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June 11, 2026
12:00 pm
EVENT: The Arab Case for Israel: History, Mythology, and Pathways to Peace
Before Israel's founding, Arab nationalism and Islamism rejected European-drawn borders, envisioning a unified Arab or Muslim nation rather than a distinct Palestinian state. As Lebanese-Iraqi scholar Hussain Abdul-Hussain argues in his new book, The Arab Case for Israel, Palestinian national identity as it exists today emerged only in 1964, shaped by inter-Arab rivalries rather than deep historical roots. The Palestinian narrative of a "lost state" reflects not a recoverable past but an aspiration for a Middle East without Israel — one that risks producing yet another failing state in a region already scarred by instability in Syria and Iraq.
Yet the current moment presents a rare opening for a more pragmatic regional order. U.S. pressure on Iran's nuclear program and Israel's campaign against Hezbollah have placed Tehran's axis of destabilization under unprecedented strain, forcing Arab states to reconsider long-held assumptions. The Abraham Accords have already demonstrated that normalization with Israel yields concrete economic and security dividends. As Iran's influence recedes, Arab leaders who privately favor coexistence must find the courage to say so publicly.
Featured Experts
Clifford D. May
Founder & President
- Iran
- Iran Global Threat Network
- Jihadism
- The Long War
- Palestinian Politics
- North Korea
- Russia
- Sanctions and Illicit Finance
- International Organizations
Mark Dubowitz
Chief Executive
- Iran Sanctions
- Iran Human Rights
- Syria
- Iran Missiles
- Iran
- Iran Global Threat Network
- Hezbollah
- Iran-backed Terrorism
- Sanctions and Illicit Finance
- Cyber
- Iran Nuclear
Jonathan Schanzer
Executive Director
- Palestinian Politics
- Iran
- Iran Sanctions
- Iran Global Threat Network
- Hezbollah
- Iran-backed Terrorism
- Turkey
- Jihadism
- Sanctions and Illicit Finance
Richard Goldberg
Senior Advisor
- Iran
- Palestinian Politics
- Iran Sanctions
- Iran Global Threat Network
- Iran-backed Terrorism
- Gulf States
- Sanctions and Illicit Finance
- International Organizations
RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery
CCTI Senior Director and Senior Fellow
Behnam Ben Taleblu
Iran Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow
- Iran
- Iran Sanctions
- Iran Missiles
- Iran Human Rights
- Iran Politics and Economy
- Iran Global Threat Network
- Sanctions and Illicit Finance
Craig Singleton
China Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow
Natalie Ecanow
Senior Research Analyst
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U.S. Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor
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Lai Ching-te
President of Taiwan
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Tsai Ing-wen
Former President of Taiwan
“Thank you for all of FDD’s work… it is so critical to our fight in the United States against terror and against those who seek to do us harm” … “[FDD has always] held Iran accountable for their continued nuclear activity and for their continued terror activity….which is key to America’s national security and our fight globally against terror, against Iran and its proxies, and against Hezbollah and Hamas and Palestinian Jihad.”
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Mike Waltz
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Former Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State
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Former US Ambassador to the United Nations
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Former President
Overnight Brief: June 23, 2026
Read Full BriefToday In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
- "War and Peace and Other Possibilities," FDD's Foreign Podicy
- "Strait Talk: Unpacking the US-Iran MOU," FDD's The Iran Breakdown
- "FDD Morning Brief," FDD Event
- "Iran deal tosses a tremendous cash lifeline to terrorist regime," New York Post
- "You Can’t Deter China by Ignoring Europe," National Review
- "Rowing in the Same Direction," Real Clear Defense
- "China’s Malacca panic jails US scholar to appease Myanmar," Asia Times
- "Syria Need Not Enter Lebanon to Help Curb Hezbollah," This Is Beirut
- "Hezbollah: Lebanon Has Just Shattered a European Fiction (Translated from French)," Marianne
- "Iran Prioritizes Protection of Hezbollah Over Negotiations With U.S.," FDD Policy Brief
- "Washington Wants a Relationship With Iraq Focused On Business, but Security Can’t Be Ignored," FDD Policy Brief
- "China’s Chokepoint Problem: Why Beijing Is Welcoming a Leader Nobody Likes," FDD Policy Brief
- "Squeezing Al-Qard Al-Hassan Could Weaken Hezbollah’s Chances of Survival," FDD Policy Brief
- "Ukraine Takes an Important — if Small — Step Toward Joining the EU," FDD Policy Brief
- "Taiwan Debates Spending To Close Drone Development Gap," FDD Policy Brief
- "Sudan Turns Away From Iranian Weapons in Hopes of Courting Washington," FDD Policy Brief
- "EU Report Slams Authoritarian Rule in Turkey, Urges Sanctions Against Justice Minister," FDD Policy Brief
- "Pirate attacks on ships in the Gulf of Aden are on the rise," FDD's Long War Journal
- "Khamenei warily accepts US deal as Tehran eyes rebuilding Hezbollah," FDD's Long War Journal
- "Ukraine unveils reforms to address manpower shortage," FDD's Long War Journal
- "Gaza peace plan sees slow progress after Hamas meets in Cairo," FDD's Long War Journal
The Must-Reads
- New Lebanon-Israel talks to begin, in shadow of US-Iran deal
- Head of Yisrael Beitenu party Avigdor Lieberman: Israel isn’t a party to the Iran deal
- U.S. allows Iran to sell oil in dollars for first time in decades
- Vance says Iran agrees to nuclear inspections, as under Obama deal
- WSJ Editorial: Iran’s regime gets its first relief
- Ukraine may recalibrate its offer of ceasefire with Russia, envoy tells UN
- Bloomberg’s Marc Champion: Ukraine can’t afford a breakup with Poland
- North Korea’s Kim wants more nuclear forces after US-Iran war
- U.K. Prime Minister Starmer to resign as Labour Party seeks reboot
- In about-face, Trump administration drops opposition to Africa’s antigay laws
- How Latin America became more Trump-aligned than ever
- Trump signs orders calling for powerful quantum computer, targeting 2028
