By Barbara Slavin As the Middle East continues a downward spiral, two important U.S. allies that had seemed relatively stable – Israel and Turkey — are both confronting significant new violence. In Israel, a spasm of Arab attacks — and Israeli retaliation — is prompting fears of a third intifada. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu […]
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How the Iran Deal Became the Most Strategic Success of Obama’s Presidency
Posted September 16th, 2015 at 9:45 am (UTC-4)
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A weak president Obama may be. But a paradox of his presidency is that he has been at his toughest in fighting for the Iran nuclear deal against Netanyahu, the leader of one of America’s closest allies.
Obama, Netanyahu and the Future of the Jewish State
Posted September 14th, 2015 at 9:05 am (UTC-4)
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We are now in the 48th year of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. Hope for a two-state solution dims by the day. Right now, there are influential figures on the center-left, in America and in Europe, and certainly in the developing world, who believe that Israel is becoming an apartheid state
American Jewish Lobby a Crucial Player in Iran Nuke Deal
Posted August 20th, 2015 at 4:33 pm (UTC-4)
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‘When it comes to Iran’s nuclear capability, this [deal] is the best option,” wrote retired Israeli Admiral Ami Ayalon, former head of Israel’s secret service agency Shin Bet, in a full-page ad in The New York Times newspaper. The ad, signed by more than two dozen leaders in the American Jewish community, directly opposes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu’s very public criticism of the accord. A Congressional vote on the pact will take place next month. In the meantime, members of the American Jewish lobby find themselves split over a deal that everyone agrees will have long-term consequences.
Making the Case For (and Against) Historic Nuclear Pact with Iran
Posted August 5th, 2015 at 4:44 pm (UTC-4)
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With a September deadline hanging over the US Congress to vote on the accord, stakeholders are out in force, either selling or debunking the deal. President Obama said the choice is between diplomacy or “some form of war” during remarks in Washington. Opponents in turn burned up the web, arguing Tehran can never be trusted.
Why the Iran Deal’s Critics Will Probably Lose
Posted August 5th, 2015 at 12:50 pm (UTC-4)
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None of them, from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “historic mistake” Netanyahu to U.S. Senator Lindsey “it’s a declaration of war on Israel” Graham, has yet risen to the challenge of offering a better real-world alternative
Netanyahu Plunges to Earth
Posted May 8th, 2015 at 5:14 pm (UTC-4)
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To expect an already risk-averse Netanyahu, dependent on a coalition largely of religious and right-wing parties, to make bold and even consequential choices on key issues such as peace is to expect too much.
Netanyahu’s New Government Could Be Messy, Short-Lived, and Likely to Anger the U.S.
Posted May 7th, 2015 at 9:35 am (UTC-4)
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Netanyahu…now lives to fight another day at the helm of a new coalition. How long that government lasts — and how much further away from Obama it pushes Netanyahu — remains to be seen.