Foreign Policy Blogs

Middle East & North Africa

Soccer Vs Politics

Nothing can smooth the relationship between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Abraham Afi louzoun, Director of the Israeli Federation of Soccer declared Israel will try and block Qatar from its bid to host the 2022 Soccer World Cup. Citing inability of Israeli fans to attend the championship, due to the animosity that they will face […]

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Getting More Religious

Anyone reading this blog knows that Israelis are becoming ever-more jaded by the peace process and more conservative by the day. Anyone reading also knows that I often take a very critical view of religious intervention in public policy, even in a religious state. Well, new interesting survey results are out, and it appears that […]

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Behind Sarah's Detention And Release

Approximately ten months after Iran released the five British sailors that were held for straying into Iranian water. Iran released Sarah shourd yesterday after a year long detention in an undisclosed location in Tehran. There were unconfirmed reports about the events leading to Ms. Shroud’s release, whether it was a humanitarian gesture ordered by president […]

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Mideast efforts for talks continue

A few hours ago Secretary of State Clinton travelled to Egypt in order to help coax the Israelis and Palestinians to renew, continue talks that have been stalled for a few months. The Secretary of State will hold bilatelar meetings with the two sides involved and the Jordanians. A precondition of the resumption of talks […]

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Yom Kippur Smoke and Mirrors

Jews and Israelis celebrated the new year Rosh Hashanah holiday last week, when families gathered and at sweet treats to shepherd in 5771. But, ten days later, Jews around the world fast for 25 hours to atone for their sins during the previous year and spend the day reflecting. As it so happens, Yom Kippur […]

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Quran Burnning Fiesta

The Quran burning event organized by the Rev. Terry Jones of the Gainesville, Florida-based Dove World Outreach Center is by no means an extraordinary act. Let me remind the readers of the events that followed la reconquista. Thousands of Islamic and scientific books were burned in almost a city-event gathering. The Holy Quran was among […]

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Futile talks

After much anticipation of negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the masses of both groups are disappointed. The prospects of the talk’s success are slim, the reason being is the exclusion of Hamas, which controls the Gaza strip and enjoys a wide support among the Palestinians in the West Bank. The Obama administration must […]

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Obama: Chag Sameach

This week marks the Jewish new year and one of the most important holidays for Israelis and Jews around the world. In honor of the occasion, President Barack Obama recorded a nice note for Israelis and Jews, a large portion of which feel abandoned by the administration for the pressure placed on Israel to halt […]

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Did Time Go Too Far?

Did Time Go Too Far?

On its latest cover, Time magazine makes the startling assertion that Israel does not want peace, all in the midst of peace talks in Washington between President Obama, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. On the face of it, this assertion is meant to de-legitimize Israel as not a partner in […]

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Turkish Geopolitical Ascendancy and the Iranian Decline

Turkish Geopolitical Ascendancy and the Iranian Decline

With the global economy struggling to re-surface from a deep and self-inflicted recession, the international geo-political order is locked in a lengthy transformation for what appears to be a multi-polar world. In this new and yet-to-be-shaped global geo-political order, there are emerging economies that aim to leverage their rising economic power and turn them into […]

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Peace Developments

Peace Developments

U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell said today that Israeli and Palestinian leaders will meet on bi-weekly basis after this week’s peace talks. The first meeting will be held in Egypt, further signalling that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak would like to play a crucial role in these negotiations. I’m guessing that the […]

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Let the Games Begin

The White House-brokered Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations kicked off today in Washington, with all the usual fanfare, including efforts by Hamas and Israeli radicals to derail talks. A right-wing Shas rabbi called for the annihalation of the Palestinians while Palestinian terrorists murdered four Israelis in the West Bank. Here is how the administration is responding to […]

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Long on Platitudes and Short on Persuasion, Obama Calls it a Wrap in Iraq

Long on Platitudes and Short on Persuasion, Obama Calls it a Wrap in Iraq

Last night, President Obama addressed the nation about the end to the U.S. combat mission in Iraq. Packed to the brim with bizarre nautical references, he embarked (pun very much intended) “to give us confidence that our course is true, and that beyond the pre-dawn darkness, better days lie ahead.” Ultimately and unfortunately, his message was as mixed as his metaphors.

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Ahmadinejad & The Iranian Tipping Point

With the spectacular branding of French first lady, Carla Bruni, by the Iranian state media as ‘prostitute’, the world once again becomes witness to the cultural mindset of Iran’s political elite running the country. This is only one aspect into the narrow circle in charge of decision making in Iran. The insistence of this group […]

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General Odierno Expresses Concerns about Political Stalemate

General Odierno Expresses Concerns about Political Stalemate

While overseeing the departure of American forces in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, warned Sunday that a new Iraqi government may still be months away from formation and said that an extended impasse could create demands for a new election to break the deadlock, which has existed since March 7th. The New York Times published an excellent piece regarding statements made by Odierno yesterday, at headquarters. […]

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