Jacob N. Shapiro, Professor of Politics and International Affairs 

“An under-reported aspect of this conflict is the potential long-run consequences for U.S. diplomacy. The U.S. and Iran were negotiating when Israel struck, and some Israeli media report that the meeting scheduled for last weekend was a ruse to enable Thursday’s surprise attack. Whatever the truth of the matter, future U.S. diplomats will face challenges in convincing adversaries to trust our outreach, and those opposed to engaging the U.S. will surely use this war to argue the U.S. cannot be trusted.” 

Amaney A. Jamal, Dean, Princeton SPIA; Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics, and Professor of Politics and International Affairs 

“President Donald Trump promised a negotiated deal and not war. The region has witnessed enough destruction over the past several years. It’s time for diplomatic leadership and an end to hostilities. There’s an alternate path to this senseless destruction on the table, one that sees peace, normalization, and prosperity for all Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, Iran, the Palestinians, and all regional states. Diplomacy and negotiations are needed now more than ever.”