Alon Ben-Meir

Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies at the Center for Global Affairs at New York University and is also a Senior Fellow and the Middle East Project Director at the World Policy Institute.  Dr. Ben-Meir is an expert on Middle East politics and affairs, specializing in peace negotiations between Israel and the Arab states.  For the past 25 years, he has operated as a liaison between top Middle Eastern officials and has been directly involved in various high-level negotiations.

DISPLACED PEOPLE ride on an animal-drawn cart, following Rapid Support Forces attacks on the Zamzam displacement camp, in the town of Tawila, North Darfur, Sudan, earlier this month. Zamzam, Sudan’s largest refugee camp, was bombarded by the RSF for months, with at least 300 killed between Zamzam an

United Nations: The tragedy in Sudan must end ‘World’s largest humanitarian crisis’ - opinion

 PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY President Mahmoud Abbas meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in Cairo, in March 2025.

Can Egypt's Sisi match Sadat's peace-making legacy and end the Gaza war? - opinion

 SERBIANS DEMONSTRATE as part of a national movement for change, earlier this month. The protests represent the most significant challenge to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s authority during his 13 years in power, the writer notes.

Serbia’s massive protests: The risks and opportunities for Vucic - opinion


Trump's executive orders are destroying American values - opinion

From targeting foreign students to attacking transgender rights, Trump's recent executive actions aren't making America great - they're dismantling the principles that made it great to begin with.

 US PRESIDENT Donald Trump holds a signed executive order in the Oval Office. ‘Fortunately, the judiciary in this great country largely operates above the fray; several federal judges issued injunctions blocking many of Trump’s orders,’ says the writer.

Can Trump’s economic agenda embrace climate action and clean energy innovation? – opinion

$523 billion in damages from the Los Angeles wildfires prove that investing in climate action can’t wait.

 FLAMES ENGULF a structure as the Palisades fire burns, on the west side of Los Angeles, earlier this month. The sweeping wildfires in Los Angeles are just another horrific manifestation of the rapidly increasing and deadly effects of climate change, the writer maintains.

The Herculean task facing Syria’s new government - opinion

All signs point to HTS’s commitment to executing its publicly stated goal of ending suffering and forging a new path to peace and security, which the Syrian people desperately long for.

LEBANON’S CARETAKER Prime Minister Najib Mikati (l) meets with Syria’s de facto leader al-Julani in Damascus. Al-Julani must gradually address several key issues laden with enormous difficulties that will determine whether or not he will rise to the historic occasion, says the writer

Will Trump seize the opportunity for an Israel-Palestinian breakthrough? - opinion

Trump faces a pivotal choice as conflict dynamics shift, with rising regional pressures and growing calls for a two-state solution amid fears of further violence and lasting instability.

 US PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump delivers remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, last month. Trump may well be in the best position to start a genuine peace process that will eventually lead to a Palestinian statehood, the writer argues.

A non-interventionist approach in Syria is extremely dangerous - opinion

Given the risks of non-intervention, Trump will sooner than later recognize that the US cannot simply divorce itself from an unstable region where the US has a huge vested interest in its stability.

 US SECRETARY of State Antony Blinken meets with UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen in Aqaba earlier this month. The US has no choice but to get involved because leaving the new Syrian regime entirely to its own devices could backfire and lead to adverse consequences, says the writer.

Syrian rebels call for unity and peace, yet many challenges remain in the regime change - opinion

The stunning victory of the Syrian rebels opens up new possibilities for a more peaceful Middle East – or it can set the stage for even more intense violence, death, and destruction. 

 PEOPLE CELEBRATE in Damascus, this past Friday. It is hard to exaggerate the jubilation of the Syrian people when they heard the news about the fall of Bashar Assad, says the writer.

US Democrats need to reflect, rebuild, and focus on economic issues - opinion

And Trump’s uncanny skill in portraying himself as the victim of the leftist elite became the mantra of his MAGA followers and the whole Republican party. 

 US VICE President Kamala Harris delivers remarks to supporters as she concedes the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump, in Washington, earlier this month

Neutralizing Iran’s nuclear threat without force or sanctions – opinion

To counter Iran's nuclear ambitions without force, a new regional order with security pacts, normalization of relations, and incentives is proposed.

 INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi (left) meets with then-Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran, in May. Can Iran’s nuclear threat be neutralized without force or sanctions?

Talented prosecutor and unifier, Kamala Harris is America's best hope - opinion

Harris' liberal policies are seen as both her strengths and weaknesses; however, considering all of her advantages, she has the most potential to be a strong leader.

US VICE PRESIDENT Kamala Harris speaks at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, last week. Her performance on the stump has demonstrated that she is up to the task and will give Donald Trump a run for his money, the writer maintains.

Cooperating with Iran's new president far outweighs the risks - opinion

Behind the scenes, the US should convey its willingness to work with the new president, assuring him that any measure of moderation he takes will be fully and correspondingly reciprocated.

 THE IRANIAN PRESIDENTIAL candidate Masoud Pezshkian (right) and foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attend a campaign event in Tehran last month.