Assessments

United States

Israel

Saudi Arabia

China

Indonesia

Ukraine

India

A door at the U.N. headquarters Sept. 15, 2023, in New York ahead of the 78th session of the General Assembly. The 78th U.N. General Assembly will occur Sept. 18-26 against a backdrop of deepening global divisions.

Military & Security

Politics

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: The U.N. General Assembly, Zelensky's U.S. Visit

Kenya

Turkey

Russia

Vehicles drive past the logo of the G-20 Summit on Aug. 10, 2023, in New Delhi.

Environment, Science & Technology

The Weekly Rundown: The Africa Climate Summit, the G-20 Summit in New Delhi

Snapshots

Libya

Libyan protesters burn tires in Tripoli on Aug. 28, 2023, in response to reports that their country's foreign minister met with her Israeli counterpart. 

The uproar over the foreign minister meeting shows that anti-Israel sentiment remains strong in Libya, which will chill further attempts to build covert ties between the two countries.

In Libya, Israel's Normalization Push Goes Sideways Over a Secret Meeting

Egypt

Iran

Qatar

Syria

United Arab Emirates

Iran’s foreign minister (right) poses for a picture with his Saudi counterpart on June 17, 2023, in Tehran.

Economics

The detentes that have emerged between long-standing rivals have made the region more peaceful, but old wounds could still reopen.

In the Middle East, Shared Interests Are Turning Former Foes Into Friends -- For Now

Sub-Saharan Africa

Cambodia

Spain

A vandalized billboard promoting Spain's far-right Vox party with an image of its leader is seen near Madrid on July 19, 2023. 

The Weekly Rundown: Spain Holds a High-Stakes Election, African Leaders Visit Russia

Media

Graphics

A giant billboard bearing a picture of Iran's "Fattah" hypersonic missile covers the side of a building in Tehran on July 7, 2023.

Iran's newest Khorramshahr missile could reach Israel and regional U.S. military bases, enabling Tehran to deter direct attacks.

Iran Extends its Reach With the Fourth-Generation Khorramshahr Missile

South Africa

Sudan

Zimbabwe

Argentina

Chile

Ecuador

Palestinian Territories

Germany

France

Afghanistan

Pakistan

Podcasts

Cyber

Social Issues

What Q3 security risks should companies expect and prepare for?

Essential Geopolitics: An Overview of RANE's Q3 Forecast

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (second from right) attends the weekly cabinet meeting in his office in Jerusalem on June 25, 2023. 

The country's push to impose a one-state solution on the Palestinians is angering its new Arab allies and hardening Saudi Arabia against normalization. 

Israel's Far-Right Policies Slow Progress on the Abraham Accords

Paraguay

United Kingdom

A general view shows a Knesset session in Jerusalem, Israel, on March 20, 2023. 

The Weekly Rundown: The U.K. and Paraguay Hold Elections, Israel's Knesset Resumes

An update on current developments in The Middle East

RANE Insights: An In-Depth Overview of Middle Eastern Relations

Lebanon

A section of the Lebanese-Israeli border is seen near the village of Shtula in northern Israel on April 6, 2023. 

The attacks coincide with rising unrest in Israeli cities and the West Bank that could embolden the hawkish, far-right members of Israel’s new government.

In Israel, Rocket Fire From Lebanon Risks Spurring a Major Escalation

Belize

Guatemala

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) at a weekly Cabinet meeting Feb. 19, 2023, in Jerusalem.

The Weekly Rundown: Israel's Cabinet Votes on a National Guard, Von der Leyen and Macron Visit China

U.S.-China Relations

Energy

At the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) annual General Conference, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced that the kingdom will rescind its small quantities protocol in favor of a comprehensive safeguards agreement (CSA), Reuters reported on Sept. 25.

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Agrees to Tighter IAEA Oversight as Nuclear Negotiations Progress

Lebanese and Israeli forces exchanged tear gas fire along their shared border in the disputed Shebaa Farms region, but there were no reports of casualties, AP reported on Sept. 23.

Lebanon, Israel: Soldiers Exchange Tear Gas Fire Along Border Area

U.S. and Israeli officials are working on a possible plan for a Saudi civilian nuclear program that would allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its own soil (with safeguards), which is a key demand of Saudi Arabia amid negotiations over Israeli-Saudi normalization, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sept. 21.

Israel, Saudi Arabia: Israel Softens on Saudi Nuclear Enrichment

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered to renew financial aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) in April if the PA reined in terror groups in the West Bank, while Saudi officials added that the government hoped the offer would improve PA sentiment toward eventual Saudi-Israeli normalization, The Wall Street Journal reported on Aug. 29.

Saudi Arabia, Palestinian Territories: PA Remains Unconvinced of Saudi-Israeli Normalization

Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer said Israel may back the development of a Saudi civilian nuclear program (with oversight from the United States) as part of a broader normalization deal, PBS reported on Aug. 18.

Israel, Saudi Arabia: Israel May Drop Objection to Saudi Civilian Nuclear Program

An Israeli lawmaker said the government would focus on passing an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) draft law that would likely legalize long-standing exemptions of ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews from military service, The Times of Israel reported on Aug. 17.

Israel: Government to Focus on IDF Draft Reform, Then Judicial Overhaul Legislation

U.S. semiconductor manufacturer Intel and Israeli foundry Tower Semiconductor announced that they had mutually agreed to terminate a proposed $5.4 billion merger because China did not approve the acquisition before the contract expired on Aug. 15, Reuters reported on Aug. 16.

U.S.: Intel Abandons Tower Semiconductor Acquisition After China Declines to Approve the Deal

Saudi Arabia designated its ambassador to Jordan, Nayef Al-Sudairi, as a "nonresident ambassador to the state of Palestine," Riyadh announced on Aug. 12.

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Appoints First-Ever Ambassador to Palestinian Territories

Algeria

Antigua and Barbuda

Luxembourg

South Sudan

A view of the Register in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Angola

Armenia

Australia

Bahrain

Lithuania

Covering an area that spans the entire width of the continent beginning at the Sahara Desert and ending at the southernmost tip of South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa is home to countless cultures, languages, religions, plants, animals and natural resources.

Barbados

Benin

Maldives

Malta

Botswana

Brunei Darussalam

North Macedonia

Tajikistan

Bhutan

Bolivia

Burkina Faso

Iraq

The President palace in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The administrative center of the Gakh region of Azerbaijan, located at the foot of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, on the river Kurhumchai.

Brazil

Burundi

Finland

Nepal

Cameroon

Canada

Georgia

Jordan

Mir Castle in the Minsk region of Belarus.

Cabo Verde

Federated States of Micronesia

Kuwait

Liechtenstein

Sri Lanka

Central African Republic

Colombia

Fiji

Latvia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Chad

Costa Rica

Comoros

Cuba

Czech Republic

Japan

A horse grazes in front of Kara-Kul lake in the Chon-Ak-Suu valley, 300 kilometers southeast of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Morocco

Cote d'Ivoire

Denmark

Dominica

Kiribati

Moldova

Oman

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Dominican Republic

Laos

Djibouti

Holy See (Vatican City)

Malaysia

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Greece

Marshall Islands

Eritrea

Grenada

Mongolia

Israel lives under difficult geopolitical circumstances. A small country with limited resources and surrounded by potentially hostile neighbors, Israel survives by allying with powers that do have the resources to manage the balance of power in the Middle East — namely, the United States. Its geographic position also means that Israel must manage complex relations with its Muslim neighbors by quiet collaboration, by exploiting divisions, and by parlaying its technological and economic advantages into create strategic dependencies. To navigate all the challenges presented by the Middle East, Israel will remain agile in its diplomacy and, when the situation warrants, steadfast in its pre-emptive strikes, its covert activities and its economic relationships.

SITUATION REPORTS

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Agrees to Tighter IAEA Oversight as Nuclear Negotiations Progress

Lebanon, Israel: Soldiers Exchange Tear Gas Fire Along Border Area

Israel, Saudi Arabia: Israel Softens on Saudi Nuclear Enrichment

Saudi Arabia, Palestinian Territories: PA Remains Unconvinced of Saudi-Israeli Normalization

Israel, Saudi Arabia: Israel May Drop Objection to Saudi Civilian Nuclear Program

Israel: Government to Focus on IDF Draft Reform, Then Judicial Overhaul Legislation

U.S.: Intel Abandons Tower Semiconductor Acquisition After China Declines to Approve the Deal

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Appoints First-Ever Ambassador to Palestinian Territories

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