'Fight the war as if there are no hostages. Negotiate for the hostages as if there is no war.'

And other powerful insights from Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence official and Senior Official on Arab Affairs.

Nov 03, 2023

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As we conclude the fourth week of the Israel-Hamas war, following the horrifying and inexcusable attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7th, we’re privileged to bring you the remarkable insights of Avi Melamed and his nonprofit organization, Inside The Middle East (ITME).

For more than a decade, ITME has been telling a different, far more accurate, and comprehensive narrative about Israel and the Middle East.

Their insight is simple, yet powerful: While the common Western narrative argues that it is the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict which shapes the trajectory of the Middle East, the reality is the opposite; the Middle East is what shapes the trajectory of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

And the war Hamas launched on Israel on October 7th is a stark manifestation of this sober reality.

Throughout his career, Avi Melamed — a former Israeli intelligence official and Senior Official on Arab Affairs who is fluent in Hebrew, Arabic, and English — has been openly and vocally predicting what is now a living nightmare in Israel and the Middle East: Iran’s proxies attempting to change the Middle East as the country aims to export its Iranian revolution across it.

Avi is the author of multiple books. His latest, Inside the Middle East: Entering a New Era, clearly outlined the path of destruction Iran has wrought on the Arab and Muslim world, and accurately predicted the impact of the Iranian regime’s unrelenting pursuit of regional hegemony. He is also the star of Seam Line, a new five-part documentary series that examines the conflict in Jerusalem and over Jerusalem.

We’ve curated some of Avi’s best work for you, from the week that’s been: