Eric R. Mandel

Dr. Eric Mandel is the founder and Director of MEPIN™, the Middle East Political and Information Network™. MEPIN is a private Middle East research analysis read by members of Congress, their foreign policy advisors, members of the Knesset, journalists, and organizational leaders. Dr. Mandel regularly briefs members of Congress and their staffs about the current geo-political situation in the Middle East, and meets with members of the Israeli leadership and their advisors. He is the Northeast Co-Chair of StandWithUs, an international organization dedicated to educating the public about Israel, while fighting the BDS movement (Boycott, Divest and Sanction) against Israel.

An military UAV over the backdrop of an Iran flag; illustrative.

Iran’s ceasefire trap - opinion

Israeli paratroopers and US Army soldiers in a joint Israeli-US military Juniper Cobra exercise at the Tze’elim Urban Warfare Training Center base in southern Israel in 2018.Premium

America must choose between strategic foresight and another 9/11 - analysis

Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah wave flags while commemorating Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, May 25, 2026.

US must disabuse itself of its Middle East illusions - opinion


We cannot miss this opportunity to open Hormuz permanently - opinion

Americans must understand exactly what is at stake if we fail to permanently secure and monitor the Strait of Hormuz.

A drone view shows vessels anchored at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, May 25, 2026.

Israel can win in Lebanon, just not in the way Netanyahu promised - analysis

A path forward in Lebanon exists, but only through realism, as Hezbollah’s grip limits both military gains and diplomatic options

Hezbollah’s entrenched presence – military, political, and social – continues to operate independently of the Lebanese state.
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Does pragmatism mean we must accept Hamas as part of Gaza’s future? - opinion

Despite talk of transition, doubts remain about Hamas’s willingness to truly relinquish control in Gaza.

- Samer Sinijlawi addresses the Future of Israel conference, Tel Aviv University, June 19, 2024.

The Iran speech the American people need to hear from the president - opinion

Confronting Iran carries risks, but failing to act may prove far more dangerous for US and global security.

President Donald Trump mimics firing a gun during a news conference in the White House briefing room about the war in Iran on Monday, April 6, 2026.

Behind the 'secret sauce' of Israeli resilience Americans cannot grasp - comment

As sirens sound and life resumes within hours, Israeli resilience reveals a society shaped by constant threat

An Israeli emergency responder inspects the impact of an Iranian missile strike at an apartment in Ramat Gan, March.

Why the US must prioritize Hezbollah in the Iran deal - opinion

Hezbollah turns US-Iran negotiations into a wider regional security test for Israel and Lebanon.

Hezbollah terrorists march in the funeral of senior terrorist Haytham Ali Tabatabai, others killed in IDF airstrike, in Beirut, November 24, 2025; illustrative.

Israel needs strategic buffer zones with hostile territories - opinion

For long-term security, Israel needs strategic depth in the form of buffer zones within enemy or potential adversary territories.

An illustrative image of an Israeli flag on top of a map of the Levant region of the Middle East.

The wars Israel is already preparing for – and why they look nothing like today's

As alliances shift and technologies transform warfare, Israel must preserve its qualitative military edge.

An artillery unit, deployed at a position in the Upper Galilee near the Lebanon border. Depending on the outcome of this war, Israel’s security challenges could worsen; therefore, its qualitative military edge must be preserved.

The long fight ahead: US, Israel face Iran’s war of attrition - opinion

Iran’s regime may be weakened, but a long war of attrition could test US and Israeli patience and resolve.

US President Donald Trump gestures at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, US, March 11, 2026.

Trump’s Gaza gamble: Disarming Hamas must be a non-negotiable - opinion

The Board of Peace can’t succeed while Hamas remains militarized and continues to indoctrinate Gaza’s youth.

US President Donald Trump, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, Albania’s PM Edi Rama, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting, US Institute of Peace, Washington DC, February 2026