Iran and Israel: The Politics of War

Israel and Iran have already been trading covert punches and the overheated rhetoric on both sides raises the potential for further escalation. While much has been said about Israeli military options, cautions from the Obama administration, and the Iranian response, the role of internal politics in both countries is typically left out of the discussion. How do domestic political concerns inside Israel and Iran shape their relationship and the chance of war? Does Israel’s perception of the Iranian threat put it at odds with Washington?

On February 29, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings hosted a discussion to explore the role of internal politics in Iran and Israel and to discuss the results of a recently conducted poll gauging Israeli public opinion on a number of issues.