The Forum for Regional Thinking (FORTH)

Mission
Despite Israel’s attainment of military superiority over its enemies, the predominant sensibility among Israelis is one of vulnerability. This state of mind precludes for many of them the possibility of imagining a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Steered by its fears, Israel is unable to translate its military might into diplomatic achievements.
To allay the Israeli public’s anxieties, there is a need to present Arabs and Muslims from a different vantage point – one that is more professional and empathetic. Therefore, a group of Middle East scholars, journalists, and activists, set out to tell the story from a different perspective, one that presents the inhabitants of the Middle East as human beings operating in complex environments, and not merely as one-dimensional enemies.    
This approach brings to the fore a “civil narrative” of the region. It speaks of women's struggles to attain civil and political rights; Arabs who lay down their lives to attain democracies; and Middle Eastern economic and cultural dynamics. Once the Arabs’ humanity is brought to the fore, it is possible to alleviate fears and identify diplomatic opportunities that can alter Israel's relations with its neighbors