The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
@washinstitute.bsky.social
Advancing a balanced and realistic understanding of American interests in the Middle East. (Reposts & Follows do not constitute endorsement.)
We are also accepting applications for the Summer 2026 intern class! Interns are assigned to Institute research programs based on their skills and interests. Applications accepted until February 15, 2026. Check out our website for more:
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December 19, 2025 at 9:38 PM
We are also accepting applications for the Summer 2026 intern class! Interns are assigned to Institute research programs based on their skills and interests. Applications accepted until February 15, 2026. Check out our website for more:
🧵We are now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Research Assistant class. Applications accepted until February 15, 2026. RA positions are geared towards recent B.A. graduates. Start dates will be in late summer of 2026. Current opportunities include:
December 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
🧵We are now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Research Assistant class. Applications accepted until February 15, 2026. RA positions are geared towards recent B.A. graduates. Start dates will be in late summer of 2026. Current opportunities include:
Tunisia has been witnessing a gradual but notable uptick in protest movements. What can the U.S. government do to help Tunisia? Sabina Henneberg explains.
Tunisia’s Growing Protests Open a Door for Low-Cost U.S. Initiatives
Amid mounting domestic pressure on President Saied, the Trump administration should take modest but useful and forward-looking steps like lifting tariffs, supporting less-politicized trade projects, a...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 18, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Tunisia has been witnessing a gradual but notable uptick in protest movements. What can the U.S. government do to help Tunisia? Sabina Henneberg explains.
New from April Longley Alley in @foreignaffairs.com: "As the dust settles from Israel’s war in Gaza, the Houthis are notable outliers."
The Middle East’s Most Overlooked Threat
How the Houthis—and a new civil war in Yemen—could upend the post-Gaza balance of power.
www.foreignaffairs.com
December 18, 2025 at 5:37 PM
New from April Longley Alley in @foreignaffairs.com: "As the dust settles from Israel’s war in Gaza, the Houthis are notable outliers."
📺Tune in on Tuesday, December 23 at 12pm ET for a conversation with H.E. Youssef Raggi on the critical issues on Lebanon’s foreign policy agenda—including the disarmament process, the potential for peace, and more.
Lebanon's Outlook on Sovereignty, Disarmament, and Peace A Discussion with Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi
Join us for a special conversation with His Excellence Youssef Raggi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of the Republic of Lebanon. Watch live starting at 12:00 noon EST (1700 GMT) on Tuesday,...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 18, 2025 at 4:23 PM
📺Tune in on Tuesday, December 23 at 12pm ET for a conversation with H.E. Youssef Raggi on the critical issues on Lebanon’s foreign policy agenda—including the disarmament process, the potential for peace, and more.
New from Sabina Henneberg: "Given President Kais Saied’s apparent scorn for the country’s traditionally strong partnerships with the West, the increasing public discontent may offer opportunities to restore a more promising trajectory."
Tunisia’s Growing Protests Open a Door for Low-Cost U.S. Initiatives
Amid mounting domestic pressure on President Saied, the Trump administration should take modest but useful and forward-looking steps like lifting tariffs, supporting less-politicized trade projects, a...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 17, 2025 at 9:47 PM
New from Sabina Henneberg: "Given President Kais Saied’s apparent scorn for the country’s traditionally strong partnerships with the West, the increasing public discontent may offer opportunities to restore a more promising trajectory."
The Trump administration has reframed U.S. policy in the Middle East, and this new approach is outlined in the National Security Strategy, write @lizydent.bsky.social and Amb. Dennis Ross. Washington can take the following steps to fully realize its ambitions:
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Closing the Regulatory Gap in Trump’s Middle East Strategy
The success of the administration’s new approach hinges on updating U.S. government tools and structures needed to fuel its ambitions and manage the associated strategic risks.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 17, 2025 at 8:49 PM
The Trump administration has reframed U.S. policy in the Middle East, and this new approach is outlined in the National Security Strategy, write @lizydent.bsky.social and Amb. Dennis Ross. Washington can take the following steps to fully realize its ambitions:
1/2
1/2
📺Tune in on Tuesday, December 23 at 12pm ET for a must-watch webcast with H.E. Youssef Raggi, who has served since February as Lebanon's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.
Lebanon's Outlook on Sovereignty, Disarmament, and Peace A Discussion with Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi
Join us for a special conversation with His Excellence Youssef Raggi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of the Republic of Lebanon. Watch live starting at 12:00 noon EST (1700 GMT) on Tuesday,...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 17, 2025 at 7:28 PM
📺Tune in on Tuesday, December 23 at 12pm ET for a must-watch webcast with H.E. Youssef Raggi, who has served since February as Lebanon's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.
📺Tune in on Tuesday, December 23 at 12pm ET for a must-watch webcast with H.E. Youssef Raggi, who has served since February as Lebanon's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.
Lebanon's Outlook on Sovereignty, Disarmament, and Peace A Discussion with Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi
Join us for a special conversation with His Excellence Youssef Raggi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of the Republic of Lebanon. Watch live starting at 12:00 noon EST (1700 GMT) on Tuesday,...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 17, 2025 at 6:28 PM
📺Tune in on Tuesday, December 23 at 12pm ET for a must-watch webcast with H.E. Youssef Raggi, who has served since February as Lebanon's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.
"Even under the best of circumstances, building a capable Palestinian security force for this mission will be extremely challenging and take years to complete," writes Michael Jacobson.
Getting to Phase 2 in Gaza: Red Lines and Recommendations
Washington Institute experts and former officials lay out the urgent need for clarity on vital questions related to U.S. oversight, the stalled International Stabilization Force, Israel’s red lines, H...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 17, 2025 at 5:49 PM
"Even under the best of circumstances, building a capable Palestinian security force for this mission will be extremely challenging and take years to complete," writes Michael Jacobson.
"Governments—in Europe and beyond—that hope for peace and stability in Gaza should be working vigorously to identify and disrupt Hamas’s financial and support networks in their territories," write @mattlevitt.bsky.social and Michael Jacobson in @lawfaremedia.org.
Cutting Off Hamas’s European Fundraising Spigot
Some European governments have been aggressive in prosecuting the group’s continental financiers, but not aggressive enough, while others have yet to take any substantive action.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 17, 2025 at 4:31 PM
"Governments—in Europe and beyond—that hope for peace and stability in Gaza should be working vigorously to identify and disrupt Hamas’s financial and support networks in their territories," write @mattlevitt.bsky.social and Michael Jacobson in @lawfaremedia.org.
🎧 Andrew Tabler spoke with Here & Now's Indira Lakshmanan about the deadly attack on U.S. troops in Syria and the current state of IS.
What the deadly attack on U.S. troops in Syria reveals about the state of Islamic extremism
President Trump is vowing to retaliate after a deadly attack on American military personnel in central Syria over the weekend. Officials say the gunman was linked to the Islamic State, also known as I...
www.wbur.org
December 16, 2025 at 11:02 PM
🎧 Andrew Tabler spoke with Here & Now's Indira Lakshmanan about the deadly attack on U.S. troops in Syria and the current state of IS.
"In short, the success of phase 2 and the long-term survival of the ceasefire will depend on a combination of immediate security stabilization, gradual disarmament, and the transfer of authority to a reformed PA," writes Neomi Neumann.
Getting to Phase 2 in Gaza: Red Lines and Recommendations
Washington Institute experts and former officials lay out the urgent need for clarity on vital questions related to U.S. oversight, the stalled International Stabilization Force, Israel’s red lines, H...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 16, 2025 at 10:39 PM
"In short, the success of phase 2 and the long-term survival of the ceasefire will depend on a combination of immediate security stabilization, gradual disarmament, and the transfer of authority to a reformed PA," writes Neomi Neumann.
Reposted by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Senior #Hamas leader Osama Hamdan: "There is not a single leader inside Hamas opposing the 7 October decision, neither secretly nor publicly" monitoring.bbc.co.uk/product/b000...
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December 16, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Senior #Hamas leader Osama Hamdan: "There is not a single leader inside Hamas opposing the 7 October decision, neither secretly nor publicly" monitoring.bbc.co.uk/product/b000...
New from Amb. Dennis Ross and @lizydent.bsky.social: The Trump administration’s new policy approach to the Middle East, outlined in the National Security Strategy, shifts the U.S. focus from military presence, counterterrorism, and security integration to “partnership, friendship, and investment.”
Closing the Regulatory Gap in Trump’s Middle East Strategy
The success of the administration’s new approach hinges on updating U.S. government tools and structures needed to fuel its ambitions and manage the associated strategic risks.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 16, 2025 at 9:35 PM
New from Amb. Dennis Ross and @lizydent.bsky.social: The Trump administration’s new policy approach to the Middle East, outlined in the National Security Strategy, shifts the U.S. focus from military presence, counterterrorism, and security integration to “partnership, friendship, and investment.”
We are accepting applications for our Summer 2026 intern class! Applications will be accepted until the March 1, 2026 deadline.
Learn more about this opportunity and apply:
Learn more about this opportunity and apply:
Employment Opportunities
Combined Shape
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 16, 2025 at 5:36 PM
We are accepting applications for our Summer 2026 intern class! Applications will be accepted until the March 1, 2026 deadline.
Learn more about this opportunity and apply:
Learn more about this opportunity and apply:
Are you interested in learning more about U.S. policy in the Mideast? We are accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Research Assistant class. RA positions are geared towards recent B.A. graduates with interest and background in Mideast and U.S. foreign policy. Start dates in late summer of 2026.
Employment Opportunities
Combined Shape
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 16, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Are you interested in learning more about U.S. policy in the Mideast? We are accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Research Assistant class. RA positions are geared towards recent B.A. graduates with interest and background in Mideast and U.S. foreign policy. Start dates in late summer of 2026.
If Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi meet this month, Washington should press both leaders to treat the summit as the beginning of a more structured approach on Gaza stabilization and broader regional diplomacy, writes Haisam Hassanein.
Egypt-Israel Summit: A Springboard to Progress on Gaza?
If Netanyahu and Sisi meet this month, Washington should press both leaders to treat the summit as the beginning of a structured trilateral process on Gaza, not a one-off symbolic encounter.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 15, 2025 at 7:36 PM
If Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi meet this month, Washington should press both leaders to treat the summit as the beginning of a more structured approach on Gaza stabilization and broader regional diplomacy, writes Haisam Hassanein.
Reposted by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
European countries are designating and prosecuting Hamas’s financial lifeline, but far more needs to be done, write @washinstitute.bsky.social’s Michael Jacobson and Matt Levitt.
Cutting Off Hamas’s European Fundraising Spigot
European countries are designating and prosecuting Hamas’s financial lifeline, but far more needs to be done.
www.lawfaremedia.org
December 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM
European countries are designating and prosecuting Hamas’s financial lifeline, but far more needs to be done, write @washinstitute.bsky.social’s Michael Jacobson and Matt Levitt.
Reposted by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Cutting Off #Hamas’s European Fundraising Spigot
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/cutt... @lawfaremedia.org @washinstitute.bsky.social
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/cutt... @lawfaremedia.org @washinstitute.bsky.social
Cutting Off Hamas’s European Fundraising Spigot
European countries are designating and prosecuting Hamas’s financial lifeline, but far more needs to be done.
www.lawfaremedia.org
December 14, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Cutting Off #Hamas’s European Fundraising Spigot
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/cutt... @lawfaremedia.org @washinstitute.bsky.social
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/cutt... @lawfaremedia.org @washinstitute.bsky.social
Handled carefully, an Egypt-Israel summit could reanchor U.S. MidEast strategy, align bilateral objectives in Gaza & generate diplomatic momentum. If mishandled, it risks reinforcing perceptions of drift & deepening mistrust - Haisam Hassanein www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...
Egypt-Israel Summit: A Springboard to Progress on Gaza?
If Netanyahu and Sisi meet this month, Washington should press both leaders to treat the summit as the beginning of a structured trilateral process on Gaza, not a one-off symbolic encounter.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 12, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Handled carefully, an Egypt-Israel summit could reanchor U.S. MidEast strategy, align bilateral objectives in Gaza & generate diplomatic momentum. If mishandled, it risks reinforcing perceptions of drift & deepening mistrust - Haisam Hassanein www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...
Scholars & former officials explain how to move the Gaza ceasefire to Phase 2. Clarity on US oversight, intl stabilization force, Israeli red lines, Hamas opposition to multinational proposals & more. W/ Amb. Ross, Neumann, Jacobson, al-Omari & Yaari www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...
Getting to Phase 2 in Gaza: Red Lines and Recommendations
Washington Institute experts and former officials lay out the urgent need for clarity on vital questions related to U.S. oversight, the stalled International Stabilization Force, Israel’s red lines, H...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 12, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Scholars & former officials explain how to move the Gaza ceasefire to Phase 2. Clarity on US oversight, intl stabilization force, Israeli red lines, Hamas opposition to multinational proposals & more. W/ Amb. Ross, Neumann, Jacobson, al-Omari & Yaari www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...
New from Souhire Medini: "For the first time since its inception in November 2024, the U.S.-French mechanism tasked with monitoring the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement has undergone a significant transformation."
The U.S.-French Mechanism 2.0: Preventing Escalation Between Lebanon and Israel
Strong outside supervision over Lebanon’s implementation of the Hezbollah disarmament plan could help forestall looming Israeli military escalation and protect recent diplomatic milestones on the road...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 11, 2025 at 9:57 PM
New from Souhire Medini: "For the first time since its inception in November 2024, the U.S.-French mechanism tasked with monitoring the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement has undergone a significant transformation."
"Following Israel’s ferocious fall 2024 assault on Hezbollah, Washington had high hopes for Lebanon. It would be best to lower them," writes David Schenker in Asharq al-Awsat.
A Year Later, Lebanon Still Won’t Stand Up to Hezbollah
Although Washington should keep pressing the Lebanese government to seize weapons and prosecute political assassins, the chances of Beirut actually confronting the militia appear increasingly slim.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:10 PM
"Following Israel’s ferocious fall 2024 assault on Hezbollah, Washington had high hopes for Lebanon. It would be best to lower them," writes David Schenker in Asharq al-Awsat.
"Ultimately, the future welfare (and wealth) of the Syrian nation and its people greatly depend on peacefully integrating the northeast," write Amb. James Jeffrey and @devorahmargolin.bsky.social.
Time to Unify the Kurdish Northeast with the Rest of Syria
Ongoing delays in implementing their integration agreements threaten to derail the entire post-Assad national project, but the Kurds and Damascus don’t need to solve all of their core issues right awa...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
December 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
"Ultimately, the future welfare (and wealth) of the Syrian nation and its people greatly depend on peacefully integrating the northeast," write Amb. James Jeffrey and @devorahmargolin.bsky.social.