Our World

WEST BANK: Long fragile and constrained by Israeli restrictions, the Palestinian economy is in dire straits. The focus since Hamas’ October 7 attack and the ensuing war has been on the devastation in Gaza. Yet Israel’s tightening restrictions on Palestinians’ movement, and on the Palestinian Authority’s access to funds in the West Bank have contracted the economy to crisis-levels. According to a recent report by Joost Hiltermann at the International Crisis Group, the West Bank economy is unable to support basic public services, and Palestinian financial institutions are “close to insolvency” (Middle East Institute).

The West Bank's Collapsing Economy - Middle East Institute Long fragile and constrained by Israeli restrictions, the Palestinian economy is in dire straits. The focus since Hamas’ October 7 attack and the ensuing war has been on the devastation in Gaza. Yet Israel’s tightening restrictions on Palestinians’ movement, and on the Palestinian Authority’...

USA: A new national survey from the Cato Institute, conducted in collaboration with Morning Consult of 2,253 Americans ahead of July 4th and America’s 250th anniversary, finds nearly half (46%) of Americans don’t know what America’s 250th anniversary commemorates. A little more than half (53%) correctly answered that it was the adoption of the Declaration of Independence (CATO Institute).

New Poll: Nearly Half of Americans Don’t Know What America’s 250th Is Celebrating The central conclusion is that Americans still believe in the promise of the American founding, but they are uncertain whether the country is living up to it.

MIDDLE EAST: The disruption of the world’s most significant maritime chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, is propelling a surge of support for new, overland trade and energy corridors connecting the Gulf to the Mediterranean. Middle East governments are fast-tracking investments in new infrastructure, streamlining customs and regulatory processes, and exploring new rail and pipeline projects that mitigate dependence on the Strait of Hormuz (Atlantic Council).

New Middle East corridors are about more than just bypassing the Strait of Hormuz A recent Atlantic Council gathering reveals how initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) must evolve.