Maxwell School News and Commentary

Iran's retaliation was a way to show the international stage that the country had a backbone after Israel's airstrike in Damascus, says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs. But, more broadly, Saturday's attack shows just how effective Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel was at stoking chaos in the Middle East, he says.

“Peacebuilding Through Cooperation in Health Care and Public Health Between Israel and Palestine,” co-authored by Distinguished Professor of Anthropology Robert Rubinstein, was published in the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice.

The Maxwell School professor’s recent book is relevant as the state grapples with controversy over a Saudi dairy company’s farming.

“It is unprecedented in part because of who Senator Schumer is. He’s not only the Senate majority leader, he’s a democrat, but he’s also the highest-ranking Jewish official, the first Jewish Senate majority leader. So there’s a number of aspects here that are really important to and that add weight to what he’s saying,” says Osamah Khalil, professor of history.

"What makes Arizona special is that when you have this desert land, you can grow alfalfa at an incredibly fast rate because of the amount of sunshine. So, as long as you have plentiful water, you can just grow," says Natalie Koch, professor of geography and the environment.

“These investments try to connect with as many young Arabs who have an interest in sports,” says Natalie Koch, professor of geography and the environment. “It is part of the construction of a new identity, one that goes beyond the concept of being the epicenter of the Sunni Muslim world.”

 “​​Difficult choices will be required in the days and weeks ahead as military operations continue a policy of strong deterrence without seeking widespread escalation that could harm our interests and those of our allies,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs.

“The control of oil and gas resources has been a key factor in many conflicts and geopolitical imperialism, either by providing part of the motivation for an invasion or by helping countries fund their militaries,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment. “Conflict, in turn, feeds production by driving up oil and gas prices,” she adds.

“This is a mix we haven’t seen before, and it does represent a new wrinkle,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs, of the types of munitions the Navy is intercepting and the sustained nature of the threat.

"The ongoing attacks by the Houthi fighters in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, increased activity by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and the steady attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in Syria and Iraq represent a clear risk of escalation throughout the region," says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs.