Just how much more will Israel marginalize Palestinians?
Obama’s Chance to Renew the Peace Process
President Barack Obama’s upcoming trip to the Middle East presents an opportunity to move the dormant Palestinian-Israeli peace process forward. If he’s serious about making progress, the president should take into account how dispute resolution works in the Arab and Muslim world and note how little resemblance it bears to the West’s approaches to resolving conflicts. Understanding the sides’ different cultural perspectives on key aspects of negotiations will be crucial to creating a successful peace bid.
Ahead of March Iran Talks, U.S. Urged to Back Possible Israeli Strike
Senators Lindsey Graham and Robert Menendez introduced a joint resolution declaring U.S. support for Israel in the event of an Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear programme. “If the Senate moves forward with this [non-binding resolution,] they risk sending the signal to the Iranians that, no matter what was said at Almaty, the U.S. does not have its own house in order to make a deal and is not serious about resolving the nuclear dispute peacefully,” says Jamal Abdi, policy director of the National Iranian American Council.
Did Arafat Jaradat Die Under Interrogation?
The results of an investigation into the Palestinian prisoner’s death will likely generate unrest whether or not Israel is found responsible.
Samer Issawi’s Hunger Strike Shines a Spotlight on Israel’s Inhumanity
Despite a 200-day hunger strike, Israel continues to deny Samer Issawi a trial.
Emphasis Added: The Foreign Policy Week in Fragments
The U.S. military, “witch burning,” negotiations with Iran, among other affairs.
Israel Sees Syrian Civil War as Blow to “Iran-Hezbollah Axis”
The attack was certainly a slap in the face to Assad, but was mainly intended to increase chaos in the Arab world.
Israel’s Pointless Attack on Syria
Israel’s recent air strike on one of Syria’s premier military research centers came as no surprise to those monitoring the spiraling turn of events in the Levant over the last few months. In the days and weeks running up to the audacious attack, there were several signs that something was afoot—a scurry of Israeli envoys shuttling between Tel Aviv and Washington, reports of closed-door security meetings, the distribution of gas masks to residents of northern Israel, and the deployment of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system in the same region, to name just a few.
The Depths of Malaise in Palestine
According to recent polls of Palestinians, frustration with the Israel-Palestinian conflict is at a high point; the two-state solution is steadily losing credibility in the eyes of the people; and ordinary citizens in the Holy Land are starting to wonder whether a settlement can be achieved without another round of bloodshed.
It’s All About Israel
If former Defence Secretary-designate Sen. Chuck Hagel’s lacklustre performance at his confirmation hearing Thursday heartened neo-conservatives and other hawks opposed to his nomination, those who argued that the Israel lobby has been exerting too great an influence on U.S. foreign policy were ecstatic. In fact, the degree to which Israel and the threat posed to it by Iran dominated the hearing was somewhat understated: The full transcript revealed that Israel was brought up no less than 178 times, followed closely by Iran with 171 mentions.