The EU should ban all trade with Israeli settlements
It is high time the EU follow its own trade policy and ban trade of all goods and services from Israel’s illegal settlements in the West Bank
Israel
Europeans don’t need consensus to challenge Israel and its settlements
Israel is accelerating its settler project and deepening conflict, frustrating many EU member states. The bloc should use its trade and financial tools to impose costs and secure a future for Palestinians
11
Jun
Middle East and North Africa
ECFR Scenario Game: Which MENA Region in 2030?
L’Ufficio di Roma dello European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), in cooperazione con il Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, ha organizzato lo scenario game “Which MENA Region in 2030?” a Roma l’11 giugno 2026, presso gli Uffici del MAECI. L’evento ha proposto due esercizi di scenario ambientati al 2030,…
Rescuing the Gaza ceasefire: What to do with Hamas’s weapons
A Northern Ireland-style approach to decommissioning could help unblock the path to peace in Gaza
Bypassing the straits: The India-Middle East-Europe corridor needs a wartime redesign
The Iran war has exposed the limits of an economic corridor built for peacetime. Europeans should rethink the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor for a region where trade routes are now strategic targets
The postwar UAE and the remaking of Gulf politics
Iran’s attacks on the Gulf have convinced Abu Dhabi that accommodation with Tehran has failed. Leaving OPEC reflects the UAE’s turn towards strategic autonomy, harder security alliances and a regional order less constrained by old consensuses
Netanyahu’s unfinished wars: How Europe can stop the next round
Netanyahu promised Israelis a “new Middle East”; Trump imposed ceasefires instead. Now, the Israeli PM’s reliance on Washington gives Europeans and Arab partners an opportunity to preserve the fragile peace and stabilise Lebanon
Making peace last: Steps for Europeans to support the Iran-US ceasefire
After threatening catastrophic escalation, Trump has agreed to a temporary ceasefire with Iran. Europeans need to use this moment to urgently push for a more lasting peace
Selling peace to Trump: How Europe can prevent the next Middle East war
Israel is agitating for US strikes against Iran, while preparing for renewed war in Lebanon. Europeans should work to contain Trump and Netanyahu to prevent renewed offensives in both arenas, while supporting Lebanon’s fragile governance
Staatsräson: How Germany’s Israel policy hobbles EU strategy
Germany’s policy towards Israel undermines its commitment to international law and the EU’s capacity to act as a geopolitical actor
Articles
The EU should ban all trade with Israeli settlements
It is high time the EU follow its own trade policy and ban trade of all goods and services from Israel’s illegal settlements in the West Bank
Europeans don’t need consensus to challenge Israel and its settlements
Israel is accelerating its settler project and deepening conflict, frustrating many EU member states. The bloc should use its trade and financial tools to impose costs and secure a future for Palestinians
Rescuing the Gaza ceasefire: What to do with Hamas’s weapons
A Northern Ireland-style approach to decommissioning could help unblock the path to peace in Gaza
Bypassing the straits: The India-Middle East-Europe corridor needs a wartime redesign
The Iran war has exposed the limits of an economic corridor built for peacetime. Europeans should rethink the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor for a region where trade routes are now strategic targets
The postwar UAE and the remaking of Gulf politics
Iran’s attacks on the Gulf have convinced Abu Dhabi that accommodation with Tehran has failed. Leaving OPEC reflects the UAE’s turn towards strategic autonomy, harder security alliances and a regional order less constrained by old consensuses
Netanyahu’s unfinished wars: How Europe can stop the next round
Netanyahu promised Israelis a “new Middle East”; Trump imposed ceasefires instead. Now, the Israeli PM’s reliance on Washington gives Europeans and Arab partners an opportunity to preserve the fragile peace and stabilise Lebanon
Making peace last: Steps for Europeans to support the Iran-US ceasefire
After threatening catastrophic escalation, Trump has agreed to a temporary ceasefire with Iran. Europeans need to use this moment to urgently push for a more lasting peace
Selling peace to Trump: How Europe can prevent the next Middle East war
Israel is agitating for US strikes against Iran, while preparing for renewed war in Lebanon. Europeans should work to contain Trump and Netanyahu to prevent renewed offensives in both arenas, while supporting Lebanon’s fragile governance
Staatsräson: How Germany’s Israel policy hobbles EU strategy
Germany’s policy towards Israel undermines its commitment to international law and the EU’s capacity to act as a geopolitical actor
An imperfect promise: Where Trump’s peace plan for Gaza falls short
Trump’s peace plan could finally bring an end to Israel’s destruction of Gaza. But gaps in timing, guarantees, and last-minute Israeli amendments risk failure unless European and Arab states intervene
Podcasts
What to expect from the conflict between Israel and Iran
Mark Leonard welcomes Ellie Geranmayeh and Eran Etzion to unpack the latest developments in the conflict between Iran and Israel
Ceasefire in Lebanon
Mark Leonard welcomes Julien Barnes-Dacey to discuss the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon
Swamp Chronicles: Matt Duss on progressive foreign policy in the Middle East and Ukraine
Aslı Aydıntaşbaş and Jeremy Shapiro welcome to Matt Duss to discuss American policy in the Middle East and the future of progressive foreign policy
Regional war in the Middle East: Anatomy of a conflict one year after 7 October
Mark Leonard welcomes Julien Barnes-Dacey, Ellie Geranmayeh, and Hugh Lovatt to discuss the regional war in the Middle East one year on from the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel
Podcast special: Iran attacks Israel
On Saturday evening, Iran launched a major attack on Israeli territory, with a combination of 300 drones and missiles. Israel’s air defense seems to…
Israeli politics with Merav Michaeli
Mark Leonard welcomes Merav Michaeli to talk about Israel
Events
11
Jun
Middle East and North Africa
ECFR Scenario Game: Which MENA Region in 2030?
L’Ufficio di Roma dello European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), in cooperazione con il Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, ha organizzato lo scenario game “Which MENA Region in 2030?” a Roma l’11 giugno 2026, presso gli Uffici del MAECI. L’evento ha proposto due esercizi di scenario ambientati al 2030,…
8
May
Asia
Rome Foreign Policy Club, Terza Edizione – Road to November 2024: prospettive e scenari globali delle elezioni americane
Nella sua edizione 2024, il Rome Foreign Policy Club riunisce giovani ricercatori italiani under 40 per costruire ipotesi di scenario che possano supportare la definizione di policy da parte del Ministero per gli Affari Esteri e la Cooperazione Internazionale. L’evento più significativo per l’anno in corso è indubbiamente rappresentato dalle elezioni americane di novembre il cui esito avrà enormi implicazioni su due aspetti cruciali del contesto internazionale: i rapporti con Cina e Sud Globale e le relazioni con Mosca alla luce del conflitto in Ucraina
15
Feb
Africa
South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice
On 29 December 2023, South Africa filed its first-ever application before the International Court of Justice in response to the situation in the Gaza Strip, taking the international community by surprise. In January 2024, the ICJ rendered a verdict on 6 provisional measures for the State of Israel. These measures sought…
In the media
Beth Oppenheim on the new party, founded by former prime ministers Bennett and Lapid, in Israel