John Kerry on Mission in the Middle East
The senator visits Turkey and Syria as an informal envoy to President Obama’s.
Israel
This Week in the Middle East
ABC’s Christiane Amanpour sits down with both American secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Same Old “Peace Talks”
Sure, the peacemaking environment is better today than it was over the past decade. How can it get any worse?
Lieberman Blocks Settlement Moratorium
Israel’s foreign minister insists that the moratorium on settlement construction be lifted.
Talking of Peace in the Middle East
Former British prime minister Tony Blair appeared on ABC’s This Week to talk about bringing the Israelis and Palestinians together.
Window of Opportunity for Peace?
One again an American president is flying in the leaders of Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate a peace.
Israel-Lebanon Border Skirmish Not All Bad
The last thing the Middle East needs right now is another shooting war. But when gunfire erupted between Israeli and Lebanese troops along the border this past Tuesday, that is exactly what the Levant experienced for a few brief moments. The border between Israel and Lebanon has been relatively quiet ever since Israel and Hezbollah decided […]
Israel Is More Secure Than Ever
After the Israeli Navy intercepted six vessels attempting to circumvent its blockade of the Gaza Strip two weeks ago and killed at least nine on board in the onslaught that ensued, international condemnation came swiftly. Israel doesn’t have to care particularly. Fierce reactions could be expected from the Arab world. Protests broke out in different […]
Netanyahu Rejects Criticism of Flotilla Raid
Israel’s prime minister accuses critics of a “biased rush to judgement.”
Why Turkey Pretends to be Outraged
Turkey chastises Israel but is really looking at Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons program.
Israel Attacks Blockade Runners
The Israeli navy attacked half a dozen ships carrying activists and aid to the Gaza Strip on Monday. Some ten to fourteen people were killed in the confrontation that ensued. Many more were injured. The small flotilla, led by a Turkish ship with some 600 people on board, was carrying pro-Palestinian activists and humanitarian aid […]
Time for Realpolitik in the Near East
The Obama Administration’s Middle East policy appears to have swung from the slightly idealistic to the definitively realistic in recent weeks, with the opposition continuing to denounce the supposed naiveté of the president’s intentions. Barack Obama began his offensive in Cairo, Egypt last year where he called upon the Muslim world to end “the cycle […]
Israel Is Not an Isolated Problem
David Petraeus asks that the Palestinian territories be placed under his Central Command.
Netanyahu Reaches Out to Russia
The Israeli prime minister met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss Middle East peace and Iran’s nuclear program.
Obama on the Middle East: “Really Hard”
The president admits he may have underestimated the challenges of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.