Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Donald Trump struggled to end the war on Iran on terms he deemed suitable, even as the costs of the war rose. In part, that's because the Israeli leadership repeatedly undermined his negotiating position by invading Lebanon, something that remains a possibility. The dynamic has highlighted just how different American and Israeli interests in the Middle East are, and how deeply integrated the policy apparatuses of the two countries are.
The Quincy Institute and Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) held a webinar that examined how the war on Iran — which was conducted by the Americans and Israelis with an unprecedented degree of coordination — may accelerate the divergence of American and Israeli policy conduct in the Middle East. As the costs continue to accumulate for the Americans, and the Israelis continue to dig in, the question of whether a policy break which corresponds to each state's different interests has gained new importance. And if that break ultimately develops, how will the process of extricating Israeli policy-making from Washington unfold?
The conversation featured Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, Barbara Slavin, distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center, and Lara Friedman, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace. Ahmed Moor, writer and fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace, moderated.
*Download the full webinar transcript here*:
quincyinst-2.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/23151542/Breakup_-Will-the-Iran-War-Accelerate-US-Efforts-to-Craft-an-Independent-Foreign-Policy_.docx.pdf
Donald Trump struggled to end the war on Iran on terms he deemed suitable, even as the costs of the war rose. In part, that's because the Israeli leadership repeatedly undermined his negotiating position by invading Lebanon, something that remains a possibility. The dynamic has highlighted just how different American and Israeli interests in the Middle East are, and how deeply integrated the policy apparatuses of the two countries are.
The Quincy Institute and Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) held a webinar that examined how the war on Iran — which was conducted by the Americans and Israelis with an unprecedented degree of coordination — may accelerate the divergence of American and Israeli policy conduct in the Middle East. As the costs continue to accumulate for the Americans, and the Israelis continue to dig in, the question of whether a policy break which corresponds to each state's different interests has gained new importance. And if that break ultimately develops, how will the process of extricating Israeli policy-making from Washington unfold?
The conversation featured Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, Barbara Slavin, distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center, and Lara Friedman, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace. Ahmed Moor, writer and fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace, moderated.
*Download the full webinar transcript here*:
quincyinst-2.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/23151542/Breakup_-Will-the-Iran-War-Accelerate-US-Efforts-to-Craft-an-Independent-Foreign-Policy_.docx.pdf
