Emile Hokayem

Conflict and competition in the Middle East: How bad can it get?

The Israel-Hamas war has shattered the relative optimism that emerged in preceding years. Reconciliation among the Middle East’s main rivals, the Abraham Accords, the Gulf states’ “prosperity first” agenda seemed to have ended a decade of intense rivalry and opened tantalizing prospects for regional cooperation. Instead, the current war has exposed the illusion that unresolved conflicts can be kept frozen and carries serious risks for regional stability.

Emile Hokayem

Director of Regional Security and Senior Fellow for Middle East Security at the IISS

Emile is the Director of Regional Security and Senior Fellow for Middle East Security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He specialises in regional politics, security and conflict analysis in the Middle East, including the national security and defence policies of the Middle Eastern states, the role of armed non-state actors, and the interests and involvement of external actors in the Middle East. He has authored and edited IISS Adelphi books on Syria, Egypt and regional security as well as IISS Strategic Dossiers on Iran, Gulf defence and security, and the Eastern Mediterranean. He regularly provides analysis on Middle East affairs to governments, the private sector and the media.

Emile Hokayem

Director of Regional Security and Senior Fellow for Middle East Security at the IISS

Emile is the Director of Regional Security and Senior Fellow for Middle East Security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He specialises in regional politics, security and conflict analysis in the Middle East, including the national security and defence policies of the Middle Eastern states, the role of armed non-state actors, and the interests and involvement of external actors in the Middle East. He has authored and edited IISS Adelphi books on Syria, Egypt and regional security as well as IISS Strategic Dossiers on Iran, Gulf defence and security, and the Eastern Mediterranean. He regularly provides analysis on Middle East affairs to governments, the private sector and the media.