September 27th

The speech Yasser Arafat never gave In Print by Hussein Ibish - NOW Lebanon (Opinion) - September 27, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ moving speech before the United Nations General Assembly on Friday was certainly the high point of his career. His address will be forever remembered because Abbas was able to do what no Palestinian leader has ever done in the past: make the moral case for Palestinian independence in a clear, coherent, reasonable manner at the highest international forum. » Read more

September 23rd

Could a U.N. Upgrade Help the Palestinians Prosecute Israeli Officials? In Print by Hussein Ibish - Slate (Opinion) - September 23, 2011 - 12:00am Would a Palestinian state recognized by the United Nations have the right to bring legal action against Israel and Israeli officials at the International Criminal Court or the U.N.'s own International Court of Justice? » Read more

Obama at the UN on Israel-Palestine: Good Politics, Poor Diplomacy In Print by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) - September 23, 2011 - 12:00am If you'd wanted to gauge how strained relations between the Obama administration and the Palestinian leadership have become, all you'd need do is watch the shaking heads of the Palestinian representatives at the United Nations General Assembly during the U.S. President's speech there on Wednesday. Obama reiterated the American commitment to a two-state solution and the creation of an independent Palestine, both established U.S. policy. Rhetorically, however, his speech recognized most of the core elements of the Israeli narrative but virtually none of the Palestinian one. » Read more

September 22nd

Obama at the UN on Israel-Palestine: Good Politics, Poor Diplomacy In Print by Hussein Ibish - The Atlantic (Opinion) - September 22, 2011 - 12:00am If you'd wanted to gauge how strained relations between the Obama administration and the Palestinian leadership have become, all you'd need do is watch the shaking heads of the Palestinian representatives at the United Nations General Assembly during the U.S. President's speech there on Wednesday. Obama reiterated the American commitment to a two-state solution and the creation of an independent Palestine, both established U.S. policy. Rhetorically, however, his speech recognized most of the core elements of the Israeli narrative but virtually none of the Palestinian one. » Read more

September 20th

Last-minute deal could avert a collision course at the UN In Print by Hussein Ibish - The National (Opinion) - September 20, 2011 - 12:00am The insistence by the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that he will present a request for full UN membership for Palestine in its 1967 borders to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the General Assembly meeting later this week - although telegraphed months in advance - has sent shock waves through international relations, and Israeli and US domestic politics as well. » Read more

September 16th

Avoiding Collision Course in Mideast In Print by Ziad Asali - Council On Foreign Relations (Interview) - September 16, 2011 - 12:00am Interviewer: Bernard Gwertzman, Consulting Editor CFR.org » Read more

September 9th

Train Wreck in Turtle Bay In Print by Ziad Asali - Foreign Policy (Opinion) - September 8, 2011 - 12:00am Late September is fast approaching, and the stage seems set for yet another crisis in the Middle East. Palestinian leaders are determined to push for greater international recognition of their state at the upcoming annual session of the U.N. General Assembly. A large number of countries are reportedly poised to vote in Palestine's favor, much to the chagrin of the Israeli government, which has mounted a vigorous lobbying campaign against recognition. » Read more