A new INSS article discusses Israel’s precarious posture between allying itself with the United States and the country’s refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. The article stems from a recent comment made by Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller urging every nation, including Israel, to sign the NPT. Israel refuses to sign the treaty, insisting […]
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak today, reaffirming that Israel will seek a peace process with the Palestinians. Netanyahu stated that the renew of the peace process could occur as early as the coming weeks. The two leaders also discussed reconstruction efforts in Gaza and the partnership to reduce terrorism emanating […]
A new report indicates that Israel intends to develop infrastructure -such as parks and highways- to surround Jerusalem in order to solidify the country’s grip on the city. Many proponents of a two-state solution state the need for a divided Jerusalem as the capital city of both Israel and a future Palestinian state. Many right […]
Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer deconstructs the ten-year truce deal offered by Hamas leader Khalid Meshal in an interview earlier this week with the New York Times. He asserts that the ceasefire would only serve to permit Hamas to rearm itself and gain momentum to eventually rid the Middle East of Israel, a staple in the […]
While the world uses science and health advisories to combat the swine flu (officially referred to in Israel as the Mexican flu to avoid offending observers of Kashrut where pigs are forbidden), some rabbis in Israel are urging a different approach– prayer and a day of fast. The Israeli government already posted advisories and quarantined […]
Middle East Progress interviewed Israeli President Shimon Peres on his latest trip to the United States to meet President Barack Obama and speak at the AIPAC conference. Peres expressed the need for hope in the peace process, a strategy mirroring, although likely unrelated, the Obama ’08 campaign. Notably, Peres stated: “The Israeli public has already […]
Hamas continued reaching out to the Obama Administration, this time in an exclusive interview of the group’s leader Khalid Meshal with the New York Times. He stated that the group intends to pursue a working relationship with the West, and urged observers to understand that the organization can adapt and negotiate depending on the circumstance. […]
Due to anti-Arab cheers emanating from the stands of right-wing affiliated soccer team Beitar Jerusalem, the team must play a home game against rival Maccabi Tel Aviv sans fans as punishment. The recent infraction occured last month when multiple fans initiated chants insulting Muhammed. In the past, fans booed during a moment of silence for assassinated […]
Washington Post Columnist David Ignatius writes about moderating a panel discussion at Davos that erupted into a minor international incident between Israel and Turkey. At the event, Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres launched into a long rebuttal to the other speakers, defending Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip. Trying to respond, Turkish Prime Minister Recep […]
According to the new Freedom House Press report, Israel dropped from Free to Partly Free status. The new ranking, though, remains just beyond the threshold to obtain a Free ranking. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority ranked as Not Free and Israel maintains the best overall free press score in the region. A quick summary of the […]
As U.S. attorneys dropped the espionage case against two former AIPAC officials, Vice President Joe Biden will headline the groups annual meeting. Other prominent speakers include House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, Sen. Dick Durbin, and Reps. Jane Harman and Eric Cantor. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will address the […]
The number of Americans opposing settlements jumped 23-percent since 2002 to approximately 75-percent, according to a new poll. The U.S.-backed Road Map for Peace calls for an immediate freeze on settlements while Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s posture towards settlements remains in question. Almost exactly half of those questioned, though, expressed equal sympathy for both […]
The most recent Palestinian reconciliation talks concluded with only one breakthrough, as negotiators postponed the renewal of negotiations to May 16 and 17. Both Hamas and Fatah officially state that they are willing to compromise, but many observers deem the process futile. The delay to mid-May occurred to permit faction delegates to discuss proposals with […]
Following Jordanian King Abdullah’s visit to the White House last week, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh spoke with Middle East Progress, stressing the need for a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unlike representatives from other Arab nations, he stated that the Arab Peace Initiative does not expire, but he urged a quick resolution to the […]
Palestinian reconciliation talks in Cairo managed a minor breakthrough, even though the entire discussions seem futile in achieving a final agreement. Fatah and Hamas negotiators agreed to permit the PLO to serve as a “national reference,” essentially a de-facto decision making body until proper elections for a legislative council occur. Hamas initially sought a more […]