The Israeli war with Iran wages onward, even though no official declaration from either country has yet to be issued or even a single bullet officially fired from the army of one of the states at the other’s military. The most recent event accentuating the war came today as Israeli Navy Seals commandeered a boat […]
It feels like the last couple of days, each morning bought a new story about the Iranian nuclear program. Is Iran cooperating or not? How did their meeting with the IAEA go? What are the Iranian leaders saying about the ElBradei deal? How is the United States responding to Iran’s equivocation? Here is a quick […]
On the eve of the assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Israelis and the world’s leaders remember the deceased champion of the peace process and Israeli hero. Rabin, who shepherded the Oslo process from an idea to a historic signing of principles, strove for the implementation of a solution to the conflict that guarantees Israel’s […]
If you thought that you kept Kosher by refraining from eating pig and shellfish and separated milk and meat products, you’re clearly wrong. A group of orthodox rabbis want to expand Kahrut laws to the Internet, particularly the use of mobile phones to surf the Web. Many religious and non-religious residences place filters on their home computers […]
Those of you interested in learning more about young people in the Middle East may want to check out this new publication from Brookings Press, Generation in Waiting: The Unfulfilled Promise of Young People in the Middle East, by Navtej Dhillon and Tarik Yousef. Both parties have ties to the World Bank, and Yousef to […]
With Palestinian elections scheduled for January, the big question is on every one’s mind- will Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas run for re-election? The Fatah leader’s popularity is low… and dropping. However, speculation remains that he will likely top the his party’s ticket for the presidency. Hamas leadership has said that the terror organization will […]
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to Israel this weekend and met with both Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas before making controversial remarks on preconditions for negotiations that led to condemnation from the PA. Speaking with Netanyahu yesterday, Clinton affirmed the U.S. stance on the need to halt settlement activity […]
Gaza schools damaged by Israeli bombing will be exposed to the cold and rain this winter unless Israel relaxes its blockade to permit the import of windows, doors and building materials… Officials of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and Gaza’s Education Ministry say thousands of pupils face “darkness and cold” this winter […]
Had the urge to go on that all-expenses paid 10-day tour of Israel? Or, conversely, had the urge to shove a group of 30 Americans out of the way while trying to walk to the market in Tel Aviv? The program, Birth Right, has been accused of having a not-so-hidden agenda to encourage ties between […]
It sounds like a travesty when you hear that the Obama Administration has cut down funding to Iranian human rights groups, until you take a deeper look at the facts. Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, Freedom House and International Republican Institute (IRI) will be among the groups that will be denied State Department funding this […]
This week’s JStreet conference led to proponents and opponents of the new group to claim victory. Supporters of the conference applauded the high levels of publicity and attendance at the event, while opponents used the speakers list and comments heard at the conference to reinforce their criticisms of the self proclaimed “pro peace, pro Israel” lobby. […]
On the 15 year anniversary of the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty, the focus is on how much has not changed and how much more work needs to be done. Namely, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to destabilize the region and prevent cooperation between every country. In an interview with Middle East Progress, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, Jordan’s […]
The Palestinians recently embarked on another effort to search for a real leader that can unite all factions, work effectively with Israel toward a resolution, and maintain international legitimacy as a pro-democratic figurehead. Although that might be a little too much to ask. The Palestinian Authority announced last week its intention to hold presidential and legislative […]
The latest round of bitterlemons opinions includes a wide array of opinions on the impact of Palestinian reconciliation on the peace process and relations with Israel. Ghassan Khatib’s article describes reconciliation as “against Israel’s interests,” with the author stating: “Israel doesn’t want Palestinian unity, because that would shift the political balance of power more in […]
Check out Sean Patrick Murphy’s review of the movie “Under the Bombs,” set in Lebanon in 2006: http://globalfilm.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/10/25/under-the-bombs-2007/