Near and Middle Eastern Studies Commons^™

A National Security Strategy For The Middle East, Vanessa Rice, Rudy Torres, Addy Horgan, Joy Omosa, Mark Westfall

School of Public Policy Capstones

This National Security Strategy addresses the persistent national security challenges the United States faces in the Middle East, a region vital for global energy supply, economic connectivity, and a source of anti-American extremism. Recognizing the failures of past "haphazard experimentation," the strategy proposes a thoughtful, pragmatic plan prioritizing five distinct and congruent interest areas: Maintaining Regional Access, Supporting Regional Stability, Ensuring Energy Security, Defending American Citizens and Personnel, and Preserving and Protecting Western Ideals. The strategy outlines actions such as: countering Chinese and Russian influence through intelligence sharing and defense incentives; containing Iran via a new, permanent nuclear deal and …

How The Sui Generis Principle Has Been Historically Abused In International Law: From The British To The Israelis, Ahmad Hamdan

Human Rights Brief

I. Introduction

For over a century, powerful actors have used a single Latin phrase, sui generis, as a shield to evade accountability under international law. Meaning “of its own kind,” this theory dictates that a situation is so unique that ordinary rules should not apply. In international law, sui generis typically refers to situations or entities that cannot easily be categorized under existing legal frameworks or conventions. Its use indicates that there is no directly applicable precedent and that, as a result, no legal principles apply; instead, the situation itself will set the precedent. While some researchers argue that …

Eurovision As A Platform For Cultural Diplomacy In Times Of Conflict, Lucy Meza

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines how states utilize the Eurovision Song Contest as a platform for soft power, focusing on the conditions under which cultural performance translates into reputational gains. Drawing on Joseph Nye’s concept of soft power, Biasioli’s theory of songwashing, Zamorano’s typology of cultural diplomacy, Anholt’s competitive identity framework, and Feklyunina’s analysis of identity and narrative, it argues that Eurovision’s effectiveness as a soft power platform is fundamentally contingent on the alignment between a state’s cultural narrative and dominant international perceptions of its legitimacy. Through a qualitative comparative case study approach, the thesis examines two nations whose Eurovision participation during …

Occupation, Displacement, And Violence In The West Bank: A Retrospective Analysis Of Data From 2014-2024, Sarah Aly, Fatima Mossolem, Ayeh Khalil, Tushara Surapaneni, Abd Al-Rahman Traboulsi, Waleed Aldadah, Eleanor Reid, Shakoor Hajat

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank has intensified violence in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). This violence escalated after attacks by Hamas on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent military campaign in Gaza. This study examines the possible impacts of military and land occupation on displacement, injuries, and deaths in the West Bank. This cross-sectional observational study analyses casualties and displacement data in the West Bank and Israel from May 1, 2014, to June 30, 2024. Sources include the United Nations Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Statista, and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Death and …

Issues Of Religious Dominance: The Temple Mount/Haram Al-Sharif And The Western Wall At The Center Of Islam, Judaism, And Failing British Mandatory Responses (1917-1931), Kyra Young

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This paper explores how religious space and symbolism became central to Arab and Jewish nationalist identities in Mandatory Palestine, focusing on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif and the Western Wall during the transition from Ottoman to British rule. It argues that the collapse of Ottoman sovereignty, alongside British support for a Jewish national home, transformed Islamic institutions into arenas for political expression. Muslim notables, particularly the Husayni family, strategically engaged with British colonial notions of “tradition” to reassert influence, exemplified by the politicization of the Nebi Musa festival. At the same time, Zionism—both political secular and religious—began to attach renewed …

Queer Advocacy For Palestinian Liberation, Andrew J. Joseph

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This paper is an examination of the ways that queer individuals have advocated for the decolonization of Palestine, and the ways in which tensions have arisen as a result of the intersection of the movements.

Wells Of Pain, Walls Of Silence: October 7 And Sexual Violence Against Women At Wartime, Shulamit Almog, Gal Amir

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This essay focuses on sexual violence against women during the October 7 massacre and the following captivity of female hostages in the Gaza Strip. Its premise is twofold. First, it puts forward the resoluteness with which sexual violence against women must be condemned, as it transcends any politics. Sexual violence against women is unacceptable under any circumstances and cannot be used as a weapon in any kind of conflict. Next, various silencing walls that obstruct both condemnation of such violence and full exposure of it will be delineated. These are walls of Political Silence, Collective Shame Silence, …

The Holocaust's Legacy: Influencing Jewish Political Identity, Jordan Eskew

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis addresses the intricate relationship between the historical persecution of the Holocaust and its enduring influence on contemporary Jewish political engagement, a subject of significant contemporary relevance in political and international relations. Despite broad recognition of the Holocaust’s impact, the specific ways in which its memory affects Jewish political attitudes and actions around the world in the modern day have not been sufficiently thoroughly examined. Utilizing qualitative methods, including interviews with 20 individuals—public figures, Holocaust survivors, their descendants, and broader members of the Jewish diaspora— this study focuses on understanding the interplay between historical trauma, community cohesion, and the …

On Dialogue And Beyond: Positive Environmental Peacebuilding In Palestine, Elsa Barron

The Journal of Social Encounters

In Palestine, environmental management has been used as a tool of military occupation and oppression. Yet even within that context, many community-based organizations have established programs relating to environmental peacebuilding. Of these initiatives, environmental dialogue programs have received significant attention and resources, even more so since the war in Gaza began in October, 2023. However, a deeper interrogation of these programs reveals the danger that dialogue and collaboration devoid of a critical analysis of power and injustice further perpetuates systemic oppression. Moving these programs into the realm of positive environmental peacebuilding requires a willingness to engage in this structural analysis. …

The Forced Removal Of Iraqi Jews: Ethnic Cleansing And Its Impact On Global Perceptions Of Zionism And The State Of Israel, Gal Shem-Tov

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The mid-20th century, particularly the 1940s and 1950s, was marked by significant Jewish migration and ethnic cleansing worldwide following the Holocaust and widespread antisemitism. A common misconception is that the Holocaust's effects were confined to Europe; however, substantial evidence shows that similar policies and migrations occurred in the Middle East and North Africa, where antisemitism was also a prominent issue often overlooked in historical narratives. Furthermore, the perception that Zionism—a movement for the re-establishment, development, and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary—originated solely within European or "White" Jewish communities is …

Dancers Of The Book: Yemenite, Persian, And Kurdish Jewish Dance, Quinn Bicer

Anthós

Despite the cultural significance of dance in Jewish communities around the world, research into Middle Eastern Jewish dance outside of the modern nation-state of Israel is sorely under-researched. This article aims to help rectify this by focusing on Yemenite, Persian/Iranian, and Kurdish Jewish dance and explores how these dancers have functioned and been received within the societies they have been a part of. The methods that have gone into this article are a combination of analyzing primary source recorded dances and existing secondary source research into the dance of these communities. Through these methods, this article reveals how Yemenite, Iranian, …

Middle Eastern Defense: The Role Of The Abraham Accords, Graciela H Phillipps

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Defense organization in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region has been historically fraught with instability and conflict, rooted in tensions ranging from centuries-old religious disputes to modern geopolitical power struggles. However, two years ago deep-seated status quos in the area were challenged and successfully overcome through the drafting and signage of agreements in which Arab nations normalized ties with the nation of Israel, popularly known as the Abraham Accords. The Accords emphasized the mutual desire for peace and prosperity in MENA between signees with a pointed reference to maintaining security in the traditionally volatile region. These pivotal feats of …

Strengthening Cybersecurity Of The United Arab Emirates After The Establishment Of Diplomatic Relations With Israel, Afini Nurdina Utami, M. Hamdan Basyar

Journal Of Middle East and Islamic Studies

The United Arab Emirates established diplomatic relations with Israel in September 2020. This decision is in line with the United Arab Emirates' national commitment to enhance the development of the country's potential. The two countries agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of cyber and technology. The regional threat posed by Iran is one of the factors driving cooperation between the two countries in the field of cybersecurity. This study aims to answer the background of the two countries’ increasing cooperation in the field of cybersecurity and how to strengthen cybersecurity as one of the objectives of cooperation after the …

The Psychological Effects Of Israel’S Security Narrative On Palestinians In The West Bank And Gaza And Its Implications For Conflict Management, Gabrielle Childs

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

Israel began constructing a separation barrier in 2003 in response to increasing terrorism and suicide bombings by the Palestinians during the Second Intifada (Dowty, 2005, p. 171). The separation barrier is an elaborate 400-mile security system of concrete walls, fences, barricades and checkpoints built to protect Israeli citizens (Vick & Arik, 2010). The wall portion of the barrier was constructed of thick reinforced concrete, stands approximately 25 feet tall, and separates the West Bank and Israel boundaries. There is bitter contention over whether the barrier was properly placed along the official partition boundaries. The concrete barriers were built in the …

Ancaman Keamanan Atas Investasi China Di Israel, Fadlur Rifki Afif, Yon Machmudi

Journal Of Middle East and Islamic Studies

The investment made by China in Israel is an effort to realize the Belt and Road Initiative initiated by President Xi Jinping poses a security threat to Israel. The focus of this research lies in the possibility of security threats to the various investments made by China in Israel, causing intervention from America. The method used in this paper is the Qualitative Method (Case Study). The results of this study indicate that the threat to Chinese investment in Israel is only a concern for Israel because China adheres to the 'Zero Enemy' policy.

Palestinian Evangelical Christian Music In Bethlehem, Israel/Palestine, Abby Smith

Senior Honors Theses

Often the story of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is portrayed as Jewish vs. Muslim, Hebrew vs. Arab. There is little room in the international dialogue for minorities such as Arab Christians. Though Palestinians have a rich culture of Arabic musical and poetic heritage, they are unable to produce their own new songs. In this study I interviewed three members of Immanuel Evangelical Church on their experiences and opinions on local Christian worship. The findings show that Palestinian Christians may feel unable to write worship music because of a prevalent feeling of inadequacy and a lack of musical training. I propose several …

Diverging Identities: The Juxtaposition Of Palestinians In Israel And The Occupied Territories, Micah Russell

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Military Industry And The Israel-Palestine Conflict: Military Aid, Technology, And Barriers To Peace, Brandon A. Sandoval

Dissertations and Theses

This study reviews the current US and Israel militarized response to Palestine, the negative impacts on the Palestinian and Israeli people that result from this policy, and the military-industrial complex that benefits from the US-Israel relationship. I also note that the military industry profits from the Israel-Palestine conflict and, thus, has an incentive for the conflict to continue. I argue that despite billions of US dollars that have been appropriated by the U.S. Congress for Israel’s security, the US and Israel have failed to build peace in the region, ultimately wasting funds and exacerbating current conflicts. I also argue that …

Queer Political Organization In Israel, And Palestine: Shifting Away From Homonationalism, Tristan Blaisdell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this project, I present research I have done on the issue of pink washing queer Israeli and Palestinian citizens and homonationalism within Israel and Palestine. I also create an exhibit brief outlining a hypothetical museum exhibit on this topic to be put up at the museum of culture and environment. The first section outlines the history and theory of my exhibit, and a brief personal statement where I talk about my interest in the subject and where I’m coming from before I design this exhibit. My theory is built off concepts of diaspora, home, belonging, queer identity, and intersectionality …

Persistence Of Jewish-Muslim Reconciliatory Activism In The Face Of Threats And “Terrorism” (Real And Perceived) From All Sides, Micah B.D.C. Naziri

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation concerns how Jewish-Muslim and Israel-Palestine grassroots activism can persist in the face of threats to the safety, freedom, lives, or even simply the income and employment of those engaged in acts of sustained resistance. At the heart of the study are the experiences of participants in the Hashlamah Project, an inter-religious collaboration project, involving Jews and Muslims. Across chapters and even nations, chapters of this organization faced similar threats and found universally-applicable solutions emerging for confronting those threats and persisting in the face of them. This raised the question of whether revolutionaries and activists in general can persevere …

Social Organization And Environmental Patterning At Tel Abu Shusha: An Integrated Spatial Approach To Survey Archaeology, Seth Price

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tel Abu Shusha, located in the Jezreel Valley of Palestine, is a large-scale archaeological site possibly identified as the cities of Biblical Gaba or Roman Gaba Hippaeon/Gaba Philippi. Surface archaeological survey of the surrounding area, conducted by the Jezreel Valley Regional Project during 2017, revealed extensive assemblages of visible settlement features dating primarily to middle and late Islamic periods. This research seeks to answer questions of settlement decision-making and societal organization, by integrating archaeological, textual, environmental, and geospatial data sources. In addition to visual interpretation, Kolmogorov-Smirnov nonparametric tests are used to gain insight on environmental settlement preferences; Ripley’s K analysis …

Palestinian Labor In West Bank Settlements, Ethan Morton-Jerome

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since the late 1970s, Palestinians have worked in West Bank settlements, with approximately 30,000 to 40,000 Palestinians currently employed in construction, factories in industrial zones, and plantations. My analysis of Palestinian labor on the settlements begins with the historical, political, legal, and economic context of Palestinian labor in three jurisdictions: in Israel, on the settlements in the West Bank, and in PA-controlled Area A. Fundamental to the analysis is to go beyond the restrictions of nationalist discourse to recognize both intranational tensions and that labor exploitation occurs in all jurisdictions. My fieldwork and analysis were conducted over three years (2013-2016) …

What The Walls Say: Finding Meaning And Value In Tel Aviv’S Street Art, Rachel R. Bird

Honors Theses

This thesis explores street art in Tel Aviv, Israel through anthropological concepts of value. By defining street art as an interstitial practice—one that exists between permeable, socially defined boundaries and is characterized differently by different power structures—I attempt to define some of the different regimes of value that apply to street art. Using the emerging market of “street art tours” as a fieldwork site, I look at how street art is presented and re-presented to both tourists and locals. By situating my research in a historical and geographic context, I hope to understand the ways different value schema, from economic …

Is Issa Amro The Palestinian Gandhi?, Micah Danney

Capstones

Issa Amro is a Palestinian activist who practices nonviolent resistance to Israeli occupation. His work has risen him to international prominence, and drawn the ire of the authorities he criticizes. He preaches peaceful action but stands accused of incitement and troublemaking.

https://micahcdanney.atavist.com/is-issa-amro-the-palestinian-gandhi

The Only Language They Understand: Forcing Compromise In Israel And Palestine, Nubar Hovsepian

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

A book review of Nathan Thrall's The Only Language They Understand: Forcing Compromise in Israel and Palestine.

Israel And Palestine- An Analysis Of The 2014 Israel-Gaza War From A Genocidal Perspective, Shannon M. Culverwell

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

During the 2014 Israel-Gaza War, approximately 2,251 Palestinians and 73 Israelis were killed as a result of the fifty-one day long conflict. As the deadliest and most destructive conflict since 1948, the international community has widely condemned the actions taken by Israeli and Palestinian actors throughout the conflict. Despite international condemnation, currently the International Criminal Court (ICC) is the only institution conducting a criminal investigation into the recent conflict. Upon Palestine accession into the Rome Statute in June of 2015, the ICC opened a preliminary examination regarding alleged crimes committed in the occupied territory of Palestine since June 13, 2014. …

On East Jerusalem Streets, Palestinians Say Settlements Trump Social Media As Source Of Violence, Jad Sleiman

Capstones

This project uses interviews with Palestinian residents of violent East Jerusalem neighborhoods to get at the root causes of a year-long wave of lone wolf Arab attacks against Jews in Israel and the West Bank.

Link to capstone project: https://medium.com/@jadalisleiman/c4187cc3660b#.oibq7chq6

Baha’I Sacred Architecture And The Devolution Of Astronomical Significance: Case Studies From Israel And The Us, Michael Steven Meizler

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sacred architecture is a complex conglomerate of different ideals of a faith. Within modern terms, the Baha’i faith is an excellent example of modern sacred architecture. Within ancient times the architecture of temples and shrines oftentimes had celestial alignments meant to connect the adherent to the gods. With this in mind, the Baha’i faith is evaluated with the use of cartography, celestial measurements, orthophotography, and archival research to evaluate the significance of the Baha’i sacred architecture and the symbolism embedded within it. The Baha’i faith came out of Persia during the 19th century and relocated to Israel late in that …

The Relation Between Discrimination, Sense Of Coherence And Health Varies According To Ethnicity; A Study Among Three Distinct Population Groups Living In Israel, Orna Baron-Epel, Vincent Berardi, John Belletierre, Waleed Shalata

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Self-reported experiences of discrimination and sense of coherence (SOC) have been found to be associated with health. A face-to-face survey of Long Term Jewish Residents (LTJR), Arabs and former Soviet Union (fSU) immigrants in Israel was performed. Respondents reported their physical and mental health, self-reported experiences of discrimination, SOC and socioeconomic status. Multivariable logistic regressions and bootstrapping path analyses were performed. Discrimination was associated with health after adjusting for all other variables. SOC was also associated with health. SOC did not mediate the strong association between discrimination and health among Israeli LTJR, but was a significant mediator among Arabs and …

A One Percent Chance: Jabotinsky, Bernadotte, And The Iron Wall Doctrine, Andrew Harman

War, Diplomacy, and Society (MA) Theses

This thesis is an examination of the long historical processes that have led to the Israel/Palestine conflict to the contemporary period, focusing mostly on the period before Israeli independence and the 1948 war that created the Jewish state. As Zionism emerged at the turn of the twentieth century to combat the antisemitism of Europe, practical and political facets of the movement sought immigration to Palestine, an area occupied by a large population of Arab natives. The answer to how the Zionists would achieve a Jewish state in that region, largely ignoring the indigenous population, fostered disagreements and a split in …