Liudmila Samarskaia is a Research Fellow at the Center for Middle East Studies, Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO RAS). Her research interests include the internal political development of Israel, its positions in the Middle Eastern regional arena and the history of Mandatory Palestine. She also taught Contemporary History of the Middle East at Moscow State University (MSU). Apart from articles in peer-reviewed journals and various online resources, she has authored several book chapters, the most recent being on Israeli politics in the Eastern Mediterranean.