See a post from FPA Global Films blogger Sean Patrick Murphy on a 2004 movie regarding the Gaza Strip. The footage was taken prior to the Hamas coup on the Gaza Strip following the IDF pullout and seems to show how Hamas handily won the 2006 elections while maintaining support in the Strip. From the […]
In the wake of President Barack Obama’s “groundbrealking” speech in Cairo about a new U.S. posture towards the Middle East, pundits, activists, and politicians alike provided mixed reviews either heralding the speech as a “home run” or condemning it for bias. The Palestinian leadership lauded the speech as a “good start”; the Israeli government released […]
An independent authority should govern Jerusalem in a two-state solution peace plan, according to a panel of analysts at the Center for American Progress yesterday. The Jerusalem Old City Initiative, created over the past few years at the University of Windsor and previously pitched to various government officials and experts, would ensure that both Israel […]
The State of Israel is the fourth most non-peaceful country, dropping one rank from last year due to Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, according to the 2009 Global Peace Index. The new study makes Israel more dangerous than Pakistan, Lebanon, and even Sudan. The only countries ranking lower on the peace index are Iraq, Afghanistan, […]
Middle East Progress, a division of the left-leaning think tank Center for American Progress founded by staffers from the Clinton White, hosts a forum on the future of Jerusalem tomorrow from 1pm-230pm. Watch the live webcast here that’s sure to be informative as the news cycle remains dominated by the potential rift between the Obama […]
President Barack Obama expressed the need for the United States to “follow through” on any mandates it imposes on Israel, he said in an interview with National Public Radio. Even though Obama remained vague, the current administration repeatedly expressed opposition to the expansion of settlements of any kind as the Israeli government attempts to find […]
The Israeli government will continue assessing its response to an attack on the entire country tomorrow at 11AM, with sirens blasting and local officials assessing the effectiveness of plans. The air-raid sirens mark the middle of a 5-day exercise that simulates an assault on Israel from all sides. On Sunday, the ministers participated in a […]
Israel remains plagued by the global economic crisis even though the Israeli Shekel continues to strengthen against the U.S. Dollar. In April, unemployment rose 3-percent to make the unemployment rate 7.6-percent of the workforce. The total number of Israelis declaring unemployment reached 235,600, although holidays in April probably stymied the loss which will likely skyrocket […]
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton preemptively rebuffed yesterday a settlement compromise proposition expected for delivery by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on his upcoming trip to Washington, D.C. Israeli seeks U.S. support for natural settlement growth in exchange for the dismantling of illegal outposts. However, at a press conference, Clinton reiterated the official stance of […]
The left-leaning Center for American Progress’ Middle East Progress will host a forum on Jerusalem next month. The speakers all have extensive knowledge on Israel-U.S. relations and should provide great insights into the role of the city in future peace negotiations. The United States believes that the city’s status will be determined in final status […]
An upcoming book from State Department Envoy Dennis Ross seems to contradict a new policy regarding linking Iran to the peace process set forth by the Obama Administration. The White House mandates a resumption on peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians as crucial to any solution aimed at preventing an Iranian nuclear weapons program. […]
The Israeli government will reportedly offer the United States a deal: the dismantling of all illegal settlements in exchange for U.S. acceptance of natural growth in existing settlements. Defense Minister and Labor leader Ehud Barak intends to formally offer the compromise during his visit to Washington, D.C. next week. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently […]
The United States must include Israel as a major component in any negotiations with Iran, according to a variety of academics speaking at the Tel Aviv University’s Center for Iranian Studies annual conference convened today. Due to Israel’s unfortunate status as the principal target of Iran’s nuclear program, some of the analysts concluded that no […]
The State Department clarified the Administration’s posture towards Jerusalem as a final status issue in the midst of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu comments that the holy city will remain under Israeli control. Question: What is the U.S. response to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s comments that all of Jerusalem will remain under Israeli sovereignty and “will never […]
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told his cabinet today that building in existing settlements could continue despite U.S. pressure to halt all settlement construction and expansion. Even though the Israeli government agreed to dismantle some illegal outposts following the meeting between Netanyahu and President Barack Obama, many members of the Likud-led coalition expressed a furor over […]