ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
AP Photo
June 16, 2009
"Bibi Answers Obama"
Op-Ed, Human Events
By Chuck Freilich, Senior Fellow, International Security Program
"In his recent speech to the Muslim world, Obama set a new course for U.S. policy in the region and in so doing challenged Netanyahu to join him in the effort, or risk American ire. Poor Bibi. During his first two months, he caused gratuitous tension with Obama by refusing to explicitly endorse a two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and thereby convinced many that Israel, rather than the Palestinians, is the obstacle. Bibi knows that he cannot afford confrontation and that Israel must align itself with any administration."
AP Photo
June 15, 2009
"What Comes Around Goes Around"
Op-Ed, Agence Global
By Rami Khouri, Senior Fellow, The Dubai Initiative
Changes in American policies and rhetoric are already triggering intriguing responses from different parts of the Middle East, as we can see in four separate issues: Lebanon, Palestine-Israel, Iran, and American attitudes toward Islam and Muslims.
AP Photo
June 6, 2009
"The Two-State Trap in the Mideast"
Op-Ed, The Providence Journal
By Ehud Eiran, Research Fellow, International Security Program and Nir Eisikovits
"...A weak (or even worse, a failed) Palestinian state next to Israel will most likely lead not to the end of violence, but rather to its perpetuation. This is also a dangerous dichotomy, as it does not leave room for failure despite the fact that failure may come. The Palestinian national movement is deeply divided, and the Israeli public fears — based on the lessons of the withdrawals from Lebanon and Gaza — that leaving the West Bank would compromise its security. The logical conclusion from presenting a binary map for the future — two states or war — when a two-state option is highly unlikely, is that the proposed frame has a great potential to destabilize the situation, rather than calm it.
AP Photo
June 3, 2009
"Obama Should Think Chicago"
Op-Ed, Agence Global
By Rami Khouri, Senior Fellow, The Dubai Initiative
Obama should focus on three significant issues: 1- the Arab-Israeli conflict, 2- the "resistance front" headed by Syria, Iran, Hizbullah and Hamas, and 3- the lack of democratic, rule-of-law-based governance systems in most Arab countries. And he should tell us what America wants to do about these three issues.
AP Photo
June 2009
"The Changing Face of Israel"
Magazine or Newspaper Article, Foreign Policy
By Richard Cincotta and Eric Kaufmann, Former Research Fellow, Initiative on Religion in International Affairs/International Security Program
"...Ultra-Orthodox rabbis control access to marriage, conversion, and burial, effectively determining the status of non-haredi private lives across the varied Jewish community. In addition, ultra-Orthodox activists flex their political muscle by censoring advertising and movies, organizing consumer boycotts, mounting mass demonstrations, and harassing secular Jews who violate the Sabbath. Once peace-process-disinterested members of various coalition governments, ultra-Orthodox politicians now rank among the most hawkish in the Knesset, defending haredi settlements on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. Although less politically cohesive, Israeli Arab voters favor the flip side of the political spectrum, which makes moderate Israelis wonder how their democracy might function should these two groups grow to dominate the electorate."
AP Photo
June 1, 2009
"The Significance of the Settlements"
Op-Ed, Agence Global
By Rami Khouri, Senior Fellow, The Dubai Initiative
The Obama administration has put steel into American insistence that illegal Israeli settlements must be halted. It is the important kick start to progress towards peace making.
Summer 2009
"Newsmakers"
Newsletter Article, Belfer Center Newsletter
By Sharon Wilke, Associate Director of Communications
Belfer Center Newsmakers.
AP Photo
May 14, 2009
"What are They Smoking?"
Op-Ed, BitterLemons-International.org -- Middle East Roundtable, issue 18, volume 7
By Chuck Freilich, Senior Fellow, International Security Program
"The new government in Israel, presumably by way of creating a new obstacle that it can concede and grant to US President Barack Obama as a "concession", has refused to endorse a two-state solution, though this is clearly the only viable option for preserving a Jewish and democratic Israel. By convincing the world that it is Israel—which favored a two-state solution in 1936, 1947, Camp David 2000 and most recently under Olmert—not the Palestinians, which objects to this, Netanyahu has caused severe damage to Israel's image. Moreover, his obstinacy has played into the hands of those who wish to create a fallacious and dangerous linkage between the peace process and the Iranian nuclear program, the last thing Israel should want."
AP Photo
May 13, 2009
"Peacemaking Needs Two Sides"
Op-Ed, Agence Global
By Rami Khouri, Senior Fellow, The Dubai Initiative
"The Arab world is once again correctly expressing its sincerity in negotiating a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel. But it should not repeat the mistakes of the past -- making continuous concessions before getting back concessions in return."
May 6, 2009
"The Fruits of Peace and the Obama Blender"
Op-Ed, Agence Global
By Rami Khouri, Senior Fellow, The Dubai Initiative
It is not clear how the Obama administration will address its strong ally, Israel -- nor how the greater Arab world will support US facilitation of a Middle East peace agreement. But the basic approach stops the settlements and the violence.
