July 26, 2012

The cause of the Palestinians has never been more "marginalised" than it is today, according to a warning by their internationally respected Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Israel’s Settlers Are Here to Stay

Whatever word you use to describe Israel’s 1967 acquisition of Judea and Samaria — commonly referred to as the West Bank in these pages — will not change the historical facts. Arabs called for Israel’s annihilation in 1967, and Israel legitimately seized the disputed territories of Judea and Samaria in self-defense. Israel’s moral claim to these territories, and the right of Israelis to call them home today, is therefore unassailable.

Ehud Barak is the only leader who can take on Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu is in trouble. He missed the opportunity to push forward the election at the high point of his popularity and now his leadership is flagging. The ruse to split Kadima failed and exposed the prime minister's predicament. The Likud is returning to its extreme-right roots, as the party of the settlers and their sycophants. The recession is here and the cabinet is forced to raise taxes and cut back services. The controversy over the draft law has shown Netanyahu as a collaborator with the ultra-Orthodox draft-dodgers.

A 12-step plan to sober up for peace

With the Arab world in turmoil from the Maghreb to the Gulf, few are paying much attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict these days.

Libya, Tunisia and Egypt are experimenting with democracy and have new governments just feeling their way, and no one can be sure which way they will go. Syria is exploding in civil war, and while the Assad regime appears to be steadily weakening, it still has the most guns, tanks and planes.

And Russia is running interference for the Assad regime at the United Nations to block international intervention.

Mitt's Trip to Israel

President Obama’s critics like to acknowledge that official visits to foreign countries are more about style than substance, but when it comes to Israel, that’s a disingenuous feint. As Mitt Romney, presidential candidate, takes his campaign to Israel, conservative pundits see an opportunity to point out that Barack Obama hasn’t been there since moving into the White House.

Mitt's Pilgrimage

The U.S. presidential race might be deadlocked, but when Mitt Romney visits Israel on Sunday, July 29, the presumptive Republican nominee can reasonably expect the most heartfelt welcome he'll receive anywhere outside Utah.

Israeli enthusiasm for Romney is not necessarily the result of a carefully cultivated relationship -- as a former governor and business executive he had little time for foreign policy. Instead, affection for the candidate appears to be a clear case of ABO: Anyone But Obama.

Hamas Rising

Countries across the Middle East are opening their coffers to support the Palestinian cause -- but the funds are increasingly being diverted in a direction that portends renewed conflict with Israel.

Warning: Turbulence Ahead

"Everybody knows that relations with Israel have never been worse."

So thundered the venerable John McCain, foreign policy preacher and iconoclast par excellence, in a sermon from the mountaintop on one of last Sunday's talk shows. The Arizona senator was commenting on President Barack Obama's claim last week in Palm Beach, one he has oft repeated on the campaign trail, that U.S.-Israeli ties are stronger than ever.

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