Kerry and the struggle over the Jordan Valley
In the last few months another view of Israeli security needs in the West Bank has re-emerged and gained considerable attention in the media.
Amb. Dore Gold Addresses the Israeli President’s Conference – 2013
Jerusalem, June 19, 2013 Permanent Status Negotiations with the Palestinians I thought the question was a little bit different, what you asked. Should we sit and wait, or should we act? So I interpreted what the question was as, “should we move forward with an arrangement with the Palestinians now, or should we wait until […]
The Arab world fears the ‘Safavid’
In an interview on Al-Jazeera this past May, the commander of the Free Syrian Army, Brig. Gen. Salim Idris, explained that the diversion of Hezbollah forces from Lebanon to Syria to take part in the civil war was part of a “Safavid” plan for the Middle East region.
How Russia Undercuts Itself With The S-300
Supply of the S-300 by Moscow will create an air defense umbrella over Syria allowing Damascus to carry out weapons transfers to Hezbollah.
The Demise of Middle East Borders
A common theme running through much of the leading commentary on the Syrian crisis is the idea that the principal borders of the modern Middle East, created by the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement, are about to be fundamentally altered if not erased completely.
Syria and the debate over America’s decline
According to a revealing report in The New York Times this past week, President Barack Obama went much further than he originally planned last August, when he issued “a red line” to the Syrian regime about its possible use of chemical weapons against Syrian civilians.
The Bar Kochba Debate
Among the historical events associated with “Lag Ba’omer,” celebrated in the days ahead, is the Second Jewish Revolt led by Bar Kochba which was a war of national liberation against the Roman Empire.
Iran’s Usual Scapegoat
The headlines in the major newspapers in the West left little doubt that the talks had completely failed.
What Would Kissinger Do?
The understandings reached between Israel and Turkey in efforts to normalize their relations raise a more fundamental issue about relations between states in today’s Middle East.
About Those Talks With Iran
The reports coming out of the last round of talks between the P5+1 and Iran, held in Kazakhstan, were surprisingly positive.
‘US would back Israel in defensive Iran strike’
Bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduce resolution: U.S. would back Israel militarily in defensive strike, unilateral penalties against Iran “This is not a green light to Israel to do anything other than defend itself,” says Sen. Menendez.
As Close as Ever
A dramatic front-page New York Times story on Jan. 8, 2013 gave readers a rare glimpse into the level of intelligence cooperation between the U.S. and Israel. According to the article, written by two of the newspaper’s leading reporters David Sanger and Eric Schmitt, several months earlier senior IDF officers had received satellite intelligence that showed Syrian forces mixing chemical weapons at two sites and filling 500-pound bombs. The chemical munitions were loaded onto vehicles near Syrian air bases and, according to assessments, could be deployed within two hours of an order by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Israel’s challenging diplomatic predicament
In light of developments over the last few years, there has been a growing realization in Israel that the chances of reaching a complete final status agreement with the Palestinians are presently extremely small.
The Importance of the Eisenhower Debate
Israel should stay clear of the internal American debate over the candidacy of former Senator Chuck Hagel to be the next defense secretary.
F-16s to the Muslim Brotherhood
The latest American crisis with Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood president, Muhammad Morsi, came out into the open on January 14, 2013, when the New York Times published a report on its front page that three years earlier he used blatantly anti-Semitic motifs for describing “Zionists” as “…bloodsuckers who attack the Palestinians, these warmongers, the descendants of apes and pigs.”
