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Bishara sees Iran diplomacy opening, but limits to Israel policy change

The political analyst argues that US and Israeli election setbacks could reshape diplomatic calculations without ending Israeli control over Palestinians.

Channel: Al Araby Arabic channel ·

Arab worldStory of November 13, 2026Trari Newsroom

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2:12Bishara attributes Trump's setback partly to food and fuel prices, inflation and immigration policies.
7:22He considers removal through impeachment unlikely because securing a two-thirds Senate majority would be difficult.
10:10He argues that AIPAC remains influential but faces changing attitudes among younger Americans and Democratic voters.
23:18He sees more room for Iran diplomacy, with economic pressure and Qatari mediation offering alternatives to military action.
40:09The discussion turns to Netanyahu's coalition difficulties and political efforts involving Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot.
51:16Bishara urges Arab lawmakers to seek practical gains without sacrificing national identity or offering unconditional government support.

Election defeats may change Washington's calculations over Iran without producing a fundamental shift in Israeli policy toward Palestinians, Azmi Bishara argues in an extended interview with Qatar-based Al Araby Television.

Bishara, director general of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, examines the consequences of Republicans losing Congress and Benjamin Netanyahu's camp losing ground in Israel's parliamentary election. His central distinction is between changes in political leadership and changes in the policies that matter across the region.

He attributes Donald Trump's electoral setback to a combination of voter fatigue with the president's conduct, higher fuel and food prices, inflation and immigration policies. He also interprets the result as democracy defending itself through the ballot box after other institutions failed to constrain presidential power. But he considers removal through impeachment unlikely, pointing to the difficulty of securing the required two-thirds Senate majority.

On Israel, Bishara argues that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, known as AIPAC, retains influence but no longer enjoys its former dominance. He points to younger Americans and Democratic voters becoming more receptive to Palestinian rights, alongside a progressive movement with a clearer domestic and human-rights agenda. He credits that shift to developments within American society and responses to images from Gaza, rather than to Arab diplomatic strategy.

The discussion turns to Iran about twenty-three minutes in. Bishara sees greater room for an agreement, arguing that Trump wants an alternative to military action and could allow Qatari mediation to proceed while maintaining economic pressure. In his assessment, the prospect of Iranian retaliation, together with the economic and political costs of war, makes a direct strike less attractive.

He expects Iran to show flexibility over its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, while seeking to restore its political standing. He describes Iran's ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz as a deterrent whose value does not depend on actually using it.

Turning to Israeli coalition politics, Bishara discusses efforts involving Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot as Netanyahu faces difficulty forming a government. He argues that their principal disagreements concern Israel's internal governance, not a radically different approach to Palestinians. A successor government, he suggests, would seek better relations with a Democratic-controlled Congress. He closes by urging Arab members of Israel's parliament to pursue practical demands without sacrificing their national identity or giving a government unconditional political support.

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