As expected, it appears the post-Passover unemployment numbers will rise in the coming months due to the global economic downturn. The Israel Employment service estimates that 130,000 layoffs will occur between now and the end of the year. In order to curb the rise in unemployment rates, some industry officials advocate mandating ‘buy-Israel’ maneuvers similar […]
The White House will host separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in order to advance the peace process, according to White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs. While the White House has yet to release the specific dates for all the meetings, anticipated before mid-June, […]
As the media continues to condemn Israel for alleged human rights violations in the recent Gaza operation, the Washington Post‘s Richard Cohen instead focuses his attention on inhumane acts committedby Hamas. His column uses evidence from a recent Human Rights Watch report that includes horrific stories regarding Hamas security forces’ treatment of Palestinians. Cohen contends […]
Apparently, other Arab countries, Egypt in particular, do not care for the way Qatar conducts its foreign policy. The United States maintains a large military presence in the Doha area, at Al Udeid Air Base and Camp Al Saliyah; the government has also played host to Iranian delegations. (For a detailed account of Qatar’s supposedly […]
Feel free to compare reaction to the Ahmadinejad speech at Durban II courtesy of Haaretz and then Iranian television that apparently shows primarily the Iranian delegation reaction.
FP’s Paul Collier writes a Pro and Con list as if he were an authoritarian leader (Egypt’s Mubarak was his inspiration). He evaluates the different avenues available to dictators whose power is subject to upheaval. Here’s a brief excerpt: Option 1: Turn over a new leaf and embrace good government Pros: This is probably what […]
Via the Associated Press. countries boycotting Durban II are: Australia Germany Canada Israel Italy Netherlands New Zealand Poland United States Countries who walked out after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attacked Israel are: Austria Belgium Britain Bulgaria Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Greece Hungary Ireland Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain […]
Delegates from multiple Western countries walked-out of the UN anti-racism Durban II conference in the midst of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s comments condemning Israel. Representatives from at least England, France, and Canada left the room.
As the Durban II anti-racism conference kicks off on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day, tensions already accelerated between Israel and some nations. Following a meeting between the Swiss president and Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Israeli government recalled its ambassador to Switzerland, citing the meeting with the Iranian holocaust denier as cause. The Swiss government […]
The Palestinian Authority refuses to acknowledge Israel’s right to a Jewish state while Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu mandates the statement prior to the resumption of any peace process. Palestinian officials contend that the PLO already acknowledged Israel’s right to exist in the Declaration of Principles while Netanyahu refuses to support the Palestinians’ right to a state. […]
Less than two months before the parliamentary elections and things seem relatively calm. Posturing and overt displays of force and support have been absent, as are incidents of confrontation and violence. There has been some engagement of the Lebanese Armed Forces with a drug cartel operating in the south, but that situation seems contained to […]
State Department Middle East Envoy George Mitchell met yesterday with Israeli and Palestinian officials in Jerusalem and the West Bank, reaffirming the U.S. position of the need for a two-state solution. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that the historical approach to the peace process only weakened Israel and led to wars. Instead, Lieberman proposed […]
This morning I found hanging from my door handle an informational note from the Home Front Command explaining to residents the amount of time they have between hearing an alarm signifying rocket fire to entering a bomb shelter. In large letters the note reads (translated from the Hebrew where it rhymes), “To be on protected, […]
“Opportunity in crisis” isn’t so much rhetoric in the first days of the Obama Administration. The financial meltdown that began in Wall Street and spread to America’s working class has knocked top-ranked financiers out of a comfortable context where risk was appropriately and indefinitely hedged. Most of middle class America is suffering and feeling the […]
A group of Jewish activists intended today to enter the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a site usually restricted to Arabs only with the exception of specific tourist times during the day. The second intifada began at the site following the arrival of future Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. In order to counter the arrival of Jewish activists, Palestinians organized […]