the U.S. Moves Toward War
Ze'ev Schiff
No. 2-8: The Recruitment of Children in Current Palestinian Strategy
Justus Weiner
No. 2-7: Baseless Comparisons: UN Security Council Resolutions on Iraq and Israel
Dore Gold
No. 2-6: Starting Over After Oslo
Gerald M. Steinberg
No. 2-5: Durban's Troubling Legacy One Year Later: Twisting the Cause of International Human Rights Against the Jewish People
Irwin Cotler
No. 2-4: Missile Proliferation in the Middle East
Moshe Arens
No. 2-3: Iran, Syria, and Hizballah - Threatening Israel's North
Lenny Ben-David
No. 2-2: The Israeli-Palestinian Confrontation: Toward a Divorce
Ehud Ya'ari
No. 2-1: Why Arafat Went to War: The Wrong Lessons from Lebanon and Kosovo
Brig. Gen. Eival Gilady

Volume 1:
No. 1-23: Washington Misled: Saudi Arabia's Financial Backing of Terrorism
No. 1-22: What Really Happened in Jenin?
No. 1-21: A Primer for the Arab Summit in Beirut
No. 1-20: Saudi Arabia's Op-Ed Diplomacy: A Public Relations Ploy or a Serious Initiative?
No. 1-19: Was There a Missed Opportunity for Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
No. 1-18: Arafat's Iraqi Connection
No. 1-17: Elie Hobeika's Assassination: Covering Up the Secrets of Sabra and Shatilla
No. 1-16: Marwan Barghouti, Fatah-Tanzim, and the Escalation of the Intifada
No. 1-15: The PLO Weapons Ship from Iran
No. 1-14: Destabilizing Implications of Iranian-U.S. Rapprochement for Israeli and Global Security
No. 1-13: Yasser Arafat, Christmas, and the PFLP
No. 1-12: Maintaining Israel's Qualitative Military Edge: Dilemmas for the Bush Administration
No. 1-11: How Arafat's Palestinian Authority Became an "Entity Supporting Terrorism"
No. 1-10: Powell's Middle East Speech: A Scorecard
No. 1-9: Why Syria is Becoming the Coalition's Spoiler
No. 1-8: Iraq's Biological Weapons Program - Could it be the Source of America's Anthrax Attack?
No. 1-7: Israeli Operations in Area A: The State Department vs. the Oslo Accords
No. 1-6: Draining the Swamp of Terror: One Corner at a Time, or All at Once?
No. 1-5: Palestinian Cease-Fire Compliance: Dilemmas for American Policy
No. 1-4: One Year of Yasser Arafat's Intifada: How It Started and How It Might End
No. 1-3: Militant Islam's Fury at America: The Israel Canard
No. 1-2: Have the Palestinians Abandoned a Negotiated Settlement?
No. 1-1: Occupied Territories or Disputed Territories?