The cramped bathroom at this week’s Herzliya Conference sums up the Middle East situation quite nicely — Dire Straits. The 1980s rock band has not been a major player in peace process negotiations or efforts to thwart the Iranian nuclear program, but a Dire Straits concert montage continuously streamed into the facilities immediately outside the […]
Over the last few weeks—and surely in the weeks and months to come—speculation abounds about the effect recent events in Tunisia and Egypt will have on Morocco. After such dramatic occurrences, interregional comparisons are inevitable and this is not a bad thing if done in an informed, thoughtful way. (There’s an interesting perspective on this […]
Former Obama administration National Economic Council Director Larry Summers has mixed feelings about his portrayal in the blockbuster Social Network, although he is staying fairly mum on the economic situation in Israel. Summers spoke today at the Herzliya Conference outside Tel Aviv, and the FPA Israel blog caught up with him at a press gaggle […]
Today I went to a town only 23 kilometers south of Tahrir Square. The plan was to see if the 11-day uprising in Egypt has produced any benefits so far – just by way of finding something different from the insecurity and chaos in Cairo. Kirdasa, a small town known for its flower nurseries and […]
I was interviewed this week by the International Business Times on the demographic threat to Israel. I argue that the demographic threat is not urgent, so long as the West Bank is not annexed to Israel. Instead, the gaps in the welfare system will only get worse because of increased ultra-orthodox birth rates, therefore reform […]
The Arab wave of discontent is sweeping the Middle East and did not miss the Palestinians, although the government is choosing stability over permitting democratic assembly, at least for now. Earlier this week, both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas dispersed demonstrations in favor of Egyptian reforms. Mass demonstrations against Hamas are also expected on Friday, […]
When I made my last post about the U.S. role in backing Mubarak, I hadn’t realized that Obama asked for “an orderly transition” that must begin “now” in Egypt. I am not changing my earlier post though. This is because it does reflect the growing general sentiment in Egypt about the U.S. role. This confusion […]
In a somber illustration of the ever warming ties between Baghdad and Tehran, Iraqi security forces carried the remains of 38 dead Iraqi soldiers across the border crossing between Iraq and Iran in al-Shalamjah, Iraq, on Tuesday.
This is from Cairo, right in the middle of this turmoil. 4:50 Cairo Time. I HAD NO ACCESS TO THE INTERNET FOR THE PAST 5 DAYS. THE MUBARAK GOVERNMENT CUT ALL ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS. I AM TYPING SO FAST BEFORE THE I LOSE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AGAIN Mubarak is clearly backed by the Americans. He […]
Popular IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenzi’s term is not being extended, and Defense Minister Ehud Barak picked Yoav Galant as the new top military officer, although that plan was scrapped yesterday after the Israeli attorney general found that Galant used his stature to grab land. In his stead, General Yair Naveh was selected on an […]
As demonstrations continue in the Arab world, the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric is emerging. What began as demonstrations based on anger against the government is transforming into calls for war on Israel, demonstrations against the West and attacks on Jews. While radical Islamists did not launch these demonstrations, radicals are most certainly using the opportunity […]
The demonstrations in Egypt began as a referendum on the poor economic conditions and have slowly morphed into calls for democratization, but the underlying sentiments of the Egyptian people and strong support for the radical Muslim Brotherhood continue to shine through the rhetoric. In several news articles today, Israel and the United States were injected […]
As the Egyptians continue demonstrating against the government of President Hosni Mubarak, there have been three outcomes posited, although only one of those results would be advantageous for security in the Middle East and Israel’s future. The pro-democracy movement takes hold: the protests began as an economic referendum on the Mubarak government, with pro-democracy activists now leveraging […]
I admire the patience and perseverance of the Iraqi people, but I must wonder how long until they join their fellow Arabs in Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia to say “Kifaya!”
The following piece was written by Donna Hakimian, a researcher and historian focusing on modern Iran and human rights. Ms. Hakimian obtained her MA in Women’s Studies from the University of Toronto. She also holds a BA in Religious and Middle Eastern Studies from McGill University. The experience of living as an Iranian in exile […]