Currently, Israel is in the midst of its third election campaign in the past year, with voting to take place again on March 2nd.  Israeli voters are highly frustrated with the current stalemate and yet most seem to be sticking with their old parties. Meantime, their leaders are refusing to make compromises which could produce a governing coalition. At the heart of the current impasse is a battle over whether long-serving prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu should stay on as head of the government.

The waves of protests in Lebanon in recent weeks and the country’s political instability stem primarily from fundamental problems in the local economy, including the absence of reforms and the rampant corruption among the ruling elite and all government institutions. These developments are highly problematic for the country’s decision makers, including Hezbollah. Israel, for its part, is monitoring the developments, which inter alia could lead to a strengthening of Hezbollah.

There are many urgent timing issues that affect the Gulf, which the United States needs to address. At the same time, the United States also needs to examine a set of broader issues that go far beyond simply addressing today’s wars and terrorism threats.