The Middle East: intractable conflict?

To mark the launch of the LSE IDEAS Middle East Programme this Strategic Update considers the prospects for peace in the Middle East, considering the region and the actors involved in their international context. The authors assess the effect of the demise of the grand narratives of the war on terror and jihad through martyrdom; consider whether Hamas is on the path to becoming a responsible regional actor; analyse Jordan's stake in the overall process of Middle East Peacemaking; and ask whether, in the light of the US administration's renewed efforts, there is a chance of breaking the impasse in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.