Middle East Program

Providing fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East

The CSIS Middle East Program provides fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East to decision makers and thought leaders in the United States and abroad.

The Middle East Program is a source for new ideas that go beyond the conventional wisdom, disseminated through written scholarship, events, and commentary in leading news outlets.

Follow us on Twitter @CSISMidEast and like us on Facebook.

Dr. Alterman serves as the director of the Middle East Program, a position he has held since 2002. Under his leadership, the Middle East Program has launched a biweekly podcast and numerous miniseries, convened events with many of the top thinkers in the field, and conducted innovative research on the Middle East including work on the Chinese influence, sustainability, and cultural shifts in the region.

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Featured Analysis

Drone footage of Lake Sawa in Iraq.

Surviving Scarcity: Water and the Future of the Middle East

Human civilization was born out of the Middle East’s waterways. That water is disappearing, threatening the region’s future. To overcome this threat to security, countries will need to finally confront the political obstacles to sustainable and equitable policies. 

Digital Report by Natasha Hall — March 22, 2024

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Babel: Translating the Middle East

Hiba Husseini: Peacemaking After Oslo

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hiba Husseini, a Palestinian lawyer and a legal adviser to Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations for 30 years, to discuss the state of pro-peace communities after October 7th and the war in Gaza's effect on future peacemaking efforts.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Will Todman, and Leah Hickert — April 16, 2024

CSIS Babel

Hiba Husseini: Peacemaking After Oslo

Jon Alterman speaks with Hiba Husseini, a Palestinian lawyer and a legal adviser to Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations for 30 years, about the state of pro-peace communities after October 7 and the war in Gaza's effect on future peacemaking efforts.

Transcript — April 16, 2024

Middle East Risks and the Oil Market

In this week’s special episode, Ben Cahill and Jon Alterman discuss recent developments in the Middle East, U.S. policy objectives in the region, and how the oil market's response to geopolitical risks has changed.

Transcript — April 11, 2024

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Analysis: Support for Refugees Erodes in the Middle East

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Will Todman, deputy director and senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about how displacement has become a flashpoint across the region and the innovative solutions necessary to mitigate these crises. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.

Podcast Episode by Leah Hickert and Will Todman — April 10, 2024

CSIS Babel
Energy 360°

Middle East Risks and the Oil Market

In this week’s special episode, Ben Cahill and Jon Alterman discuss recent developments in the Middle East, U.S. policy objectives in the region, and how the oil market's response to geopolitical risks has changed.

Podcast Episode by Ben Cahill and Jon B. Alterman — April 10, 2024

CSIS Energy 360

Political Instability and Environmental Politics in Postrevolutionary Tunisia

Mohamed Omar Kardous, a member of the CSIS environmental civil society in MENA working group, explores Tunisia's political instability and its impact on environmental policy post-2011 revolution, highlighting the challenges and stagnation under President Saied’s tenure.

Commentary by Mohamed Omar Kardous — April 9, 2024

Jon B. Alterman for Foreign Affairs: A Détente Option for Iran

Jon Alterman delves into U.S.-Iran relations, exposing the failures of deterrence and advocating for a nuanced, strategic response to foster stability and predictability amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — April 3, 2024

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein: Human Rights in a Messy World

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, about the pursuit of human rights in a multipolar world and the role that the United Nations can play in Gaza.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Natasha Hall, and Leah Hickert — April 2, 2024

CSIS Babel