Jon B. Alterman
Jon B. Alterman is a senior vice president, holds the Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and is director of the Middle East Program at CSIS. Prior to joining CSIS in 2002, he served as a member of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State and as a special assistant to the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, and from 2009-2019 he served as a member of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel. In addition to his policy work, he often teaches Middle Eastern studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the George Washington University. Earlier in his career, Alterman was a scholar at the U.S. Institute of Peace and at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a legislative aide to Senator Daniel P. Moynihan (D-NY) responsible for foreign policy and defense. From 1993 to 1997, Alterman was an award-winning teacher at Harvard University, where he received his Ph.D. in history. Alterman has lectured in more than 35 countries on five continents on subjects related to the Middle East and U.S. policy toward the region. He is the author or coauthor of four books on the Middle East and the editor of five more. In addition to his academic work, he is sought out as a consultant to business and government and is a frequent commentator in print, on radio, and on television. His opinion pieces have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and other major publications. He is a former international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he is now a life member. He received his A.B. from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs.
Areas of Expertise
Media Queries
- H. Andrew Schwartz
- Chief Communications Officer
- 202.775.3242
- aschwartz@csis.org
- Samuel Cestari
- Media Relations Coordinator, External Relations
- 202.775.7317
- scestari@csis.org
In the News
Biden’s Relationship With Israel’s Netanyahu Is in ‘Serious Crisis’
Jon B. Alterman in The Wall Street Journal — March 15, 2024
Hezbollah tells Iran it would fight alone in any war with Israel
Jon B. Alterman in Reuters — March 15, 2024
Tension Between Israel and US Is Rising With Gaza Death Toll
Jon B. Alterman in Bloomberg — March 11, 2024
Global conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza loom over Biden's State of the Union: ANALYSIS
Jon B. Alterman in ABC — March 7, 2024
Biden says Gaza aid convoy deaths will complicate cease-fire efforts
Jon B. Alterman in CBS — February 29, 2024
Why the Palestinian Authority’s government dissolved
Jon B. Alterman in Vox — February 27, 2024
Biden’s Stance on Israel-Hamas War Sows Reelection Risks
Jon B. Alterman in Bloomberg — February 27, 2024
The US is ready to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Does it matter?
Jon B. Alterman in Vox — February 20, 2024
All Jon B. Alterman Content
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Israel’s Not-Quite-Founder’s Syndrome
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — March 11, 2024
Amos Yadlin: A New Type of Israeli War
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Will Todman, and Leah Hickert — March 5, 2024
Audio Brief: What Will the United States Do after the Drone Strike in Jordan?
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman — February 27, 2024
Amb. David Satterfield: Humanitarian Aid in Gaza
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Will Todman, and Leah Hickert — February 20, 2024
What the Red Sea Crisis Reveals about China’s Middle East Strategy
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — February 15, 2024
A Strategic Approach to Red Sea Security
Congressional Testimony by Jon B. Alterman — February 14, 2024
Audio Brief: A Different Two-State Solution
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman — February 13, 2024
Bader Al-Saif: Kuwait's Perceptions, People, and Progress
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Will Todman, and Leah Hickert — February 6, 2024
Audio Brief: A Different Two-State Solution with Jon B. Alterman
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman — February 2, 2024
2024 Global Forecast: Conflict Zones
Digital Report by Mark F. Cancian, Max Bergmann, and Maria Snegovaya, Romina Bandura, Kathleen McInnis, Elizabeth Hoffman, Eliot A. Cohen, Daniel Byman, Jon B. Alterman, Natasha Hall, Emily Harding, Craig Cohen, Alex Kisling — February 2, 2024