Eric R. Mandel

If Israel is truly committed to reoccupying Gaza, it must coordinate with Washington at an unprecedented level to mitigate the cascade of adverse outcomes likely to emerge.

With 2026 approaching, the “cold peace” risks fraying further, a scenario neither the US nor Israel can afford to ignore.

International law makes Hamas, not Israel, responsible for civilian harm, yet much of the world continues to misjudge the situation.

APR is framed as a new category of discrimination against Palestinians, their narratives, and their advocates.

PA officials frequently invoke Quranic verses emphasizing the sanctity of al-Aqsa Mosque and promise divine reward for “martyrs,” blending scripture with calls to violence.

To halt the decline in US support, Israel must treat public diplomacy as a national security priority.

Tehran, long adept at delaying diplomacy while advancing its nuclear program, had assumed 2025 would play out like previous rounds. But this time, the Islamic Republic misjudged.

One can rationalize the cowardice of the European position, as it is dealing with its own growing Islamist population and the demographic decline of its indigenous citizens.

Will the US support Israel’s new post-October 7 doctrine of preemption and deterrence, or will Washington revert to urging Israeli restraint once ceasefires are established?

The challenges to the long-term partnership in 2025 are perhaps the most consequential in Israel’s history. Israel must be united and choose wisely.