Columnist

Author

Yossi Mekelberg

Yossi Mekelberg is professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House. He is a regular contributor to the international written and electronic media.

Twitter: @YMekelberg

Latest published

A watershed moment in Israel-Lebanon ties

Old habits die hard, they say, and Israel’s modus operandi of using force, often excessive military force, when there are good enough reasons due to the complexity of a situation to hold their fire, has become irrepressible.

April 05, 2025

A sad week for Israeli democracy

Democracies do not just suddenly disappear they are gradually eroded from within by their enemies, similar to the way in which cliffs are eroded by the ocean: wave after wave, sometimes gentle, sometimes ferocious, until they finally collapse.

March 29, 2025

Netanyahu and the sacking of the Shin Bet chief

There is never a dull moment in Israeli politics, and as much as the announcement by the Israeli government of the dismissal of Ronen Bar, the chief of the Shin Bet (one of Israel’s security services), had been expected for some time, the timing of it was still a surprise.

March 22, 2025

Time for Netanyahu to launch a full Oct. 7 inquiry

In a low-key ceremony at the headquarters of the Israeli military last week, Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi, who commanded the army during the calamitous Oct. 7 Hamas massacre and its aftermath, was replaced by Eyal Zamir.

March 11, 2025