Jaser AbuMousa is a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute. A Palestinian program manager and political analyst with over 20 years of experience leading governance, reconstruction, and conflict-sensitive development in Gaza, Jaser blends rigorous analysis with practitioner pragmatism to safeguard civilians and strengthen institutions. He is fluent in Arabic and English, with working proficiency in Hebrew and intermediate German.
From 2015 to 2024, Jaser managed a multi-year Swiss Development Cooperation portfolio, forged cross-sector partnerships, and delivered political, socio-economic, and security analyses to inform strategy and policy. Previously, he supported United Nations operations in high-risk contexts and built accountability systems for major reconstruction programs funded by the European Union.
In 2025, Jaser was selected as a Yale Peace Fellow at the Jackson School of Global Affairs, where he supervised graduate researchers, co-authored policy papers, and lectured on post-conflict recovery, social cohesion, and resilience.
The Latest from Jaser AbuMousa
Palestinian Politics: Realities, Limitations, and Broader Implications
As Iran Weakens, Can Hamas Survive?
MEI Senior Fellow Jaser AbuMousa joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack how Hamas is navigating the US-Israel conflict with Iran and its impact on Gaza. Nearly two and a half years after the start of the Gaza war, international attention has shifted away from the humanitarian crisis in the devastated coastal strip. Meanwhile, Hamas’ primary state sponsor, Iran, has been severely weakened by US-Israeli military strikes and the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. AbuMousa examines how this could affect Hamas’ trajectory moving forward and its place within the Axis of Resistance, as well as what it all means for the Palestinian people.
Hamas at a Crossroads in the Post-Ali Khamenei Era
The results of last month’s elections seemed to crystallize a fundamental divide between two competing visions for Hamas’ future. But the US-Israeli war against Iran has cast a heavy shadow over the group’s leadership selection process, shifting it from a contest between personalities to a wider struggle over Hamas’ strategic identity, ideological orientation, and relationship with the broader Middle Eastern order.
Why we must talk about Gaza now
As the war with Iran consumes regional attention, Gaza is again being pushed aside. That is not just a humanitarian failure. It is a strategic mistake that could squander a rare opening for political transition while allowing Hamas to weaponize abandonment once more.
Disarmament as a Means, Not an End: A Practical Strategy for Gaza’s Governing Transition
Disarmament is necessary in Gaza. It is the only way to realize the goals articulated in the internationally endorsed 20-point plan laid out by the Trump administration. But a policy approach that makes disarmament a prerequisite for action on governance, recovery, freedom of movement for Gazans, and any credible political horizon is structurally and strategically counterproductive.
