Israel has signaled once again that it is weighing an attack, if all else fails, to halt Iran’s advancing nuclear weapons program as an act of anticipatory self-defense. This time, more officials in Washington and other capitals are listening. Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that Tehran will retaliate against the… Read more
Heritage hosted House Foreign Affairs Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) to discuss President Obama's performance on matters beyond U.S. borders. We spoke to her about the Obama Doctrine, her concerns about U.S. policy toward Cuba and Israel, and why she is trying to reform the United Nations. Read more… Read more
In going to the United Nations to push for Palestinian statehood, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas essentially turned his back on the 1993 Oslo peace accord with Israel and U.S.-brokered Mideast peace negotiations. His campaign was a loud and very public vote of no-confidence in the Obama… Read more
Since Israel deployed its new Iron Dome artillery and rocket interceptor system in April, it successfully used it to shoot down Hamas Grad rockets. The Israeli experience with Iron Dome shows that the criterion of cost effectiveness for missile defenses has been defined too narrowly in the United States. … Read more
My name is James Phillips, and I am the Senior Research Fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs at The Heritage Foundation. The views I express in this testimony are my own and should not be construed as representing any official position of The Heritage Foundation. Since… Read more
Tensions are rising in the eastern Mediterranean between Israel and Lebanon, this time over roughly 430 square miles of contested waters that contain considerable underwater gas reserves. Iran, Hezbollah and Syria are all interested in a war with Israel, each for their own reasons. Tehran and Damascus want to save… Read more
Abstract: In September 2011, the U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote on a resolution recognizing Palestinian statehood. This resolution is linked to Palestinian efforts to obtain U.N. membership as a state and to delegitimize Israel. These efforts will have no legal significance because… Read more
James Carafano discusses Obama's recent remarks on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. … Read more
In this week's Heritage in Focus podcast, James Phillips discusses the aftermath of the Arab Spring and escalating tensions around Israel. David Weinberger hosts. To get regular updates on Heritage in Focus podcasts, visit our RSS feed or subscribe on iTunes. To listen to more Heritage… Read more
Jim Phillips discusses escalating tensions between Syria and Israel. … Read more
Abstract: Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions are ominous in light of its hostile foreign policy and longstanding support for terrorism. But Iran's repeated threats to annihilate the state of Israel while it develops the world's most dangerous weapons have created an even more explosive situation.… Read more
Criticism of Israel’s May 31 interception of an “aid” flotilla has prompted a misguided call from the European Union for “an urgent and fundamental change of policy” to allow for the unconditional opening of Gaza border crossings.[1] This criticism directly contradicts the EU’s designation of Hamas as a… Read more
While all eyes are on the political violence in Egypt, the Obama Administration has labored in crisis mode, struggling to stay ahead of the rapidly moving events. Washington’s problem is that publicly the White House appears to be floundering, focusing myopically on events on Tahrir Square rather than exercising real… Read more
Passed after 9/11 to encourage innovation in the development of security technology, the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act provides a safe harbor for manufacturers of new “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technologies.” The U.S. could vastly expand markets for these technologies and exploit technologies and services being developed elsewhere in… Read more
In the aftermath of the recent gun battle aboard a Turkish aid ship heading for Gaza, international leaders have been queuing up to attack Israel. From Ankara to Brussels, the condemnation of the only longstanding democracy in the Middle East has been swift and unequivocal. The United Nations, the European… Read more
Last week White House Press Secretary Jay Carney promised the President would soon make a major address “on the Middle East and U.S. policy in the Middle East...to a broader audience than just the Arab world.” It is long past time for President Barack Obama to lay out a plan… Read more
Palestinians are getting ready to divert the international spotlight away from the “Arab Spring” and focus it on their efforts to gain international recognition for a Palestinian state. Palestinian activists have called for a popular uprising against Israel on May 15. The two strongest Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, signed… Read more
Thousands are dead in Syria, with more blood spilled each day. Iran is within arm's reach of a nuclear weapon,...… Read more
As Israel weighs an attack against Iran in an effort to destroy its nuclear weapons program, Washington is still...… Read more
[caption id="attachment_85026" align="alignnone" width="550" caption="Iranian student demonstrators climb over the wall...… Read more
As international pressure on Iran has mounted due to its accelerating uranium enrichment, its foiled plot to assassinate...… Read more
[caption id="attachment_83440" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="A general view shows the reactor at the nuclear...… Read more
As expected, “Palestine” succeeded in gaining membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural...… Read more
U.S. authorities announced today that they disrupted an Iranian plan to commit a "significant terrorist act in the...… Read more
Catching you up on clips, commentary and news of the day. Sign up for the daily… Read more
“Peace is hard”—this was the theme of President Obama’s speech September 21 at the U.N. General Assembly. The Obama...… Read more
The United States is scrambling to avoid a diplomatic crisis at the U.N. over a Palestinian statehood vote and a...… Read more
Senior Research Fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs