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Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies. His dedication to writing about, analyzing, and offering practical solutions to the Arab-Israeli conflict is the result of his many years of direct participation and personal experience in the Middle East. He is regularly involved in two-track diplomacy and continues to monitor closely events throughout the region.
OpEd News Member for 481 week(s) and 6 day(s)
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Friday, August 20, 2021
Where Did We Go So Wrong In Afghanistan? In his address to the nation, President Biden used the majority of it to try to justify the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, which needed hardly any justification given that after 20 years the US has not come any closer to defeating the Taliban permanently.
Friday, August 20, 2021Where Did We Go So Wrong In Afghanistan? In his address to the nation, President Biden used the majority of it to try to justify the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, which needed hardly any justification given that after 20 years the US has not come any closer to defeating the Taliban permanently.
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Sunday, February 7, 2021
Time For Kosovo To Secure Its True Independence Every Kosovar citizen should demand that each individual running for office provide a clear and comprehensive socio-economic program that will put the public on a course of economic recovery and growth.
Sunday, February 7, 2021Time For Kosovo To Secure Its True Independence Every Kosovar citizen should demand that each individual running for office provide a clear and comprehensive socio-economic program that will put the public on a course of economic recovery and growth.
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Sunday, January 24, 2021
As A Democracy, Israel Shows No Moral Tenet: El-Halabi's outcry for justice Israel claims to be a beacon of democracy in the Middle East -- yet engages in such cruel, vindictive practices that go beyond the pale of humanity.
Sunday, January 24, 2021As A Democracy, Israel Shows No Moral Tenet: El-Halabi's outcry for justice Israel claims to be a beacon of democracy in the Middle East -- yet engages in such cruel, vindictive practices that go beyond the pale of humanity.
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Thursday, December 3, 2020
Biden's Opportunity To End The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict For Biden to succeed where his predecessors failed, he must repair the severe damage that Trump has inflicted on the entire peace process and restore the Palestinians' confidence in a new negotiation that could, in fact, lead to a permanent solution. To that end, he must take specific measures before the start of the talks and establish rules of engagements to which both sides must fully subscribe to demonstrate their commitme
Thursday, December 3, 2020Biden's Opportunity To End The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict For Biden to succeed where his predecessors failed, he must repair the severe damage that Trump has inflicted on the entire peace process and restore the Palestinians' confidence in a new negotiation that could, in fact, lead to a permanent solution. To that end, he must take specific measures before the start of the talks and establish rules of engagements to which both sides must fully subscribe to demonstrate their commitme
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Wednesday, November 18, 2020
The Danger To Our Democracy Is The Republican Party Our democracy is broken, as faith in our constitutional system and culture that guided us has been all but shattered. If we continue to ignore this reality, a very ominous future will await this nation.
Wednesday, November 18, 2020The Danger To Our Democracy Is The Republican Party Our democracy is broken, as faith in our constitutional system and culture that guided us has been all but shattered. If we continue to ignore this reality, a very ominous future will await this nation.
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Friday, October 23, 2020
Erdogan's Calamitous Authoritarianism Turkey's President Erdogan is becoming ever more dangerous as he continues to ravage his own country and destabilize scores of states in the Middle East, the Balkans, and North Africa, while cozying up to the West's foremost advisories. Sadly, there seems to be no appetite for most EU member states to challenge Erdogan and put him on notice.
Friday, October 23, 2020Erdogan's Calamitous Authoritarianism Turkey's President Erdogan is becoming ever more dangerous as he continues to ravage his own country and destabilize scores of states in the Middle East, the Balkans, and North Africa, while cozying up to the West's foremost advisories. Sadly, there seems to be no appetite for most EU member states to challenge Erdogan and put him on notice.
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Friday, September 25, 2020
Trump Is Pushing The Country To The Brink Of Civil War Trump has demonstrated beyond any doubt that he has no respect for American democracy. What the president said about remaining in power is nothing short of treasonous, and may well lead to open violence.
Friday, September 25, 2020Trump Is Pushing The Country To The Brink Of Civil War Trump has demonstrated beyond any doubt that he has no respect for American democracy. What the president said about remaining in power is nothing short of treasonous, and may well lead to open violence.
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Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Serbia-Kosovo Agreement Falls Far Short Of Ending Their Conflict The recent agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, brokered by the US, to normalize economic relations between the two countries fell short of the needed reconciliation process that would lead to full recognition of Kosovo's independence by Serbia.
Tuesday, September 15, 2020Serbia-Kosovo Agreement Falls Far Short Of Ending Their Conflict The recent agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, brokered by the US, to normalize economic relations between the two countries fell short of the needed reconciliation process that would lead to full recognition of Kosovo's independence by Serbia.
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Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Time Is Running Out For The Palestinians The Palestinians understand that their intransigence will only further undermine -- rather than help -- their prospect of establishing an independent state of their own.
Wednesday, September 2, 2020Time Is Running Out For The Palestinians The Palestinians understand that their intransigence will only further undermine -- rather than help -- their prospect of establishing an independent state of their own.
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Friday, August 21, 2020
The Inevitable Emergence Of An Israeli-Arab Alliance The peace agreement between Israel and the UAE lays the foundation for a future Israeli-Arab alliance, which has been quietly developing behind the scenes over the past several years.
Friday, August 21, 2020The Inevitable Emergence Of An Israeli-Arab Alliance The peace agreement between Israel and the UAE lays the foundation for a future Israeli-Arab alliance, which has been quietly developing behind the scenes over the past several years.
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Friday, August 14, 2020
America's Prisons Are Outrageously Unjust Even a cursory review of our prison system reveals the outrageous inhumanity to which hundreds of thousands of prisoners, especially young adults, are subjected to. Our prison system is bewildering and most alarming.
Friday, August 14, 2020America's Prisons Are Outrageously Unjust Even a cursory review of our prison system reveals the outrageous inhumanity to which hundreds of thousands of prisoners, especially young adults, are subjected to. Our prison system is bewildering and most alarming.
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Friday, July 31, 2020
How Did We Get To This Dire State Of Affairs? We are in desperate need of unity, public engagement, and spiritual renewal to rediscover the faith in our ability to overcome any adversity and prevail.
Friday, July 31, 2020How Did We Get To This Dire State Of Affairs? We are in desperate need of unity, public engagement, and spiritual renewal to rediscover the faith in our ability to overcome any adversity and prevail.
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Sunday, July 19, 2020
The Pandemic Of Racism In America The rage, desperation, and determination which continue to bring tens of thousands of Americans to the streets in protest against racism and injustice hopefully will be just the beginning.
Sunday, July 19, 2020The Pandemic Of Racism In America The rage, desperation, and determination which continue to bring tens of thousands of Americans to the streets in protest against racism and injustice hopefully will be just the beginning.
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Wednesday, June 3, 2020
The Pandemic Underlines America's Ingrained Racism It should serve as a warning to every Republican member of Congress that the murder of George Floyd and the horrifying injustice it confirmed is the poison they will have to swallow just before Election Day if they fail to act.
Wednesday, June 3, 2020The Pandemic Underlines America's Ingrained Racism It should serve as a warning to every Republican member of Congress that the murder of George Floyd and the horrifying injustice it confirmed is the poison they will have to swallow just before Election Day if they fail to act.
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Friday, May 22, 2020
A Portrait Of A Ruthless Dictator But Turkey's President Erdogan has squandered it all by putting his self-interest and blind ambition before the country. His legacy will be of one who lost his way and left a shattered country in his wake.
Friday, May 22, 2020A Portrait Of A Ruthless Dictator But Turkey's President Erdogan has squandered it all by putting his self-interest and blind ambition before the country. His legacy will be of one who lost his way and left a shattered country in his wake.
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Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Israel And Palestinians: Architects Of Their Own Destruction If Israel proceeds with its plans of annexation and the Palestinians continue to hold onto their dead-end position, the result is all but certain. Continuing and escalating violent conflict will rob the Palestinians of a state of their own for the foreseeable future, which will exact a heavy toll on Israel while making it a pariah state that lives by the gun
Tuesday, May 19, 2020Israel And Palestinians: Architects Of Their Own Destruction If Israel proceeds with its plans of annexation and the Palestinians continue to hold onto their dead-end position, the result is all but certain. Continuing and escalating violent conflict will rob the Palestinians of a state of their own for the foreseeable future, which will exact a heavy toll on Israel while making it a pariah state that lives by the gun
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Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Trump Is The Antithesis Of American Greatness Unless measures are taken by a new President to reverse the consequences of Trump's reckless actions and policies, they will permanently erode America's global standing, degrade our democracy, tear apart our social fabric, and compromise our constitution that held the country together for two and a half centuries.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020Trump Is The Antithesis Of American Greatness Unless measures are taken by a new President to reverse the consequences of Trump's reckless actions and policies, they will permanently erode America's global standing, degrade our democracy, tear apart our social fabric, and compromise our constitution that held the country together for two and a half centuries.
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Thursday, April 23, 2020
The Dire Consequences of Territorial Annexation The prospect of a Palestinian uprising is a given. If Netanyahu and Gantz ignore it, it will be at their peril as they are sowing the seeds of Palestinian revolt; the question will be only when.
Thursday, April 23, 2020The Dire Consequences of Territorial Annexation The prospect of a Palestinian uprising is a given. If Netanyahu and Gantz ignore it, it will be at their peril as they are sowing the seeds of Palestinian revolt; the question will be only when.
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Friday, April 17, 2020
The War In Yemen Is A Crime Against Humanity And Islam The proxy war that Saudi Arabia and Iran have been waging in Yemen for the past five years goes beyond the pale of human capacity for extreme cruelty and ruthlessness, and against the spirit and the letter of the Quran.
Friday, April 17, 2020The War In Yemen Is A Crime Against Humanity And Islam The proxy war that Saudi Arabia and Iran have been waging in Yemen for the past five years goes beyond the pale of human capacity for extreme cruelty and ruthlessness, and against the spirit and the letter of the Quran.
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Saturday, April 11, 2020
Trump's Pandemic Failure: A Missed Opportunity For a man who is a self-absorbed, power hungry narcissist who wants to be recognized as one of the greatest presidents of the United States while desperately trying to be reelected, Trump failed miserably to rise to the occasion precipitated by the unfortunate advent and spread of the coronavirus.
Saturday, April 11, 2020Trump's Pandemic Failure: A Missed Opportunity For a man who is a self-absorbed, power hungry narcissist who wants to be recognized as one of the greatest presidents of the United States while desperately trying to be reelected, Trump failed miserably to rise to the occasion precipitated by the unfortunate advent and spread of the coronavirus.
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Thursday, March 12, 2020
Israel Is Engaged In Systematic Self-Destruction One cannot blame Netanyahu alone. It is the Likud party that has enabled him over the years to chip away brick-by-brick at Israel's democracy, undermine the judiciary, discriminate against Israeli Arabs as well as Jews of color, alienate the American Jewish community, and torpedo any prospect of a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Thursday, March 12, 2020Israel Is Engaged In Systematic Self-Destruction One cannot blame Netanyahu alone. It is the Likud party that has enabled him over the years to chip away brick-by-brick at Israel's democracy, undermine the judiciary, discriminate against Israeli Arabs as well as Jews of color, alienate the American Jewish community, and torpedo any prospect of a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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Thursday, March 5, 2020
Trump's Disastrous Domestic Policy Sadly, we have become accustomed to Trump's lies and misstatements about the presumed progress the US made under his watch. It's time to take a hard look at his domestic policy, which is inflicting terrible damage and anguish on the majority of Americans.
Thursday, March 5, 2020Trump's Disastrous Domestic Policy Sadly, we have become accustomed to Trump's lies and misstatements about the presumed progress the US made under his watch. It's time to take a hard look at his domestic policy, which is inflicting terrible damage and anguish on the majority of Americans.
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Thursday, February 27, 2020
"...I Am Proud To Be A Socialist" Enacting rules and regulations and fostering a sense of national unity while embracing the premise that human beings have equal rights, which the constitution provides, does not negate capitalism but in fact enhances it. Anything to do with human rights matters.
Thursday, February 27, 2020"...I Am Proud To Be A Socialist" Enacting rules and regulations and fostering a sense of national unity while embracing the premise that human beings have equal rights, which the constitution provides, does not negate capitalism but in fact enhances it. Anything to do with human rights matters.
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Wednesday, February 12, 2020
The Travesty of the Century By what logic Trump can assume upon himself the political, religious, and moral right to divide an occupied land between Israel and the Palestinians in defiance of all previous accords and internationally recognized agreements?
Wednesday, February 12, 2020The Travesty of the Century By what logic Trump can assume upon himself the political, religious, and moral right to divide an occupied land between Israel and the Palestinians in defiance of all previous accords and internationally recognized agreements?
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Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Trump's and Netanyahu's Folly Israel has, for all intents and purposes, given itself the license to do whatever it pleases in the Palestinian territories, including building settlements, erecting barriers and fences, demolishing Palestinian homes, and restricting their movement.
Wednesday, February 5, 2020Trump's and Netanyahu's Folly Israel has, for all intents and purposes, given itself the license to do whatever it pleases in the Palestinian territories, including building settlements, erecting barriers and fences, demolishing Palestinian homes, and restricting their movement.
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Friday, January 31, 2020
Trump's Dreadful Foreign Policy Trump has no coherent foreign policy doctrine, no understanding of historical perspective, and no knowledge of the intricacies of various regional conflicts. He is dismissive of alliances, unbound by international agreements; he is erratic, unfettered, and issues policy directives based on "gut feelings."
Friday, January 31, 2020Trump's Dreadful Foreign Policy Trump has no coherent foreign policy doctrine, no understanding of historical perspective, and no knowledge of the intricacies of various regional conflicts. He is dismissive of alliances, unbound by international agreements; he is erratic, unfettered, and issues policy directives based on "gut feelings."
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Friday, January 24, 2020
Killing Soleimani Undermines Global Order The Ukraine debacle, which blew up in Trump's face and those of his top political advisers, pales in comparison to the assassination of Soleimani, which brought us to the verge of war with Iran -- a war that would have made the Iraq war look like child's play.
Friday, January 24, 2020Killing Soleimani Undermines Global Order The Ukraine debacle, which blew up in Trump's face and those of his top political advisers, pales in comparison to the assassination of Soleimani, which brought us to the verge of war with Iran -- a war that would have made the Iraq war look like child's play.
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Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Stepping Back From the Brink of War Trump must realize that Iran cannot be bullied and the only way to prevent it from pursuing nuclear weapons is through dialogue. Iran and the US need to lick their wounds and begin a new chapter, however long and arduous it may be, because war is not and will never be an option.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020Stepping Back From the Brink of War Trump must realize that Iran cannot be bullied and the only way to prevent it from pursuing nuclear weapons is through dialogue. Iran and the US need to lick their wounds and begin a new chapter, however long and arduous it may be, because war is not and will never be an option.
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Monday, December 23, 2019
The ABCs Of Trump's Path To Impeachment Finally, Trump was impeached on December 18. It is a sad day for America because for the House of Representatives to resort to such an historically rare punitive act suggests that Trump's transgressions have been so severe that the House was compelled to take such a drastic measure.
Monday, December 23, 2019The ABCs Of Trump's Path To Impeachment Finally, Trump was impeached on December 18. It is a sad day for America because for the House of Representatives to resort to such an historically rare punitive act suggests that Trump's transgressions have been so severe that the House was compelled to take such a drastic measure.
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Thursday, December 19, 2019
2020 Will Be More Turbulent Than 2019, Unless... The year 2020 will most likely be as turbulent if not more so than 2019 due mainly to the lack of American leadership and the rush of other powers, especially Russia, China, and to a lesser extent Turkey and Iran, to fill the vacuum the US is leaving behind.
Thursday, December 19, 20192020 Will Be More Turbulent Than 2019, Unless... The year 2020 will most likely be as turbulent if not more so than 2019 due mainly to the lack of American leadership and the rush of other powers, especially Russia, China, and to a lesser extent Turkey and Iran, to fill the vacuum the US is leaving behind.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
Ending US-Iran Impasse Rests Only On Face-to-Face Negotiations Face-to-face negotiations between the US and Iran remains the only viable option that both sides will be prudent to carefully pursue if they want to avoid a potentially disastrous conflagration.
Friday, December 13, 2019Ending US-Iran Impasse Rests Only On Face-to-Face Negotiations Face-to-face negotiations between the US and Iran remains the only viable option that both sides will be prudent to carefully pursue if they want to avoid a potentially disastrous conflagration.
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Tuesday, November 26, 2019
The Yazidis' Crisis Continues to Unfold -- Ending It Is a Moral Imperative The Yazidis have suffered enough. The longer they remain, with limited resources, scattered outside their homeland, the more they become vulnerable in the face of the prospective return of ISIS and other militias.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019The Yazidis' Crisis Continues to Unfold -- Ending It Is a Moral Imperative The Yazidis have suffered enough. The longer they remain, with limited resources, scattered outside their homeland, the more they become vulnerable in the face of the prospective return of ISIS and other militias.
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Thursday, November 21, 2019
Netanyahu Personifies The Corrupting Force Of Power The long-anticipated indictment of Prime Minister Netanyahu has finally come to pass. For three years, Netanyahu spared no effort to scuttle three criminal cases against him, but failed.
Thursday, November 21, 2019Netanyahu Personifies The Corrupting Force Of Power The long-anticipated indictment of Prime Minister Netanyahu has finally come to pass. For three years, Netanyahu spared no effort to scuttle three criminal cases against him, but failed.
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Friday, November 8, 2019
The Butcher of Ankara's Visit to the House of Lies Our adversaries will bask in the notion that the US is no longer guided by any moral principles. Inviting Erdogan to Washington, when Kurdish blood is still fresh on his hands, only confirms that Trump has no scruples and that under his leadership, today's friends may well become the enemies of tomorrow.
Friday, November 8, 2019The Butcher of Ankara's Visit to the House of Lies Our adversaries will bask in the notion that the US is no longer guided by any moral principles. Inviting Erdogan to Washington, when Kurdish blood is still fresh on his hands, only confirms that Trump has no scruples and that under his leadership, today's friends may well become the enemies of tomorrow.
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Thursday, October 31, 2019
Can The New Government Change Kosovo's Fortunes? The two leading winners are the leftist-nationalist Vetevendosje party led by Albin Kurti, which garnered 25.6 percent of the vote, followed by the center-right Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) led by Isa Mustafa, albeit Vjosa Osmani led the campaign and won, with 24.9 percent.
Thursday, October 31, 2019Can The New Government Change Kosovo's Fortunes? The two leading winners are the leftist-nationalist Vetevendosje party led by Albin Kurti, which garnered 25.6 percent of the vote, followed by the center-right Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) led by Isa Mustafa, albeit Vjosa Osmani led the campaign and won, with 24.9 percent.
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Wednesday, October 23, 2019
We Must Not Grow Numb To The Yazidi Genocide Regardless of their outcry for help and continued suffering, the international community is not providing the necessary financial aid to rebuild the Yazidis' homes and villages. They try desperately to make their case known to whomever they can talk to, especially passing journalists who can spread the word about their unbearable condition.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019We Must Not Grow Numb To The Yazidi Genocide Regardless of their outcry for help and continued suffering, the international community is not providing the necessary financial aid to rebuild the Yazidis' homes and villages. They try desperately to make their case known to whomever they can talk to, especially passing journalists who can spread the word about their unbearable condition.
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Sunday, October 20, 2019
Trump's Disgraceful Letter To Erdogan There is no wonder that every person and news outlet that saw Trump's letter to Turkey's president Erdogan thought it was a joke. When it was confirmed that the letter was indeed authentic, bewilderment and disbelief struck everyone who read it, as no US president has ever written such a disgraceful letter, which will be remembered in infamy.
Sunday, October 20, 2019Trump's Disgraceful Letter To Erdogan There is no wonder that every person and news outlet that saw Trump's letter to Turkey's president Erdogan thought it was a joke. When it was confirmed that the letter was indeed authentic, bewilderment and disbelief struck everyone who read it, as no US president has ever written such a disgraceful letter, which will be remembered in infamy.
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Thursday, October 17, 2019
Spare The Nation Humiliation And Pain: An Open Letter To Netanyahu An open letter to Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting that he resign.
Thursday, October 17, 2019Spare The Nation Humiliation And Pain: An Open Letter To Netanyahu An open letter to Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting that he resign.
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Friday, October 11, 2019
An Act Of Betrayal And Infamy Trump's decision was also largely motivated by his financial interest in Turkey, which goes back many years to 2012, with the opening of Trump Towers in Istanbul. To think though, that the President of the United States would sell America's interests and abandon its allies for the sake of personal financial gain is not merely outrageous but criminal. To me, this amounts to nothing less than treason.
Friday, October 11, 2019An Act Of Betrayal And Infamy Trump's decision was also largely motivated by his financial interest in Turkey, which goes back many years to 2012, with the opening of Trump Towers in Istanbul. To think though, that the President of the United States would sell America's interests and abandon its allies for the sake of personal financial gain is not merely outrageous but criminal. To me, this amounts to nothing less than treason.
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Friday, October 4, 2019
Israel's Fractured Democracy And Its Repercussions Israel made tremendous strides in just about all walks of life, but Israel's democracy is faltering. After 71 years of existence, the Israelis could not settle on a political system that would avoid various types of impasse, which are economically disruptive while undermining the national security of the state.
Friday, October 4, 2019Israel's Fractured Democracy And Its Repercussions Israel made tremendous strides in just about all walks of life, but Israel's democracy is faltering. After 71 years of existence, the Israelis could not settle on a political system that would avoid various types of impasse, which are economically disruptive while undermining the national security of the state.
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Thursday, September 26, 2019
Climate Change: A Worldwide Catastrophe In The Making More than 60 countries announced tangible plans to reduce emissions and help the countries most vulnerable to climate change to manage the terrible consequences of global warming. Yet, since the beginning of his administration, Trump has been undermining environmental protections.
Thursday, September 26, 2019Climate Change: A Worldwide Catastrophe In The Making More than 60 countries announced tangible plans to reduce emissions and help the countries most vulnerable to climate change to manage the terrible consequences of global warming. Yet, since the beginning of his administration, Trump has been undermining environmental protections.
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Thursday, September 12, 2019
The Last Dance: Trump, Putin, Netanyahu And Kim I am getting sick and tired of the raging violent conflicts overseas and the political mess here at home which is consuming us day in and day out. I thought that for a change a little levity is in order.
Thursday, September 12, 2019The Last Dance: Trump, Putin, Netanyahu And Kim I am getting sick and tired of the raging violent conflicts overseas and the political mess here at home which is consuming us day in and day out. I thought that for a change a little levity is in order.
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Sunday, September 8, 2019
For The US And Iran, War Is Not An Option Since both the US and Iran want to avoid war, the only viable option remaining rests on negotiations. What is needed is the creation of conducive conditions for new talks to reach a new deal that would allow Iran to save face, and for Trump to claim that he exacted a much better deal than Obama.
Sunday, September 8, 2019For The US And Iran, War Is Not An Option Since both the US and Iran want to avoid war, the only viable option remaining rests on negotiations. What is needed is the creation of conducive conditions for new talks to reach a new deal that would allow Iran to save face, and for Trump to claim that he exacted a much better deal than Obama.
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Monday, August 19, 2019
The Disgraceful President And The Contemptible Prime Minister Much has been said and written about Trump's disgraceful pointed "advice" to Prime Minister Netanyahu not to allow two duly elected Muslim Democrat congresswomen, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, to enter Israel. Netanyahu, like a poodle, simply obeys his master's command without as much as giving it a second thought, while ignoring the far-reaching implications of his egregious act.
Monday, August 19, 2019The Disgraceful President And The Contemptible Prime Minister Much has been said and written about Trump's disgraceful pointed "advice" to Prime Minister Netanyahu not to allow two duly elected Muslim Democrat congresswomen, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, to enter Israel. Netanyahu, like a poodle, simply obeys his master's command without as much as giving it a second thought, while ignoring the far-reaching implications of his egregious act.
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Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Not Acting On Climate Crisis Is At Our Peril Climate change is real and is visible for all to see. The scientific evidence is overwhelming, and denying that climate change is already upon us, especially as the president and his party does, flies in the face of the indisputably dire consequences that will be inflicted on all humanity.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019Not Acting On Climate Crisis Is At Our Peril Climate change is real and is visible for all to see. The scientific evidence is overwhelming, and denying that climate change is already upon us, especially as the president and his party does, flies in the face of the indisputably dire consequences that will be inflicted on all humanity.
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Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Trump's Embrace Of White Supremacy Is Poisoning America's Soul At a time of looming elections, Trump will continue to drum up his racism and dehumanizing of immigrants, and use toxic language against anybody who looks Hispanic. He believes that fomenting social division is a brilliant strategy to nurture his white supremacist base which listens to him and follows his preaching.
Tuesday, August 6, 2019Trump's Embrace Of White Supremacy Is Poisoning America's Soul At a time of looming elections, Trump will continue to drum up his racism and dehumanizing of immigrants, and use toxic language against anybody who looks Hispanic. He believes that fomenting social division is a brilliant strategy to nurture his white supremacist base which listens to him and follows his preaching.
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Thursday, August 1, 2019
The Stakes Have Never Been Higher In Israel's Elections There is a growing consensus among Israelis that if Prime Minister Netanyahu forms the next government, Israel will lose an historic opportunity to reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement based on a two-state solution, in the context of a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace.
Thursday, August 1, 2019The Stakes Have Never Been Higher In Israel's Elections There is a growing consensus among Israelis that if Prime Minister Netanyahu forms the next government, Israel will lose an historic opportunity to reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement based on a two-state solution, in the context of a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace.
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Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Albania's Self-Consuming Corruption Undermining Path To EU Accession NATO member Albania, which Transparency International rates as one of Europe's most corrupt countries, has only made limited progress in combating corruption, including money laundering and bribes, despite firing crooked judges and prosecutors. European ministers met in Luxembourg last year and agreed to open talks, but in June the decision was unexpectedly postponed.
Tuesday, July 2, 2019Albania's Self-Consuming Corruption Undermining Path To EU Accession NATO member Albania, which Transparency International rates as one of Europe's most corrupt countries, has only made limited progress in combating corruption, including money laundering and bribes, despite firing crooked judges and prosecutors. European ministers met in Luxembourg last year and agreed to open talks, but in June the decision was unexpectedly postponed.
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Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Insidious Discrimination Against The Roma Is Europe's Shame Attackers have sought out and violently assaulted whole families, burned their homes, and nearly wiped out a whole community in settlements across Europe. Violence against Roma is gravely under-reported, and Roma are often viewed as scapegoats for broader societal ills, often characterized as outsiders who are inferior citizens and are unwanted in their respective communities.
Wednesday, June 12, 2019Insidious Discrimination Against The Roma Is Europe's Shame Attackers have sought out and violently assaulted whole families, burned their homes, and nearly wiped out a whole community in settlements across Europe. Violence against Roma is gravely under-reported, and Roma are often viewed as scapegoats for broader societal ills, often characterized as outsiders who are inferior citizens and are unwanted in their respective communities.
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Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Modernity And Civilization Offer No Shield Against Future Genocide What has changed, and what have we learned from previous genocides? Very little. As long as we put our short-sighted political interest above human lives, we prove we have leaned little from history and are condemned to repeat it time and again. We must hold up the mantra of "never again," and act before it's too late.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019Modernity And Civilization Offer No Shield Against Future Genocide What has changed, and what have we learned from previous genocides? Very little. As long as we put our short-sighted political interest above human lives, we prove we have leaned little from history and are condemned to repeat it time and again. We must hold up the mantra of "never again," and act before it's too late.
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Friday, May 24, 2019
Trump Must Never Listen To The Warmonger Bolton Bolton, who is strongly influenced by Crown Prince bin Salman and Netanyahu, who seem to encourage him to attack Iran. They are dangerous men, and want to prevail over Iran at the expense of the United States by dragging it into an unwinnable war. To think that regime change in Iran, as Bolton and Pompeo continue to advocate, will usher in a democracy is an illusion that will never materialize.
Friday, May 24, 2019Trump Must Never Listen To The Warmonger Bolton Bolton, who is strongly influenced by Crown Prince bin Salman and Netanyahu, who seem to encourage him to attack Iran. They are dangerous men, and want to prevail over Iran at the expense of the United States by dragging it into an unwinnable war. To think that regime change in Iran, as Bolton and Pompeo continue to advocate, will usher in a democracy is an illusion that will never materialize.
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Thursday, May 16, 2019
To Prevent Brain Drain, Kosovo Must Eradicate Corruption Kosovo has emerged from the ashes of many thousands of men and boys who were slaughtered by the Serbian military to prevent the rise of an independent and free Kosovo. They have a moral responsibility and a sacred duty to put the country's national interest above their own and prevent brain drain, as the future of Kosovo rests on the vitality of its youth, in which every single Kosovar has a stake.
Thursday, May 16, 2019To Prevent Brain Drain, Kosovo Must Eradicate Corruption Kosovo has emerged from the ashes of many thousands of men and boys who were slaughtered by the Serbian military to prevent the rise of an independent and free Kosovo. They have a moral responsibility and a sacred duty to put the country's national interest above their own and prevent brain drain, as the future of Kosovo rests on the vitality of its youth, in which every single Kosovar has a stake.
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Thursday, May 9, 2019
Netanyahu's Defunct Strategy To Keep Hamas At Bay Netanyahu has deliberately perpetuated the conflict with Hamas as a means by which to promote his sinister political agenda. At no point has he contemplated finding a mutually acceptable solution that could end the hostilities and gradually lead to peaceful coexistence. Instead, he has portrayed Hamas as an irredeemable foe committed to Israel's destruction.
Thursday, May 9, 2019Netanyahu's Defunct Strategy To Keep Hamas At Bay Netanyahu has deliberately perpetuated the conflict with Hamas as a means by which to promote his sinister political agenda. At no point has he contemplated finding a mutually acceptable solution that could end the hostilities and gradually lead to peaceful coexistence. Instead, he has portrayed Hamas as an irredeemable foe committed to Israel's destruction.
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Friday, May 3, 2019
Preventing an Israeli-Iran War Given its history, resourcefulness, and ability to project its power, Iran is a proud nation that seeks respect and rejects bullying. Iran is resilient; it can be defeated time and again, but it will rise in defiance of any circumstances, ready and willing to sacrifice whatever it takes, and not allow itself to be humiliated. These characteristics reflect who the Iranians really are.
Friday, May 3, 2019Preventing an Israeli-Iran War Given its history, resourcefulness, and ability to project its power, Iran is a proud nation that seeks respect and rejects bullying. Iran is resilient; it can be defeated time and again, but it will rise in defiance of any circumstances, ready and willing to sacrifice whatever it takes, and not allow itself to be humiliated. These characteristics reflect who the Iranians really are.
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Thursday, April 25, 2019
The Beginning Of The End Of Erdogan's Era For Erdogan, a democratic form of government could not serve his ambition to become the absolute leader who can both shape Turkey's destiny as an Islamic state and serve as the head of the Sunni Muslim world. As he once stated, "democracy is like a bus, once you reach your destination you get off."
Thursday, April 25, 2019The Beginning Of The End Of Erdogan's Era For Erdogan, a democratic form of government could not serve his ambition to become the absolute leader who can both shape Turkey's destiny as an Islamic state and serve as the head of the Sunni Muslim world. As he once stated, "democracy is like a bus, once you reach your destination you get off."
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Thursday, April 11, 2019
The Election Will Obliterate The Face Of Israel As We Know It The consequences of this election and the certainty of forming a right-wing government led by Netanyahu are hard to exaggerate. To start with, if there had been any small prospect of a two-state solution, it has now practically vanished completely under his watch. This is nothing short of a turning point in Israel's history, a choice that has put Israel on the fast track toward the abyss.
Thursday, April 11, 2019The Election Will Obliterate The Face Of Israel As We Know It The consequences of this election and the certainty of forming a right-wing government led by Netanyahu are hard to exaggerate. To start with, if there had been any small prospect of a two-state solution, it has now practically vanished completely under his watch. This is nothing short of a turning point in Israel's history, a choice that has put Israel on the fast track toward the abyss.
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Sunday, February 17, 2019
Sacrificing Greatness For Personal Ambition In your wake, Mr. Erdogan, you leave a shattered Turkish people, yearning to be free, free to think and believe, free to assemble, free to criticize, free to use their ingenuity and resourcefulness to create a free society. But you have sacrificed the welfare for the Turkish people for blind personal ambition, for which you will be remembered.
Sunday, February 17, 2019Sacrificing Greatness For Personal Ambition In your wake, Mr. Erdogan, you leave a shattered Turkish people, yearning to be free, free to think and believe, free to assemble, free to criticize, free to use their ingenuity and resourcefulness to create a free society. But you have sacrificed the welfare for the Turkish people for blind personal ambition, for which you will be remembered.
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Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Corruption In The Balkans Is Impeding EU Membership The six Western Balkan countries Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Albania, are "state captured" by corrupt politicians, linked with organized crime. These facts have been documented by various international reports, which are raising major concerns among EU officials on the enlargement process.
Wednesday, January 9, 2019Corruption In The Balkans Is Impeding EU Membership The six Western Balkan countries Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Albania, are "state captured" by corrupt politicians, linked with organized crime. These facts have been documented by various international reports, which are raising major concerns among EU officials on the enlargement process.
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Thursday, December 20, 2018
Trump's New Year's Gift To Putin, Rouhani, And Erdogan Trump's decision to withdraw US forces from Syria is extremely reckless and is bound to backfire in more than one way. To make such a decision, which has major implications that directly and adversely affect our allies in and outside the region, through a simple tweet and against the advice of his senior advisers is nothing short of outrageous.
Thursday, December 20, 2018Trump's New Year's Gift To Putin, Rouhani, And Erdogan Trump's decision to withdraw US forces from Syria is extremely reckless and is bound to backfire in more than one way. To make such a decision, which has major implications that directly and adversely affect our allies in and outside the region, through a simple tweet and against the advice of his senior advisers is nothing short of outrageous.
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Thursday, December 13, 2018
It's Time For Congresswomen To Take The Lead The election of a record number of women to Congress is significant in that Congresswomen are more likely to focus on socio-economic and gender-based issues that have largely been either ignored or resisted by a predominantly male Congress.
Thursday, December 13, 2018It's Time For Congresswomen To Take The Lead The election of a record number of women to Congress is significant in that Congresswomen are more likely to focus on socio-economic and gender-based issues that have largely been either ignored or resisted by a predominantly male Congress.
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Thursday, December 6, 2018
A Two-Pronged Policy Needed To Stem The Flow Of Migrants To dramatically slow the flow of illegal immigration and even end it does not rest on building walls or sending troops to the border, or by heartlessly snatching children from their mothers' arms, or by incarceration, deportation, or prosecution. A big part of the answer lies in economic development, mainly sustainable development projects, in the migrant's country of origin.
Thursday, December 6, 2018A Two-Pronged Policy Needed To Stem The Flow Of Migrants To dramatically slow the flow of illegal immigration and even end it does not rest on building walls or sending troops to the border, or by heartlessly snatching children from their mothers' arms, or by incarceration, deportation, or prosecution. A big part of the answer lies in economic development, mainly sustainable development projects, in the migrant's country of origin.
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Monday, December 3, 2018
Gulen And Erdogan's Islamic Rivalry And Its Consequences Until five years ago, Fethullah Gulen and Turkey's President Erdogan were allies who supported each other. Both use Islam as the basis for their doctrine, which made them ideologically different from the revolutionary secularist stateman Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the new Republic of Turkey in 1923.
Monday, December 3, 2018Gulen And Erdogan's Islamic Rivalry And Its Consequences Until five years ago, Fethullah Gulen and Turkey's President Erdogan were allies who supported each other. Both use Islam as the basis for their doctrine, which made them ideologically different from the revolutionary secularist stateman Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the new Republic of Turkey in 1923.
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Thursday, November 15, 2018
The Democrats' Victory Can Save The Republican Party The retaking of the House by the Democrats will soon allow them to exercise checks and balances and stop the Republicans from going down a slippery slope. Otherwise, the party would have slid into complete self-implosion as they blindly but willingly followed Trump's chaotic political agenda.
Thursday, November 15, 2018The Democrats' Victory Can Save The Republican Party The retaking of the House by the Democrats will soon allow them to exercise checks and balances and stop the Republicans from going down a slippery slope. Otherwise, the party would have slid into complete self-implosion as they blindly but willingly followed Trump's chaotic political agenda.
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Friday, November 9, 2018
America Must Not Live And Die By The Gun All we hear from Trump and his stooges in Congress are hollow and insincere expressions of sorrow and condolences to the families of the victims whose lives are shattered. Like millions of citizens, I am offended by the callous way the Trump administration is dealing with this national disaster that robs the lives of more than 3,000 innocent fellow citizens every single month.
Friday, November 9, 2018America Must Not Live And Die By The Gun All we hear from Trump and his stooges in Congress are hollow and insincere expressions of sorrow and condolences to the families of the victims whose lives are shattered. Like millions of citizens, I am offended by the callous way the Trump administration is dealing with this national disaster that robs the lives of more than 3,000 innocent fellow citizens every single month.
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Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Erdogan's Hooligans Came Knocking On NYU's Doors What's outrageous about this episode is that we here in the US, where freedom of speech and assembly are guaranteed by the constitution, are threatened by Turkish citizens who were given the privilege to live in our country. They are now bullying us not to engage in a discussion, fearing that it may turn out to be critical of Erdogan.
Wednesday, October 31, 2018Erdogan's Hooligans Came Knocking On NYU's Doors What's outrageous about this episode is that we here in the US, where freedom of speech and assembly are guaranteed by the constitution, are threatened by Turkish citizens who were given the privilege to live in our country. They are now bullying us not to engage in a discussion, fearing that it may turn out to be critical of Erdogan.
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Thursday, October 25, 2018
The Saudi Butchery In Yemen And The World's Apathy The cold-blooded killing of the journalist Khashoggi, however gruesome, pales compared to the brutality and gross human rights violations Saudi Arabia is committing in Yemen. The Saudis are deliberately preventing food and medicine from reaching areas where children are dying from starvation or disease.
Thursday, October 25, 2018The Saudi Butchery In Yemen And The World's Apathy The cold-blooded killing of the journalist Khashoggi, however gruesome, pales compared to the brutality and gross human rights violations Saudi Arabia is committing in Yemen. The Saudis are deliberately preventing food and medicine from reaching areas where children are dying from starvation or disease.
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Monday, October 22, 2018
Should the US stop enabling Israel? Netanyahu changes his narrative to suit the political moment, but he cannot change the facts on the ground. The harsh policies Israel is applying to the occupied territories designed to force the Palestinians to give up in despair and leave has failed. Israel precipitated the rise of a new generation of Palestinian extremists but, unlike their elders, are determined to resist the occupation at all costs.
Monday, October 22, 2018Should the US stop enabling Israel? Netanyahu changes his narrative to suit the political moment, but he cannot change the facts on the ground. The harsh policies Israel is applying to the occupied territories designed to force the Palestinians to give up in despair and leave has failed. Israel precipitated the rise of a new generation of Palestinian extremists but, unlike their elders, are determined to resist the occupation at all costs.
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Thursday, August 9, 2018
"The Right Of Return" -- To Where? Even though Israel does not assume any responsibility for the refugees, in a demonstration of goodwill the Israeli government should provide technical help in areas of prefabricated housing and infrastructure. It is in Israel's best interest to facilitate a solution to the refugee problem, which has been haunting the Israelis as well for 70 years.
Thursday, August 9, 2018"The Right Of Return" -- To Where? Even though Israel does not assume any responsibility for the refugees, in a demonstration of goodwill the Israeli government should provide technical help in areas of prefabricated housing and infrastructure. It is in Israel's best interest to facilitate a solution to the refugee problem, which has been haunting the Israelis as well for 70 years.
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Thursday, August 2, 2018
Erdogan And The EU Are On A Collision Course In The Balkans Journalists and civil society representatives from Balkan countries are deeply concerned about what may come next, notably following the amendment to the Turkish constitution and Erdogan's reelection, which granted him unprecedented powers.
Thursday, August 2, 2018Erdogan And The EU Are On A Collision Course In The Balkans Journalists and civil society representatives from Balkan countries are deeply concerned about what may come next, notably following the amendment to the Turkish constitution and Erdogan's reelection, which granted him unprecedented powers.
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Thursday, July 26, 2018
The Law Of Shame That Defies Jewish Values To encourage Jews to flock to Israel's shores, the government must reach an agreement with the Palestinians and end the occupation. There is no law or program that will entice young Jews to immigrate to Israel and encourage Israelis who left the country to return, other than ending the bloodshed and normalizing relations with the Palestinians.
Thursday, July 26, 2018The Law Of Shame That Defies Jewish Values To encourage Jews to flock to Israel's shores, the government must reach an agreement with the Palestinians and end the occupation. There is no law or program that will entice young Jews to immigrate to Israel and encourage Israelis who left the country to return, other than ending the bloodshed and normalizing relations with the Palestinians.
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Thursday, July 19, 2018
The Future Of The EU In The Wake Of Trump's Betrayal Trump has become a marionette manipulated by a master puppeteer, Putin. He can no longer be trusted to serve either America's or our allies' interests. To be sure, Trump will face the judgment of the American electorate, hopefully sooner rather than later, and the historically indispensable alliance with our European partners will be restored.
Thursday, July 19, 2018The Future Of The EU In The Wake Of Trump's Betrayal Trump has become a marionette manipulated by a master puppeteer, Putin. He can no longer be trusted to serve either America's or our allies' interests. To be sure, Trump will face the judgment of the American electorate, hopefully sooner rather than later, and the historically indispensable alliance with our European partners will be restored.
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Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Hamas Will Invite War In The Search For A Long-Term Solution Hamas is seen by the international community as the underdog. The severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza today is of mammoth proportions, making it impossible for Israel to wage another war against Hamas with the hope of simply reaching another tenuous ceasefire only to go back and "mow the lawn" again and again without introducing a dramatic change on the ground.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018Hamas Will Invite War In The Search For A Long-Term Solution Hamas is seen by the international community as the underdog. The severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza today is of mammoth proportions, making it impossible for Israel to wage another war against Hamas with the hope of simply reaching another tenuous ceasefire only to go back and "mow the lawn" again and again without introducing a dramatic change on the ground.
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Thursday, June 28, 2018
Erdogan's Reelection And Its Dire Consequences Erdogan's attainment of absolute power should send shivers through every individual and institution that he blacklisted, as he will continue his rampage with even greater tenacity against his opponents. There is virtually nothing that can now stop him from further subjugating the Kurdish community and depriving them of their basic human rights.
Thursday, June 28, 2018Erdogan's Reelection And Its Dire Consequences Erdogan's attainment of absolute power should send shivers through every individual and institution that he blacklisted, as he will continue his rampage with even greater tenacity against his opponents. There is virtually nothing that can now stop him from further subjugating the Kurdish community and depriving them of their basic human rights.
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Thursday, June 14, 2018
Erdogan's "Trojan Horse" In Macedonia Erdogan's "peaceful onslaught" on Macedonia has one and one purpose only: to dominate the country under the guise of a long history of brotherly relations. This is Erdogan's modern "Trojan Horse," and the Albanians in Macedonia must realize that they are unwittingly falling into Erdogan's trap.
Thursday, June 14, 2018Erdogan's "Trojan Horse" In Macedonia Erdogan's "peaceful onslaught" on Macedonia has one and one purpose only: to dominate the country under the guise of a long history of brotherly relations. This is Erdogan's modern "Trojan Horse," and the Albanians in Macedonia must realize that they are unwittingly falling into Erdogan's trap.
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Wednesday, June 6, 2018
An Open Letter To Prime Minister Netanyahu You will either be remembered as the Prime Minister who made Israel a strong and prosperous powerhouse at peace with its Palestinians neighbors, or a power that lives by the gun plagued by moral decadence with an uncertain future. What legacy you leave behind is for you to decide.
Wednesday, June 6, 2018An Open Letter To Prime Minister Netanyahu You will either be remembered as the Prime Minister who made Israel a strong and prosperous powerhouse at peace with its Palestinians neighbors, or a power that lives by the gun plagued by moral decadence with an uncertain future. What legacy you leave behind is for you to decide.
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Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Why US Must Expand, Not Withdraw, Forces From Syria There is no doubt that the continued and enlarged American military presence in Syria would force Tehran to think twice before it further entrenches itself in the country, fearing American retaliation that Iran cannot take lightly. As long as America remains on the right side of history and upholds its moral obligations, it will reclaim its global leadership role, which is sorely lacking.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018Why US Must Expand, Not Withdraw, Forces From Syria There is no doubt that the continued and enlarged American military presence in Syria would force Tehran to think twice before it further entrenches itself in the country, fearing American retaliation that Iran cannot take lightly. As long as America remains on the right side of history and upholds its moral obligations, it will reclaim its global leadership role, which is sorely lacking.
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Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Serbia, Turkey, And Russia -- Alarm Bells For Europe Russia considers Serbia its most trusted ally in Europe and is investing heavily in large projects, especially in the energy sector. Even though Vucic recognizes that he is receiving substantial support from Putin, he is strengthening his alliance with Turkey as well.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018Serbia, Turkey, And Russia -- Alarm Bells For Europe Russia considers Serbia its most trusted ally in Europe and is investing heavily in large projects, especially in the energy sector. Even though Vucic recognizes that he is receiving substantial support from Putin, he is strengthening his alliance with Turkey as well.
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Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Israel At 70: Time To Celebrate And Time To Lament The freedom of movement of Palestinians is restricted, night raids are common, unemployment is rampant, and expulsion, incarceration, and demolition of Palestinian homes is commonplace. Languishing under military occupation, human rights abuses often become fair play. Mutual hatred, enmity, and distrust has made the days of reconciliation an ever more distant pipedream.
Tuesday, May 15, 2018Israel At 70: Time To Celebrate And Time To Lament The freedom of movement of Palestinians is restricted, night raids are common, unemployment is rampant, and expulsion, incarceration, and demolition of Palestinian homes is commonplace. Languishing under military occupation, human rights abuses often become fair play. Mutual hatred, enmity, and distrust has made the days of reconciliation an ever more distant pipedream.
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Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Decertifying The Iran Deal Is Dangerously Reckless Trump was not swayed by France's President Macron or Germany's Chancellor Merkel to preserve the Iran deal. Instead, he appears to have taken Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's advice to decertify the deal, even though Iran continues to fully adhere to all of its provisions. It is dangerous that neither Trump nor Netanyahu appears to grasp the dire regional and international implications of the unilateral decertification.
Tuesday, May 8, 2018Decertifying The Iran Deal Is Dangerously Reckless Trump was not swayed by France's President Macron or Germany's Chancellor Merkel to preserve the Iran deal. Instead, he appears to have taken Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's advice to decertify the deal, even though Iran continues to fully adhere to all of its provisions. It is dangerous that neither Trump nor Netanyahu appears to grasp the dire regional and international implications of the unilateral decertification.
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Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Albania Must Choose Between the EU and Turkey Erdogan is intoxicating Albania by providing now small doses of economic development until it finally succumbs to his manipulation and deceit. If Albania is looking towards the European Union as it officially states, it should not allow Erdogan to dominate the country by any means or persuasion.
Wednesday, May 2, 2018Albania Must Choose Between the EU and Turkey Erdogan is intoxicating Albania by providing now small doses of economic development until it finally succumbs to his manipulation and deceit. If Albania is looking towards the European Union as it officially states, it should not allow Erdogan to dominate the country by any means or persuasion.
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Thursday, April 26, 2018
The Dying In Syria Rests On The Conscience Of The West Given the regional turmoil, the US' role is more critical now than it has ever been since the 1970s. Although Russia plays a pivotal role in Syria and its full cooperation is critical in the search for a solution, the US cannot cede Syria completely to Putin's caprices.
Thursday, April 26, 2018The Dying In Syria Rests On The Conscience Of The West Given the regional turmoil, the US' role is more critical now than it has ever been since the 1970s. Although Russia plays a pivotal role in Syria and its full cooperation is critical in the search for a solution, the US cannot cede Syria completely to Putin's caprices.
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Thursday, April 19, 2018
Sisi's Socioeconomic Agenda And Human Rights Of Egypt's total population of almost 100 million people, the poverty rate exceeds 27 percent. Unemployment hovers around 13 percent (for youth under 30, it is 31 percent). There are 2.1 million children under age 5 who suffer from malnutrition. Sisi will be able to deliver if he is provided the means, he arguably remains Egypt's most popular and trusted leader and has vested interests in eradicating human rights violations.
Thursday, April 19, 2018Sisi's Socioeconomic Agenda And Human Rights Of Egypt's total population of almost 100 million people, the poverty rate exceeds 27 percent. Unemployment hovers around 13 percent (for youth under 30, it is 31 percent). There are 2.1 million children under age 5 who suffer from malnutrition. Sisi will be able to deliver if he is provided the means, he arguably remains Egypt's most popular and trusted leader and has vested interests in eradicating human rights violations.
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Thursday, April 12, 2018
Israeli and Hamas Leaders Must Face the Bitter Reality The internal crisis in Gaza is sickening and goes beyond the pale of human misery. Poverty is rampant, clean drinking water is scarce, sewage flows into the streets, infrastructure is crumbling, electricity is infrequent, medical care is lagging, joblessness is debilitating, education is substandard, and hopelessness fills the air.
Thursday, April 12, 2018Israeli and Hamas Leaders Must Face the Bitter Reality The internal crisis in Gaza is sickening and goes beyond the pale of human misery. Poverty is rampant, clean drinking water is scarce, sewage flows into the streets, infrastructure is crumbling, electricity is infrequent, medical care is lagging, joblessness is debilitating, education is substandard, and hopelessness fills the air.
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Friday, April 6, 2018
Kosovo And Erdogan's Dangerous Islamic Agenda The US and the EU must come to their senses and warn Erdogan that his insidious ambition to dominate Kosovo by whatever means at his disposal will not be tolerated, because it is nothing but a recipe for destabilization and violent conflict that transcends the Balkans.
Friday, April 6, 2018Kosovo And Erdogan's Dangerous Islamic Agenda The US and the EU must come to their senses and warn Erdogan that his insidious ambition to dominate Kosovo by whatever means at his disposal will not be tolerated, because it is nothing but a recipe for destabilization and violent conflict that transcends the Balkans.
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Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Trump And Kim Jong Un -- Sailing On Uncharted Waters n the mutual public acrimony between Trump and Kim -- the name calling, the insults, the threats and counter-threats coupled with their crude audacity and bluster -- the two have found their match. Defiant, daring, and detested by the international community with overblown egos, both wanted to demonstrate that they can go against the political current to achieve what their predecessors have failed to realize.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018Trump And Kim Jong Un -- Sailing On Uncharted Waters n the mutual public acrimony between Trump and Kim -- the name calling, the insults, the threats and counter-threats coupled with their crude audacity and bluster -- the two have found their match. Defiant, daring, and detested by the international community with overblown egos, both wanted to demonstrate that they can go against the political current to achieve what their predecessors have failed to realize.
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Thursday, March 22, 2018
"Army Of Islam" -- Erdogan's Plot Against Israel To promote the revival of the Ottoman Empire and his ambition to become the leader of the Muslim world, Erdogan exploits Islam as the common cause around which all Muslim states can rally. He uses religion to prevent questioning either his motive or the nature of his mission, as he can portray that as if it were all ordained by God.
Thursday, March 22, 2018"Army Of Islam" -- Erdogan's Plot Against Israel To promote the revival of the Ottoman Empire and his ambition to become the leader of the Muslim world, Erdogan exploits Islam as the common cause around which all Muslim states can rally. He uses religion to prevent questioning either his motive or the nature of his mission, as he can portray that as if it were all ordained by God.
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Sunday, March 18, 2018
Is A War Between Israel And Iran/Hezbollah Imminent? (Part Two) Israel will preemptively strike only if faced with an imminent threat. Israel has no animosity against the Syrian regime as such and would rather see Assad remaining in power as long as he limits Iran's maneuvering room and achieves a clear understanding with Iran that he will not allow Syria to become the battleground between Israel and Iran/Hezbollah.
Sunday, March 18, 2018Is A War Between Israel And Iran/Hezbollah Imminent? (Part Two) Israel will preemptively strike only if faced with an imminent threat. Israel has no animosity against the Syrian regime as such and would rather see Assad remaining in power as long as he limits Iran's maneuvering room and achieves a clear understanding with Iran that he will not allow Syria to become the battleground between Israel and Iran/Hezbollah.
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Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Is A War Between Israel And Iran/Hezbollah Imminent? Israel will continue to attack convoys carrying weapons from Iran to Hezbollah, and will also target any weapons manufacturing facilities on Lebanese soil. This, of course, carries certain risks of escalating hostilities. But since Hezbollah and Iran want to avoid a war, they will address such Israeli attacks in the same manner they have addressed previous ones -- by saying little and doing even less.
Wednesday, March 14, 2018Is A War Between Israel And Iran/Hezbollah Imminent? Israel will continue to attack convoys carrying weapons from Iran to Hezbollah, and will also target any weapons manufacturing facilities on Lebanese soil. This, of course, carries certain risks of escalating hostilities. But since Hezbollah and Iran want to avoid a war, they will address such Israeli attacks in the same manner they have addressed previous ones -- by saying little and doing even less.
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Thursday, February 22, 2018
Donald And Bibi: The Blues Brothers This is a satirical would-be conversation between Prime Minister Netanyahu (Bibi) and President Trump (Donald) during Netanyahu's upcoming visit to the White House on March 5th.
Thursday, February 22, 2018Donald And Bibi: The Blues Brothers This is a satirical would-be conversation between Prime Minister Netanyahu (Bibi) and President Trump (Donald) during Netanyahu's upcoming visit to the White House on March 5th.
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Friday, February 16, 2018
Murder By Congress Shame on every single House and Senate member who each year takes millions in blood money as a political contribution from the National Rifle Association to ensure their reelection. Perhaps only when some of these lawmakers lose a child of their own will they begin to grasp the excruciating pain that parents bear when their telephones ring, only to be told that their child was just gunned down at school by a random shooter.
Friday, February 16, 2018Murder By Congress Shame on every single House and Senate member who each year takes millions in blood money as a political contribution from the National Rifle Association to ensure their reelection. Perhaps only when some of these lawmakers lose a child of their own will they begin to grasp the excruciating pain that parents bear when their telephones ring, only to be told that their child was just gunned down at school by a random shooter.
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Wednesday, February 7, 2018
The US' Enablement Jeopardizes Israel's Future Israelis who are cheering Trump's rise to power should be careful what they wish for. Further enablement of Israel by the US will be the kiss of death to an Israeli-Palestinian peace and will make Israel a pariah state surrounded by walls and fences, constantly threatened and living by the gun.
Wednesday, February 7, 2018The US' Enablement Jeopardizes Israel's Future Israelis who are cheering Trump's rise to power should be careful what they wish for. Further enablement of Israel by the US will be the kiss of death to an Israeli-Palestinian peace and will make Israel a pariah state surrounded by walls and fences, constantly threatened and living by the gun.
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Thursday, February 1, 2018
Basking In The Shadows Of The Ottoman Era It is no secret that Erdogan is an ambitious man who aspires to become the leader of the Sunni Muslim world and dreams of restoring the "glory" of the Ottoman Empire. He is sparing no efforts to extend Turkey's wings over countries that he can manipulate and exploit in the Middle East and the Caucasus.
Thursday, February 1, 2018Basking In The Shadows Of The Ottoman Era It is no secret that Erdogan is an ambitious man who aspires to become the leader of the Sunni Muslim world and dreams of restoring the "glory" of the Ottoman Empire. He is sparing no efforts to extend Turkey's wings over countries that he can manipulate and exploit in the Middle East and the Caucasus.
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Wednesday, January 24, 2018
The Dangerous Erosion Of The US' Global Leadership The damage that Trump has caused to American credibility and moral global leadership will not be readily repaired after electing a new president. It will take time and a president who is stable, politically skilled, and intellectually competent with vision and understanding of America's pivotal role in the international arena before America's global leadership can be restored.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018The Dangerous Erosion Of The US' Global Leadership The damage that Trump has caused to American credibility and moral global leadership will not be readily repaired after electing a new president. It will take time and a president who is stable, politically skilled, and intellectually competent with vision and understanding of America's pivotal role in the international arena before America's global leadership can be restored.
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Wednesday, January 17, 2018
When Geopolitical Conditions And Moral Values Converge Israel is now facing a new critical juncture: continue with its oppressive occupation and creeping annexation of Palestinian land, which stands in total contrast to its moral responsibility and Jewish values; or seek a peace agreement with the Palestinians in the context of an Arab-Israeli comprehensive peace, which the Arab states seek now more than any time before.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018When Geopolitical Conditions And Moral Values Converge Israel is now facing a new critical juncture: continue with its oppressive occupation and creeping annexation of Palestinian land, which stands in total contrast to its moral responsibility and Jewish values; or seek a peace agreement with the Palestinians in the context of an Arab-Israeli comprehensive peace, which the Arab states seek now more than any time before.
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Thursday, January 11, 2018
A Party That Has Lost Its Soul It seems that the Republican establishment will do whatever it takes to promote their narrow conservative agenda, which caters to the rich and powerful, while supporting a president who has nothing to offer the country but disgrace.
Thursday, January 11, 2018A Party That Has Lost Its Soul It seems that the Republican establishment will do whatever it takes to promote their narrow conservative agenda, which caters to the rich and powerful, while supporting a president who has nothing to offer the country but disgrace.
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Thursday, December 21, 2017
The ABCs of Trump's Political Demise In less than a year, the absurd became the norm, ignorance became a virtue, and lying has sadly become the order of the day. Trump brought shame and dishonor to the most prestigious office in the world -- the US Presidency. His moral lapses, notoriety, vulgarity, and self-deceit are beyond the pale of the human disorder.
Thursday, December 21, 2017The ABCs of Trump's Political Demise In less than a year, the absurd became the norm, ignorance became a virtue, and lying has sadly become the order of the day. Trump brought shame and dishonor to the most prestigious office in the world -- the US Presidency. His moral lapses, notoriety, vulgarity, and self-deceit are beyond the pale of the human disorder.
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Thursday, December 14, 2017
Trump's Recognition Of Jerusalem As Israel's Capital And The Prospect Of A Two-State Solution Even though President Abbas criticized Trump for his declaration, and pronounced the US as being biased and no longer an honest broker, the US (especially Congress and most previous administrations) has in fact always been biased in favor of the Israelis.
Thursday, December 14, 2017Trump's Recognition Of Jerusalem As Israel's Capital And The Prospect Of A Two-State Solution Even though President Abbas criticized Trump for his declaration, and pronounced the US as being biased and no longer an honest broker, the US (especially Congress and most previous administrations) has in fact always been biased in favor of the Israelis.
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Thursday, November 16, 2017
Losing The Last Vestiges Of Our Moral Fabric Humanity is not a concept that we should merely aspire to, it should be the reality to which we must live up and never waver. Historic experiences must be instructive. If history does not teach us where we have erred and what moral lesson we can draw out of it, then we cannot escape the conclusion that our so-called civilization is nothing but the attire we wear, as we are still irredeemably immoral inside.
Thursday, November 16, 2017Losing The Last Vestiges Of Our Moral Fabric Humanity is not a concept that we should merely aspire to, it should be the reality to which we must live up and never waver. Historic experiences must be instructive. If history does not teach us where we have erred and what moral lesson we can draw out of it, then we cannot escape the conclusion that our so-called civilization is nothing but the attire we wear, as we are still irredeemably immoral inside.
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Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Time To Kick Turkey Out Of NATO It is time to consider kicking Turkey out of NATO, regardless of how difficult and complicated this far-reaching measure may be. Turkey has long since forsaken Western values while becoming an increasingly zealous Islamic state. Indeed, contrary to Erdogan's manipulative narrative about Turkey's presumed democracy, the country under his watch is governed by an authoritarian regime.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017Time To Kick Turkey Out Of NATO It is time to consider kicking Turkey out of NATO, regardless of how difficult and complicated this far-reaching measure may be. Turkey has long since forsaken Western values while becoming an increasingly zealous Islamic state. Indeed, contrary to Erdogan's manipulative narrative about Turkey's presumed democracy, the country under his watch is governed by an authoritarian regime.
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Friday, November 3, 2017
Self-Determination Is An Inalienable Right Nearly every new state that was created after the second World War was not established voluntarily by the colonial powers under which they had been governed. They all had to struggle for decades, often resorting to violence and war to finally realize their political independence.
Friday, November 3, 2017Self-Determination Is An Inalienable Right Nearly every new state that was created after the second World War was not established voluntarily by the colonial powers under which they had been governed. They all had to struggle for decades, often resorting to violence and war to finally realize their political independence.
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Thursday, October 26, 2017
Child Poverty In America Is Indefensible Millions of poor children live in families that have little or no means to improve their lot, which has a significant impact on their growth and character. Here is where the billions of dollars should be invested, which could make a real difference in the lives of our precious children instead of being wasted on useless projects such as the Wall.
Thursday, October 26, 2017Child Poverty In America Is Indefensible Millions of poor children live in families that have little or no means to improve their lot, which has a significant impact on their growth and character. Here is where the billions of dollars should be invested, which could make a real difference in the lives of our precious children instead of being wasted on useless projects such as the Wall.
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Thursday, October 19, 2017
Congress: Don't Tamper With The Iran Deal, Build On It Although the deal was limited to Iran's pursuit of a weaponized nuclear program, it offers opportunities to build on it in the search for solutions to the regional conflicts, especially Iran's continuing transgressions. Trump's reckless decision will take away any incentive that could entice Iran to be a positive regional player.
Thursday, October 19, 2017Congress: Don't Tamper With The Iran Deal, Build On It Although the deal was limited to Iran's pursuit of a weaponized nuclear program, it offers opportunities to build on it in the search for solutions to the regional conflicts, especially Iran's continuing transgressions. Trump's reckless decision will take away any incentive that could entice Iran to be a positive regional player.
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Thursday, October 12, 2017
Will The Palestinians Ever Play Their Cards Right? If Hamas wants to reconcile with the PA, it must work with Egypt to resolve the weapons problem, without which there will be neither a unity agreement with the PA nor a solution to the conflict with Israel. In this connection, the PA must also deploy its security forces into Gaza to take charge of the crossings into Israel to ease Israeli concerns and restrictions.
Thursday, October 12, 2017Will The Palestinians Ever Play Their Cards Right? If Hamas wants to reconcile with the PA, it must work with Egypt to resolve the weapons problem, without which there will be neither a unity agreement with the PA nor a solution to the conflict with Israel. In this connection, the PA must also deploy its security forces into Gaza to take charge of the crossings into Israel to ease Israeli concerns and restrictions.
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Thursday, October 5, 2017
Annulling The Iran Deal: A Dangerous Strategic Mistake US' allies France, Germany, and Britain -- along with Russia and China, who are signatories to the deal -- are sternly objecting to the nullification of the deal and will not support imposition of new sanctions. Abandoning the deal will leave the US completely isolated, undermine global security, and strain its relationship with allies, which are already under mounting stress because of Trump's unseemly and erratic behavior.
Thursday, October 5, 2017Annulling The Iran Deal: A Dangerous Strategic Mistake US' allies France, Germany, and Britain -- along with Russia and China, who are signatories to the deal -- are sternly objecting to the nullification of the deal and will not support imposition of new sanctions. Abandoning the deal will leave the US completely isolated, undermine global security, and strain its relationship with allies, which are already under mounting stress because of Trump's unseemly and erratic behavior.
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Thursday, September 28, 2017
The Demise Of Turkey's Democracy: An Open Letter To President Erdogan To Erdogan: You believe you have the right to impose your moral code on every home and control the personal space of every Turkish citizen, as if it were all ordained by a higher authority and you are simply the humble messenger. You maintain a veneer of democracy, but in fact you stifle opposition political parties, making it extraordinarily difficult for them to challenge you.
Thursday, September 28, 2017The Demise Of Turkey's Democracy: An Open Letter To President Erdogan To Erdogan: You believe you have the right to impose your moral code on every home and control the personal space of every Turkish citizen, as if it were all ordained by a higher authority and you are simply the humble messenger. You maintain a veneer of democracy, but in fact you stifle opposition political parties, making it extraordinarily difficult for them to challenge you.
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Thursday, September 14, 2017
Is America Still A Beacon Of Light To Other Nations? We do not need President Trump to tell us that he can make America great again. America is already great. The problem is that we are squandering our greatness by pursuing foreign and domestic policies that debase our moral authority and the values that made America great in the first place.
Thursday, September 14, 2017Is America Still A Beacon Of Light To Other Nations? We do not need President Trump to tell us that he can make America great again. America is already great. The problem is that we are squandering our greatness by pursuing foreign and domestic policies that debase our moral authority and the values that made America great in the first place.
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Thursday, September 7, 2017
The US Has To Accept North Korea As A Nuclear Power It is time for the US to accept the reality that North Korea is a nuclear power. Short of a massive military attack on its nuclear facilities, which is unthinkable, no diplomatic efforts or incentives will compel Pyongyang to give up its nuclear arsenal, as the history of the conflict has demonstrated.
Thursday, September 7, 2017The US Has To Accept North Korea As A Nuclear Power It is time for the US to accept the reality that North Korea is a nuclear power. Short of a massive military attack on its nuclear facilities, which is unthinkable, no diplomatic efforts or incentives will compel Pyongyang to give up its nuclear arsenal, as the history of the conflict has demonstrated.
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Wednesday, August 30, 2017
An Open Letter To President Trump you shamefully proposed a budget that would cut over the next decade more than $800 billion from Medicaid, $192 billion from nutritional assistance (including Meals on Wheels), and $272 billion from welfare programs, not to speak of your reprehensible proposal to cut more than $72 billion from the disability benefit upon which millions of Americans rely--yet you demand billions to build a useless wall along the Mexican border.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017An Open Letter To President Trump you shamefully proposed a budget that would cut over the next decade more than $800 billion from Medicaid, $192 billion from nutritional assistance (including Meals on Wheels), and $272 billion from welfare programs, not to speak of your reprehensible proposal to cut more than $72 billion from the disability benefit upon which millions of Americans rely--yet you demand billions to build a useless wall along the Mexican border.
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Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Trump's "New" Strategy In Afghanistan Is Doomed To Fail One might think that after 16 years, the US should have learned that the Taliban will not be defeated. The only solution rests on a negotiated agreement with the Taliban while inviting the Afghan tribes to do the heavy lifting, as they are the only party who can effectively work with the Taliban to reach an enduring agreement.
Wednesday, August 23, 2017Trump's "New" Strategy In Afghanistan Is Doomed To Fail One might think that after 16 years, the US should have learned that the Taliban will not be defeated. The only solution rests on a negotiated agreement with the Taliban while inviting the Afghan tribes to do the heavy lifting, as they are the only party who can effectively work with the Taliban to reach an enduring agreement.
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Wednesday, August 9, 2017
The Kurds' Treatment In Turkey Is Indefensible No one in today's Turkey can voice any dissent against Erdogan and do so with impunity. But no one is deserving of more piercing criticism than Erdogan for inflicting so much pain and agony on millions of innocent Turkish citizens, while assuming dictatorial powers and dismantling the foundation of Turkey's democracy.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017The Kurds' Treatment In Turkey Is Indefensible No one in today's Turkey can voice any dissent against Erdogan and do so with impunity. But no one is deserving of more piercing criticism than Erdogan for inflicting so much pain and agony on millions of innocent Turkish citizens, while assuming dictatorial powers and dismantling the foundation of Turkey's democracy.
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Thursday, August 3, 2017
Ending Iraq's Humanitarian Crisis It is only when the Sunnis establish their own entity and build the infrastructure of an independent state will they feel empowered and confident to work closely with the Kurds and the Shiites as equals, which will pave the way for a functioning confederation between them at a later date.
Thursday, August 3, 2017Ending Iraq's Humanitarian Crisis It is only when the Sunnis establish their own entity and build the infrastructure of an independent state will they feel empowered and confident to work closely with the Kurds and the Shiites as equals, which will pave the way for a functioning confederation between them at a later date.
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Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Gaza -- A Disaster In The Making The socio-economic conditions in Gaza are so horrendous that if nothing is done immediately, the whole area is bound to explode in the face of Hamas, Israel, and the international community. When that happens, you can count on Israel's and Hamas' leaders to blame the other for allowing the situation to deteriorate to this perilous point.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017Gaza -- A Disaster In The Making The socio-economic conditions in Gaza are so horrendous that if nothing is done immediately, the whole area is bound to explode in the face of Hamas, Israel, and the international community. When that happens, you can count on Israel's and Hamas' leaders to blame the other for allowing the situation to deteriorate to this perilous point.
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Thursday, July 20, 2017
Afghanistan: A Morally Corrupting War What is our goal now in Afghanistan, and what is our exit strategy? For the past 16 years, no Defense Secretary provided a clear answer, and now we are asked to gamble again with the lives of our soldiers, with no hope of ever winning this debilitating war, which has now become a war of choice.
Thursday, July 20, 2017Afghanistan: A Morally Corrupting War What is our goal now in Afghanistan, and what is our exit strategy? For the past 16 years, no Defense Secretary provided a clear answer, and now we are asked to gamble again with the lives of our soldiers, with no hope of ever winning this debilitating war, which has now become a war of choice.
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Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Yemen's Calamity Is Of Damning Proportions Seven million people face starvation, and 19 out of 28 million of Yemen's population are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. Both the Saudis and the Houthis are restricting food and medicine supplies from reaching starving children; many of them are cholera-ridden, on the verge of joining the thousands who have already died from starvation and disease.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017Yemen's Calamity Is Of Damning Proportions Seven million people face starvation, and 19 out of 28 million of Yemen's population are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. Both the Saudis and the Houthis are restricting food and medicine supplies from reaching starving children; many of them are cholera-ridden, on the verge of joining the thousands who have already died from starvation and disease.
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Wednesday, July 5, 2017
The Kurds Under Erdogan's Tyrannical Governance Erdogan and the PKK are equally guilty, and must pause and think where all this killing and destruction will lead to, when at the end of the day they will still have to coexist and face one another. The PKK must not play into the hands of dictators like Erdogan by killing innocent civilians; if viewed as a terrorist group, they will not receive any support from influential civic organizations and the Turkish population.
Wednesday, July 5, 2017The Kurds Under Erdogan's Tyrannical Governance Erdogan and the PKK are equally guilty, and must pause and think where all this killing and destruction will lead to, when at the end of the day they will still have to coexist and face one another. The PKK must not play into the hands of dictators like Erdogan by killing innocent civilians; if viewed as a terrorist group, they will not receive any support from influential civic organizations and the Turkish population.
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Monday, June 26, 2017
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of President Macron The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been characterized, and for good reasons, as the most intractable and irreconcilable conflict since the Second World War. The changing geopolitical winds in the Middle East have created a new opportunity to resume peace negotiations. The newly elected French President, Emmanuel Macron, has a golden opportunity to take up the initiative on the basis left by his predecessor.
Monday, June 26, 2017The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of President Macron The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been characterized, and for good reasons, as the most intractable and irreconcilable conflict since the Second World War. The changing geopolitical winds in the Middle East have created a new opportunity to resume peace negotiations. The newly elected French President, Emmanuel Macron, has a golden opportunity to take up the initiative on the basis left by his predecessor.
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Monday, June 12, 2017
The Unfinished Six Day War: An open letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu Mr. Netanyahu, what kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? To reap the real fruits of the Six Day War is to make peace. Nothing short of peace will make the Six Day War a triumph, because the war is continuing. You, more than any other human living in Israel, will be responsible and accountable to the next generation who will be asking, why? Why must we live in a prison of our own creation?
Monday, June 12, 2017The Unfinished Six Day War: An open letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu Mr. Netanyahu, what kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? To reap the real fruits of the Six Day War is to make peace. Nothing short of peace will make the Six Day War a triumph, because the war is continuing. You, more than any other human living in Israel, will be responsible and accountable to the next generation who will be asking, why? Why must we live in a prison of our own creation?
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Friday, April 28, 2017
Israeli And Palestinian Women Must Raise The Banner Of Revolt Historically, women have played a critical role in solving major violent conflicts that have lasted for years, if not decades. Although Israeli and Palestinian women have protested in the past against the occupation, it was on a small scale and their voices were drowned by the intense resistance of the powerful settlement movement.
Friday, April 28, 2017Israeli And Palestinian Women Must Raise The Banner Of Revolt Historically, women have played a critical role in solving major violent conflicts that have lasted for years, if not decades. Although Israeli and Palestinian women have protested in the past against the occupation, it was on a small scale and their voices were drowned by the intense resistance of the powerful settlement movement.
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Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Can Israel Fight A War On Three Fronts? A Nightmarish Scenario Netanyahu has only paid lip service to the idea of a Palestinian state, but if Israel's very existence is on the line because of the Iranian threat as he persistently asserts, he has the capacity and public support to pursue that objective. He has a propitious opportunity to forge peace and usher in a more promising and secure future that Jews in and outside Israel are yearning for.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017Can Israel Fight A War On Three Fronts? A Nightmarish Scenario Netanyahu has only paid lip service to the idea of a Palestinian state, but if Israel's very existence is on the line because of the Iranian threat as he persistently asserts, he has the capacity and public support to pursue that objective. He has a propitious opportunity to forge peace and usher in a more promising and secure future that Jews in and outside Israel are yearning for.
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Sunday, March 12, 2017
Erdogan: The Sultan Of An Illusionary Ottoman Empire Sadly, Erdogan abandoned much of the impressive democratic reforms he championed, and embarked upon a systematic Islamization of the country while dismantling the pillars of democracy. He amassed unprecedented powers and transformed Turkey from a democratic to an autocratic country, ensuring that he has the last word on all matters of state.
Sunday, March 12, 2017Erdogan: The Sultan Of An Illusionary Ottoman Empire Sadly, Erdogan abandoned much of the impressive democratic reforms he championed, and embarked upon a systematic Islamization of the country while dismantling the pillars of democracy. He amassed unprecedented powers and transformed Turkey from a democratic to an autocratic country, ensuring that he has the last word on all matters of state.
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Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Erdogan Exploits Islam For Personal And Political Gain Whereas Erdogan insists that Islam offers a purer way of life and creates social cohesiveness that brings prosperity and happiness, he is in fact raising social tension in Turkey by his relentless promulgation of his own brand of Islam to buttress his political agenda.
Wednesday, March 1, 2017Erdogan Exploits Islam For Personal And Political Gain Whereas Erdogan insists that Islam offers a purer way of life and creates social cohesiveness that brings prosperity and happiness, he is in fact raising social tension in Turkey by his relentless promulgation of his own brand of Islam to buttress his political agenda.
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Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Trump And Netanyahu: Embracing Illusions, Ignoring Reality Netanyahu has found in Trump a co-conspirator. Both have a proven record of double talking, misleading, and often outright lying. Both are blinded by their hunger for power and are ready and willing to say anything to please their shortsighted constituencies. Neither has the vision or the courage to rise above the fray, and nothing they have uttered jointly meets the hardcore reality they choose to ignore.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017Trump And Netanyahu: Embracing Illusions, Ignoring Reality Netanyahu has found in Trump a co-conspirator. Both have a proven record of double talking, misleading, and often outright lying. Both are blinded by their hunger for power and are ready and willing to say anything to please their shortsighted constituencies. Neither has the vision or the courage to rise above the fray, and nothing they have uttered jointly meets the hardcore reality they choose to ignore.
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Tuesday, February 14, 2017
There Will Be No Palestinian State Under Netanyahu's Watch Netanyahu is not and has never been a proponent of creating a Palestinian state. Hence, President Trump will be wise not to engage him during his visit to the White House in a futile discussion searching for an agreement based on a two-state solution. This outcome cannot and will not happen as long as Netanyahu is in power.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017There Will Be No Palestinian State Under Netanyahu's Watch Netanyahu is not and has never been a proponent of creating a Palestinian state. Hence, President Trump will be wise not to engage him during his visit to the White House in a futile discussion searching for an agreement based on a two-state solution. This outcome cannot and will not happen as long as Netanyahu is in power.
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Thursday, February 9, 2017
Relocating The American Embassy To Jerusalem Should President Trump fulfill his campaign promise to relocate the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, it would have major regional and international repercussions. The Trump administration is currently reevaluating the implications of such a move and no final decision has been made.
Thursday, February 9, 2017Relocating The American Embassy To Jerusalem Should President Trump fulfill his campaign promise to relocate the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, it would have major regional and international repercussions. The Trump administration is currently reevaluating the implications of such a move and no final decision has been made.
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Friday, February 3, 2017
Erdogan: A Classic Case Of How Power Corrupts To consolidate his reign, Erdogan intimidated his political opponents, emasculated the military, silenced the press, and enfeebled the judiciary; most recently, he pressed the parliament to amend the constitution to grant him essentially absolute powers.
Friday, February 3, 2017Erdogan: A Classic Case Of How Power Corrupts To consolidate his reign, Erdogan intimidated his political opponents, emasculated the military, silenced the press, and enfeebled the judiciary; most recently, he pressed the parliament to amend the constitution to grant him essentially absolute powers.
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Thursday, January 26, 2017
Erdogan's Lust For Power Is Destroying Turkey's Democracy Erdogan decided a few years ago to go on a rampage to systematically reverse the huge social, political, and judiciary progress he himself successfully championed. Had he guarded these reforms and protected human rights, he would have realized his dream of rising to the stature of Turkey's revered founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Thursday, January 26, 2017Erdogan's Lust For Power Is Destroying Turkey's Democracy Erdogan decided a few years ago to go on a rampage to systematically reverse the huge social, political, and judiciary progress he himself successfully championed. Had he guarded these reforms and protected human rights, he would have realized his dream of rising to the stature of Turkey's revered founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
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Thursday, January 19, 2017
The Shortcomings Of The International Conference For Peace As long as the Israeli and the Palestinian publics are led by leaders who do not promote the peace process along these lines and have different political agendas not necessarily consistent with a two-state solution, the public will remain in the dark and to a great extent become complacent.
Thursday, January 19, 2017The Shortcomings Of The International Conference For Peace As long as the Israeli and the Palestinian publics are led by leaders who do not promote the peace process along these lines and have different political agendas not necessarily consistent with a two-state solution, the public will remain in the dark and to a great extent become complacent.
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Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Trump: "Close The Open Hand Out Of Love" For Netanyahu, Trump as president is simply heaven-sent. He believes that even though he won't succeed in convincing Trump to shred the Iran deal because of the international repercussions which Trump cannot dismiss, the Trump administration will leave him to his own devices to expand the settlements and gradually render the prospect of a Palestinian state unfeasible by creating irreversible facts on the ground.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017Trump: "Close The Open Hand Out Of Love" For Netanyahu, Trump as president is simply heaven-sent. He believes that even though he won't succeed in convincing Trump to shred the Iran deal because of the international repercussions which Trump cannot dismiss, the Trump administration will leave him to his own devices to expand the settlements and gradually render the prospect of a Palestinian state unfeasible by creating irreversible facts on the ground.
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Friday, January 6, 2017
Ensuring The Success Of The French Initiative Both the UN resolution and Kerry's speech failed to recognize that the conditions on the ground have dramatically shifted not only because of the settlements, but also because of the psychological dimensions that impact and impede progress on every conflicting issue.
Friday, January 6, 2017Ensuring The Success Of The French Initiative Both the UN resolution and Kerry's speech failed to recognize that the conditions on the ground have dramatically shifted not only because of the settlements, but also because of the psychological dimensions that impact and impede progress on every conflicting issue.
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Thursday, December 15, 2016
The Persecution Of Christians In The Middle East Strategies for addressing religious persecution of minorities in the Middle East do not constitute a silver bullet that will bring a halt to discrimination and abuse. It is a tragedy for the world when any group of persons -- whether they be Christians, Muslims, Yazidis, or Druze -- are denied their human dignity and the basic human freedom to believe and worship as they please.
Thursday, December 15, 2016The Persecution Of Christians In The Middle East Strategies for addressing religious persecution of minorities in the Middle East do not constitute a silver bullet that will bring a halt to discrimination and abuse. It is a tragedy for the world when any group of persons -- whether they be Christians, Muslims, Yazidis, or Druze -- are denied their human dignity and the basic human freedom to believe and worship as they please.
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Tuesday, November 29, 2016
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: To Where? Perhaps the most important obstacle to a peace agreement is the deep psychological impediments from historical, religious, ideological, and national identity perspectives that exist between Israelis and Palestinians. For all intents and purposes, the gap between the two societies is now deeper than ever before.
Tuesday, November 29, 2016The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: To Where? Perhaps the most important obstacle to a peace agreement is the deep psychological impediments from historical, religious, ideological, and national identity perspectives that exist between Israelis and Palestinians. For all intents and purposes, the gap between the two societies is now deeper than ever before.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Part Two: Questions And Answers About Some Of The Raging Events In The Middle East It is time for the West to understand that to help the poor Arab states realize their potential and at the same time substantially reduce radicalization, we must introduce the concept of participatory sustainable development projects on a large scale to help millions to make a decent and dignified living.
Tuesday, November 22, 2016Part Two: Questions And Answers About Some Of The Raging Events In The Middle East It is time for the West to understand that to help the poor Arab states realize their potential and at the same time substantially reduce radicalization, we must introduce the concept of participatory sustainable development projects on a large scale to help millions to make a decent and dignified living.
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Thursday, November 17, 2016
Questions And Answers About Some Of The Raging Events In The Middle East Whether you speak of Russia, China, or any other country, they are still nowhere near the United States in terms of influence and an ability to project itself. We have troops in a few dozen countries today; we have by far the largest concentration of military power in the Middle East than any other country in the world.
Thursday, November 17, 2016Questions And Answers About Some Of The Raging Events In The Middle East Whether you speak of Russia, China, or any other country, they are still nowhere near the United States in terms of influence and an ability to project itself. We have troops in a few dozen countries today; we have by far the largest concentration of military power in the Middle East than any other country in the world.
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Thursday, November 10, 2016
Trump's Daunting Foreign Challenges Notwithstanding the post-election trauma that many Americans are experiencing and the time the Trump administration will need to sort out a host of domestic and foreign policy issues, the US faces numerous foreign crises and it does not have the luxury of time to pause in dealing with them.
Thursday, November 10, 2016Trump's Daunting Foreign Challenges Notwithstanding the post-election trauma that many Americans are experiencing and the time the Trump administration will need to sort out a host of domestic and foreign policy issues, the US faces numerous foreign crises and it does not have the luxury of time to pause in dealing with them.
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Thursday, November 3, 2016
Lieberman: Demonstrate Your Credibility Given Lieberman's past record and public statements against the Palestinians, they have good reason to be extremely suspicious of whatever he says or does. The onus now falls on Lieberman to demonstrate that he is sincere about his offer.
Thursday, November 3, 2016Lieberman: Demonstrate Your Credibility Given Lieberman's past record and public statements against the Palestinians, they have good reason to be extremely suspicious of whatever he says or does. The onus now falls on Lieberman to demonstrate that he is sincere about his offer.
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Friday, October 7, 2016
What Happened To America? Perhaps the most catastrophic result of Syria's war is that two or three generations of Syrians have now been lost. No words can describe the atrocities and savagery raging in Syria, and yet they are met with indifference and ineptitude by the international community. I wonder what happened to America -- can we afford to remain silent, and if we do not rise to stop this madness, who will?
Friday, October 7, 2016What Happened To America? Perhaps the most catastrophic result of Syria's war is that two or three generations of Syrians have now been lost. No words can describe the atrocities and savagery raging in Syria, and yet they are met with indifference and ineptitude by the international community. I wonder what happened to America -- can we afford to remain silent, and if we do not rise to stop this madness, who will?
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Friday, September 30, 2016
Statesmanship versus Demagoguery Peres leaves a legacy, however controversial, as a statesman who deservedly earned his Nobel Peace Prize by forging the Oslo Accords in 1993, which also led to the Israeli-Jordanian peace agreement two years later that Israel considers the bedrock of its security on its western front.
Friday, September 30, 2016Statesmanship versus Demagoguery Peres leaves a legacy, however controversial, as a statesman who deservedly earned his Nobel Peace Prize by forging the Oslo Accords in 1993, which also led to the Israeli-Jordanian peace agreement two years later that Israel considers the bedrock of its security on its western front.
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Thursday, September 22, 2016
Turkey And The PKK: Mutual Violence Is Not The Answer After 30 years of bloodletting, none of the prerequisites to end the conflict are present. Neither side has reached a point of exhaustion, both expect to improve their position over time, and no catastrophic event has occurred to change the dynamic of the conflict, leaving both sides fighting a protracted war that neither can win.
Thursday, September 22, 2016Turkey And The PKK: Mutual Violence Is Not The Answer After 30 years of bloodletting, none of the prerequisites to end the conflict are present. Neither side has reached a point of exhaustion, both expect to improve their position over time, and no catastrophic event has occurred to change the dynamic of the conflict, leaving both sides fighting a protracted war that neither can win.
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Thursday, September 15, 2016
"Hell Is Truth Seen Too Late" The United States and the European Union should make a supreme effort to reinvigorate the Arab Peace Initiative (API) and pressure both Israel and Hamas to embrace it. The Arab Peace Initiative remains the only practical framework for peace, as it contains common denominators between Israel and the Palestinians (including Hamas) that will facilitate successful peace negotiations.
Thursday, September 15, 2016"Hell Is Truth Seen Too Late" The United States and the European Union should make a supreme effort to reinvigorate the Arab Peace Initiative (API) and pressure both Israel and Hamas to embrace it. The Arab Peace Initiative remains the only practical framework for peace, as it contains common denominators between Israel and the Palestinians (including Hamas) that will facilitate successful peace negotiations.
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Thursday, September 8, 2016
The Settlements: Self-Entrapment Of Existential Proportions Netanyahu publicly and repeatedly states that the Jews have an inalienable historic right to the entire "land of Israel," especially the West Bank. As such, Israel is not an occupying power and has the inherent right to establish settlements on any part of its historic land.
Thursday, September 8, 2016The Settlements: Self-Entrapment Of Existential Proportions Netanyahu publicly and repeatedly states that the Jews have an inalienable historic right to the entire "land of Israel," especially the West Bank. As such, Israel is not an occupying power and has the inherent right to establish settlements on any part of its historic land.
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Wednesday, August 31, 2016
A Moral Outrage That Enraged No One Perhaps the most catastrophic element of Syria's war is that two or even three generations of Syrians are now lost, leaving behind the deepest historical scars. Every free nation will have to face it in shame and disgrace, as they have failed miserably to rise and stop the greatest evil that has ravaged a country and save whatever is left of their moral credence.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016A Moral Outrage That Enraged No One Perhaps the most catastrophic element of Syria's war is that two or even three generations of Syrians are now lost, leaving behind the deepest historical scars. Every free nation will have to face it in shame and disgrace, as they have failed miserably to rise and stop the greatest evil that has ravaged a country and save whatever is left of their moral credence.
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Monday, August 22, 2016
Incentives And Peace [Part 2] no incentives, however extensive and compelling, will succeed unless preceded by a period of reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians. In fact, if Netanyahu or Abbas refuse to engage in a process of reconciliation, this would strongly suggest that they are not interested in reaching a peace agreement, let alone making the major concessions necessary to achieve peace.
Monday, August 22, 2016Incentives And Peace [Part 2] no incentives, however extensive and compelling, will succeed unless preceded by a period of reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians. In fact, if Netanyahu or Abbas refuse to engage in a process of reconciliation, this would strongly suggest that they are not interested in reaching a peace agreement, let alone making the major concessions necessary to achieve peace.
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Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Incentives And Peace [Part 1] No incentives, however extensive and compelling, will succeed unless preceded by a period of reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians. In fact, if Netanyahu or Abbas refuse to engage in a process of reconciliation, this would strongly suggest that they are not interested in reaching a peace agreement, let alone making the major concessions necessary to achieve peace.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016Incentives And Peace [Part 1] No incentives, however extensive and compelling, will succeed unless preceded by a period of reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians. In fact, if Netanyahu or Abbas refuse to engage in a process of reconciliation, this would strongly suggest that they are not interested in reaching a peace agreement, let alone making the major concessions necessary to achieve peace.
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Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Susiya: Injustice On Display Next week, Israel's Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman will decide on whether to demolish 40% of the Palestinian village Susiya in Area C of the West Bank. Should he decide to undertake this inhuman act, it would only demonstrate his and Prime Minister Netanyahu's cruelty and terrifying shortsightedness as to the implications of such an action.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016Susiya: Injustice On Display Next week, Israel's Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman will decide on whether to demolish 40% of the Palestinian village Susiya in Area C of the West Bank. Should he decide to undertake this inhuman act, it would only demonstrate his and Prime Minister Netanyahu's cruelty and terrifying shortsightedness as to the implications of such an action.
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Wednesday, August 3, 2016
The Afghanistan Quagmire: Time For An Exit Strategy After 15 years of fighting, hundreds of billions of dollars spent, and tens of thousands killed on both sides, Afghanistan is not better off today. The upcoming American administration must commit itself to ending Afghanistan's quagmire, because short of a negotiated agreement, there will be no victory against the Taliban any more than America's disguised defeat in Vietnam.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016The Afghanistan Quagmire: Time For An Exit Strategy After 15 years of fighting, hundreds of billions of dollars spent, and tens of thousands killed on both sides, Afghanistan is not better off today. The upcoming American administration must commit itself to ending Afghanistan's quagmire, because short of a negotiated agreement, there will be no victory against the Taliban any more than America's disguised defeat in Vietnam.
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Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Defeating ISIS And Ending Sunni-Shiite War In Iraq Having lost their dominance of Iraq to the Shiites in 2003 after 81 years of continuous rule, the Sunnis still refuse to accept what they consider to be a historic travesty. This was further aggravated by eight years of the Shiite government led by Nouri al-Maliki, who abused his power and marginalized, mistreated, and victimized the Sunni community.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016Defeating ISIS And Ending Sunni-Shiite War In Iraq Having lost their dominance of Iraq to the Shiites in 2003 after 81 years of continuous rule, the Sunnis still refuse to accept what they consider to be a historic travesty. This was further aggravated by eight years of the Shiite government led by Nouri al-Maliki, who abused his power and marginalized, mistreated, and victimized the Sunni community.
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Thursday, July 21, 2016
Turkey's Elected Dictator Perhaps the time has come for the EU and the US to reassess their relations with Turkey and stop enabling Erdogan to exercise free reign, when in fact his behavior has a direct and indirect impact on Western interests, both domestically and in the Middle East.
Thursday, July 21, 2016Turkey's Elected Dictator Perhaps the time has come for the EU and the US to reassess their relations with Turkey and stop enabling Erdogan to exercise free reign, when in fact his behavior has a direct and indirect impact on Western interests, both domestically and in the Middle East.
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Thursday, July 14, 2016
A Movement To End The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict For the Netanyahu government, the occupation of the West Bank is only a problem to be managed rather than the most consequential conflict that could obliterate Israel's Jewish character and its democratic institutions, while shattering the dream of the vast majority of Jews to live in peace and security in a state they have been dreaming of for centuries.
Thursday, July 14, 2016A Movement To End The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict For the Netanyahu government, the occupation of the West Bank is only a problem to be managed rather than the most consequential conflict that could obliterate Israel's Jewish character and its democratic institutions, while shattering the dream of the vast majority of Jews to live in peace and security in a state they have been dreaming of for centuries.
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Thursday, July 7, 2016
Moving Beyond The Quartet The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has reached a point of saturation which is bound to explode. Any voice that raises the attention of the international community to prevent a catastrophe in the making is a welcome one. It is time to act, and in that sense the Quartet has made its contribution. It must now be translated into a workable framework.
Thursday, July 7, 2016Moving Beyond The Quartet The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has reached a point of saturation which is bound to explode. Any voice that raises the attention of the international community to prevent a catastrophe in the making is a welcome one. It is time to act, and in that sense the Quartet has made its contribution. It must now be translated into a workable framework.
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Thursday, June 16, 2016
Is Trump A New Kind Of Fascist? Trump's campaign has been a sustained attempt to obliterate the distinction between politics and mass entertainment; to stupefy the masses of uneducated lower-income whites who are transfixed by his apparent wealth and celebrity, his unabashed greed and contempt for anything that cannot be marketed and sold. Trump is the symptom of a general disease -- fascism.
Thursday, June 16, 2016Is Trump A New Kind Of Fascist? Trump's campaign has been a sustained attempt to obliterate the distinction between politics and mass entertainment; to stupefy the masses of uneducated lower-income whites who are transfixed by his apparent wealth and celebrity, his unabashed greed and contempt for anything that cannot be marketed and sold. Trump is the symptom of a general disease -- fascism.
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Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Bernie Sanders And The French Initiative By raising the need for the US to play an even-handed role to find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Sanders has introduced a new critically important paradigm that the next administration must adopt, and in conjunction with the French initiative, they can create a much better prospect of ending the debilitating and explosive seven decades-old conflict.
Wednesday, June 8, 2016Bernie Sanders And The French Initiative By raising the need for the US to play an even-handed role to find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Sanders has introduced a new critically important paradigm that the next administration must adopt, and in conjunction with the French initiative, they can create a much better prospect of ending the debilitating and explosive seven decades-old conflict.
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Thursday, May 19, 2016
Deradicalization In Refugee Camps And Beyond Host countries must judiciously reflect on the trauma that nearly every refugee experiences as a result of being abruptly and often forcibly removed from their homes, leaving behind much of their possessions, family, and friends, let alone the torturous emotional ordeal of not knowing what is in store for them.
Thursday, May 19, 2016Deradicalization In Refugee Camps And Beyond Host countries must judiciously reflect on the trauma that nearly every refugee experiences as a result of being abruptly and often forcibly removed from their homes, leaving behind much of their possessions, family, and friends, let alone the torturous emotional ordeal of not knowing what is in store for them.
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Thursday, May 12, 2016
How Turkey Became A De Facto Dictatorship Although the United States and the EU have grown weary of Erdogan's absurd conduct, they feel compelled to deal with him, however distasteful that might be. Leave it, of course, to Erdogan to drain every ounce of blood from Western powers to serve his personal agenda.
Thursday, May 12, 2016How Turkey Became A De Facto Dictatorship Although the United States and the EU have grown weary of Erdogan's absurd conduct, they feel compelled to deal with him, however distasteful that might be. Leave it, of course, to Erdogan to drain every ounce of blood from Western powers to serve his personal agenda.
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Tuesday, May 3, 2016
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Breaking The Deadlock With this favorable climate, the current diplomatic efforts and some mutual confidence-building, we have the will to solve once and for all the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the EU has the capacity to assume the leadership role. This is our roadmap to reach peace.
Tuesday, May 3, 2016The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Breaking The Deadlock With this favorable climate, the current diplomatic efforts and some mutual confidence-building, we have the will to solve once and for all the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the EU has the capacity to assume the leadership role. This is our roadmap to reach peace.
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Thursday, April 21, 2016
The Global Crisis Of Leadership Undeniably, we are witnessing a dearth of leadership reflecting our state of affairs and conditions nearly everywhere. The complacent are resigned to the status quo, the indifferent do not care, the delusional keep fantasizing, the politicians are busy manipulating, and the power hungry lie and cheat to cling to their positions.
Thursday, April 21, 2016The Global Crisis Of Leadership Undeniably, we are witnessing a dearth of leadership reflecting our state of affairs and conditions nearly everywhere. The complacent are resigned to the status quo, the indifferent do not care, the delusional keep fantasizing, the politicians are busy manipulating, and the power hungry lie and cheat to cling to their positions.
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Friday, April 15, 2016
Saudi Arabia -- A Kingdom In Retreat The government must heed the public outcry without necessarily compromising the religious principles that guide the county. Being a devout Muslim is one thing, but using religion arbitrarily and as a tool to subjugate the people will no longer be tolerated.
Friday, April 15, 2016Saudi Arabia -- A Kingdom In Retreat The government must heed the public outcry without necessarily compromising the religious principles that guide the county. Being a devout Muslim is one thing, but using religion arbitrarily and as a tool to subjugate the people will no longer be tolerated.
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Thursday, April 7, 2016
The Palestinian Leadership...To Where? The Palestinian leadership chose to battle Israel on every front, depriving their people of the prospect of living in peace and denying the inescapable reality that Israel is here to stay. Both Israelis and Palestinians alike must accept that their destinies are and will remain intertwined and it takes leaders with courage, vision, and determination to guide them to their shared destiny.
Thursday, April 7, 2016The Palestinian Leadership...To Where? The Palestinian leadership chose to battle Israel on every front, depriving their people of the prospect of living in peace and denying the inescapable reality that Israel is here to stay. Both Israelis and Palestinians alike must accept that their destinies are and will remain intertwined and it takes leaders with courage, vision, and determination to guide them to their shared destiny.
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Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Why The Brussels Attack Was All But Inevitable Integration is a long-term process, and there may be no instant gratification, but no country can afford to wait, as integration can prevent the prohibitive costs in blood and treasure now and at a later date that are the result of yet another terrorist attack. Failure is not an option as the consequences will be extraordinarily dire.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016Why The Brussels Attack Was All But Inevitable Integration is a long-term process, and there may be no instant gratification, but no country can afford to wait, as integration can prevent the prohibitive costs in blood and treasure now and at a later date that are the result of yet another terrorist attack. Failure is not an option as the consequences will be extraordinarily dire.
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Friday, March 25, 2016
How Syria Was Swept By The Merchants Of Death The body and soul of two generations of Syrians have been crushed, their hopes and dreams have been shattered, their dignity and pride was robbed, and millions were left languishing, hoping to wake up each morning from a nightmare only to realize that a nightmarish life is their lot.
Friday, March 25, 2016How Syria Was Swept By The Merchants Of Death The body and soul of two generations of Syrians have been crushed, their hopes and dreams have been shattered, their dignity and pride was robbed, and millions were left languishing, hoping to wake up each morning from a nightmare only to realize that a nightmarish life is their lot.
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Wednesday, March 9, 2016
The Unraveling Of Turkey's Democracy Erdogan demonstrated his lack of tolerance to opposing views and found the press to be a nuisance, as it was generally critical of his Islamic agenda. He understood, as George Orwell aptly put it, "Freedom of the press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticize and oppose," a freedom which Erdogan is bent on suppressing.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016The Unraveling Of Turkey's Democracy Erdogan demonstrated his lack of tolerance to opposing views and found the press to be a nuisance, as it was generally critical of his Islamic agenda. He understood, as George Orwell aptly put it, "Freedom of the press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticize and oppose," a freedom which Erdogan is bent on suppressing.
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Tuesday, February 23, 2016
A Plea For Reason: An Open Letter To Prime Minister Netanyahu Invoking memories of the Holocaust as if to justify the mistreatment of the Palestinians only debases the historical relevance of this unprecedented human tragedy. One would think that those who suffered as much as the Jews would treat others with care and sensitivity. That the victim can become a victimizer is painful to face, but it is a reality nonetheless.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016A Plea For Reason: An Open Letter To Prime Minister Netanyahu Invoking memories of the Holocaust as if to justify the mistreatment of the Palestinians only debases the historical relevance of this unprecedented human tragedy. One would think that those who suffered as much as the Jews would treat others with care and sensitivity. That the victim can become a victimizer is painful to face, but it is a reality nonetheless.
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Friday, February 19, 2016
An Iraqi Sunni State Is Prerequisite To Defeating ISIS The Sunnis need unequivocal assurance that under no circumstances will any Shiite government withhold distribution of funds and hold the Sunni state hostage without suffering immediate and clearly spelled out political and financial consequences, including crippling sanctions and the suspension of any financial and military aid.
Friday, February 19, 2016An Iraqi Sunni State Is Prerequisite To Defeating ISIS The Sunnis need unequivocal assurance that under no circumstances will any Shiite government withhold distribution of funds and hold the Sunni state hostage without suffering immediate and clearly spelled out political and financial consequences, including crippling sanctions and the suspension of any financial and military aid.
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Thursday, February 11, 2016
Erecting A Giant Prison For All Israelis Netanyahu said, "In our neighborhood, we need to protect ourselves from wild beasts." Knowing Netanyahu and his sentiment toward the Palestinians, inflammatory language is customary for him, as he views every Palestinian as a would-be beastly terrorist. It is obvious the purpose of building a fence, which runs through a significant portion of Palestinian territory, is to make the expropriation of Palestinian land permanent.
Thursday, February 11, 2016Erecting A Giant Prison For All Israelis Netanyahu said, "In our neighborhood, we need to protect ourselves from wild beasts." Knowing Netanyahu and his sentiment toward the Palestinians, inflammatory language is customary for him, as he views every Palestinian as a would-be beastly terrorist. It is obvious the purpose of building a fence, which runs through a significant portion of Palestinian territory, is to make the expropriation of Palestinian land permanent.
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Friday, February 5, 2016
The Truth About Israel's National Security The time has come for the Israelis to reject the scare tactics and false claims of the Netanyahu government. The usurpation of Palestinian land and unabated settlement growth not only delegitimizes Israel's legitimate national security requirements, but endangers its very existence.
Friday, February 5, 2016The Truth About Israel's National Security The time has come for the Israelis to reject the scare tactics and false claims of the Netanyahu government. The usurpation of Palestinian land and unabated settlement growth not only delegitimizes Israel's legitimate national security requirements, but endangers its very existence.
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Wednesday, January 27, 2016
The Dire Consequences Of Revenge And Retribution Anyone who claims to seek a solution to the conflict must denounce in the strongest terms the cycle of revenge and retribution. When will ordinary Israelis and Palestinians realize that revenge does not offer a cure to the endemic conflict, but is a curse that will continue to haunt both sides from which only the gravediggers benefit?
Wednesday, January 27, 2016The Dire Consequences Of Revenge And Retribution Anyone who claims to seek a solution to the conflict must denounce in the strongest terms the cycle of revenge and retribution. When will ordinary Israelis and Palestinians realize that revenge does not offer a cure to the endemic conflict, but is a curse that will continue to haunt both sides from which only the gravediggers benefit?
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Thursday, January 21, 2016
Lifting The Sanctions Will Not End Iran's Revolutionary Zeal Regardless of how Iran pursues its foreign policy objectives, the greatest danger the regime faces is from within. Whereas the government will spend a considerable amount of money to improve the economic conditions of ordinary Iranians, that in and of itself will not stifle the public's cry for freedom of speech and press, respect for human rights, and an end to draconian laws.
Thursday, January 21, 2016Lifting The Sanctions Will Not End Iran's Revolutionary Zeal Regardless of how Iran pursues its foreign policy objectives, the greatest danger the regime faces is from within. Whereas the government will spend a considerable amount of money to improve the economic conditions of ordinary Iranians, that in and of itself will not stifle the public's cry for freedom of speech and press, respect for human rights, and an end to draconian laws.
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Thursday, January 14, 2016
Civil Disobedience Is The Palestinians' Best Option Though civil disobedience is not alien to the Palestinians, they often resorted to violence as their first choice. After seven decades of largely violent conflict, the Palestinian people must now come to the conclusion, if they have not already, that violence against the Israelis is counterproductive and only plays into the hands of the extreme right and weakens moderate Israelis.
Thursday, January 14, 2016Civil Disobedience Is The Palestinians' Best Option Though civil disobedience is not alien to the Palestinians, they often resorted to violence as their first choice. After seven decades of largely violent conflict, the Palestinian people must now come to the conclusion, if they have not already, that violence against the Israelis is counterproductive and only plays into the hands of the extreme right and weakens moderate Israelis.
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Friday, January 8, 2016
Saudi Arabia's Act Of Strategic Defiance By creating the crisis, Saudi Arabia also hopes to disrupt the warming relations between Iran and the US, which it views as contrary to its interests. In addition, Saudi Arabia hopes to undermine the EU's drive for rapprochement with Iran, as it otherwise has the potential of becoming the largest trading partner with the EU.
Friday, January 8, 2016Saudi Arabia's Act Of Strategic Defiance By creating the crisis, Saudi Arabia also hopes to disrupt the warming relations between Iran and the US, which it views as contrary to its interests. In addition, Saudi Arabia hopes to undermine the EU's drive for rapprochement with Iran, as it otherwise has the potential of becoming the largest trading partner with the EU.
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Wednesday, December 16, 2015
In The Grip Of Powerful Illusions Compared to the stable and mature political identities of the American, British, and French nations, the political identities of both Israeli and Palestinian peoples are, in a way, in their adolescence. Israelis and Palestinians alike, have and continue to interpret the nature of the discord between them as "you versus me" in a prejudiced and selective way.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015In The Grip Of Powerful Illusions Compared to the stable and mature political identities of the American, British, and French nations, the political identities of both Israeli and Palestinian peoples are, in a way, in their adolescence. Israelis and Palestinians alike, have and continue to interpret the nature of the discord between them as "you versus me" in a prejudiced and selective way.
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Thursday, December 10, 2015
Israel's Occupation Is Morally Indefensible In the case of the Palestinians who are under occupation, Israel is treating them as objects rather than persons who can rationally consent to the way they are being treated. Israel is coercing the Palestinians physically and psychologically by denying them human rights, through, for example, administrative detention, night raids, and expulsion, thereby robbing them of their dignity and denying them their autonomy.
Thursday, December 10, 2015Israel's Occupation Is Morally Indefensible In the case of the Palestinians who are under occupation, Israel is treating them as objects rather than persons who can rationally consent to the way they are being treated. Israel is coercing the Palestinians physically and psychologically by denying them human rights, through, for example, administrative detention, night raids, and expulsion, thereby robbing them of their dignity and denying them their autonomy.
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Thursday, December 3, 2015
Abandoning The Quartet In Favor Of The Arab Peace Initiative The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is becoming ever more intractable each passing day. It is time for the US and the EU to chart a new path and disabuse themselves of the notion that they must stick to past frameworks for peace, especially the Quartet, when in fact it has not advanced the peace process one single iota.
Thursday, December 3, 2015Abandoning The Quartet In Favor Of The Arab Peace Initiative The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is becoming ever more intractable each passing day. It is time for the US and the EU to chart a new path and disabuse themselves of the notion that they must stick to past frameworks for peace, especially the Quartet, when in fact it has not advanced the peace process one single iota.
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Wednesday, November 25, 2015
How The Ideological Siege Undermines The Peace Process The occupation must come to an end, not only because it lacks any moral justification but because it severely undermines rather than enhances Israel's national security. Netanyahu's policy toward the Palestinians must be questioned, as there is plenty of evidence that his policy has been counterproductive and puts Israel's future at risk.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015How The Ideological Siege Undermines The Peace Process The occupation must come to an end, not only because it lacks any moral justification but because it severely undermines rather than enhances Israel's national security. Netanyahu's policy toward the Palestinians must be questioned, as there is plenty of evidence that his policy has been counterproductive and puts Israel's future at risk.
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Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Why Have Past Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations Failed? This leadership malaise will have to be cured before a new round of negotiations begin, but is not likely to happen without intense and consistent external pressure. The new international effort to resume the peace negotiations must not lose sight of the popular demand of the majority on both sides to live in peace, because on their own, they will not come to terms with one another.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015Why Have Past Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations Failed? This leadership malaise will have to be cured before a new round of negotiations begin, but is not likely to happen without intense and consistent external pressure. The new international effort to resume the peace negotiations must not lose sight of the popular demand of the majority on both sides to live in peace, because on their own, they will not come to terms with one another.
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Wednesday, November 11, 2015
A Conducive Geopolitical Environment For Israeli-Palestinian Peace There is a definite shift among the public and leading politicians toward putting the blame on Israel for the continuation of the conflict. By demonstrating tough love, the US can fulfill its moral obligation to best serve Israel's national security and preserve it as an independent Jewish and democratic state, which for nearly all Israelis is their most cherished dream.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015A Conducive Geopolitical Environment For Israeli-Palestinian Peace There is a definite shift among the public and leading politicians toward putting the blame on Israel for the continuation of the conflict. By demonstrating tough love, the US can fulfill its moral obligation to best serve Israel's national security and preserve it as an independent Jewish and democratic state, which for nearly all Israelis is their most cherished dream.
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Thursday, October 29, 2015
Is The Occupation Behind The Current Violence? The occupation is not sustainable; it is costly both in blood and treasure, Israel's national security will remain at risk, and the country will become ever more internationally isolated while risking its very identity as a Jewish state.
Thursday, October 29, 2015Is The Occupation Behind The Current Violence? The occupation is not sustainable; it is costly both in blood and treasure, Israel's national security will remain at risk, and the country will become ever more internationally isolated while risking its very identity as a Jewish state.
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Monday, October 19, 2015
Before It Is Too Late The mutual acrimonious charges and counter-charges by Israeli and Palestinian leaders do nothing but instigate ever more violence. If Netanyahu and Abbas really want to end the bloodshed, they must appeal to their respective publics, preferably together, and unambiguously state that they are both determined to end the violence.
Monday, October 19, 2015Before It Is Too Late The mutual acrimonious charges and counter-charges by Israeli and Palestinian leaders do nothing but instigate ever more violence. If Netanyahu and Abbas really want to end the bloodshed, they must appeal to their respective publics, preferably together, and unambiguously state that they are both determined to end the violence.
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Wednesday, October 14, 2015
A Parallel Crescent To Stop Iran In Its Tracks Rather than continuing to drum up the danger of the Iran deal, Netanyahu should focus on addressing the more urgent conflict with the Palestinians, which has the potential of either exploding with disastrous consequences or providing the impetus for a new peace initiative that will end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015A Parallel Crescent To Stop Iran In Its Tracks Rather than continuing to drum up the danger of the Iran deal, Netanyahu should focus on addressing the more urgent conflict with the Palestinians, which has the potential of either exploding with disastrous consequences or providing the impetus for a new peace initiative that will end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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Wednesday, October 7, 2015
The Absence Of Real Commitment To Peace Regardless of what Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Abbas stated in their speeches at the United Nations General Assembly, neither is genuinely committed to negotiating a peace agreement based on a two-state solution.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015The Absence Of Real Commitment To Peace Regardless of what Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Abbas stated in their speeches at the United Nations General Assembly, neither is genuinely committed to negotiating a peace agreement based on a two-state solution.
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Friday, September 25, 2015
Before And Beyond The Syrian Calamity Russia's President Putin demonstrated all along a clear and decisive policy in support of his ally President Assad. Putin was and remains determined to safeguard Russia's interests in Syria by preserving the Assad regime, which remains central to his strategy. As he has done in the past, Putin will continue to block any solution to the Syrian crisis unless it is done on his terms.
Friday, September 25, 2015Before And Beyond The Syrian Calamity Russia's President Putin demonstrated all along a clear and decisive policy in support of his ally President Assad. Putin was and remains determined to safeguard Russia's interests in Syria by preserving the Assad regime, which remains central to his strategy. As he has done in the past, Putin will continue to block any solution to the Syrian crisis unless it is done on his terms.
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Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Administrative Detention And Israel's Moral Imperative In Israel, national security considerations are used, or rather abused, to justify the indefinite detention of hundreds of Palestinians without being charged with any crime; they are denied legal defense and left languishing in jails with little prospect of being released.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015Administrative Detention And Israel's Moral Imperative In Israel, national security considerations are used, or rather abused, to justify the indefinite detention of hundreds of Palestinians without being charged with any crime; they are denied legal defense and left languishing in jails with little prospect of being released.
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Monday, August 31, 2015
A Time For Some Summer Levity: A Conversation Between Netanyahu And Abbas Bibi and Abu Mazen happen to come to East Jerusalem and stumble into each other at the Colony Hotel. They approached to say hello and felt that a brief private meeting would do no harm. A few minutes later, they adjourned to a secure room in the hotel.
Monday, August 31, 2015A Time For Some Summer Levity: A Conversation Between Netanyahu And Abbas Bibi and Abu Mazen happen to come to East Jerusalem and stumble into each other at the Colony Hotel. They approached to say hello and felt that a brief private meeting would do no harm. A few minutes later, they adjourned to a secure room in the hotel.
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Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Israelis And Palestinians Cannot Make Peace On Their Own Prime Minister Netanyahu or any other staunch right-wing ideologue may talk about a two-state solution to appease the international community and the political center in Israel, but they have no intention of entering into serious direct peace talks with the Palestinians that could potentially lead to a two-state solution.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015Israelis And Palestinians Cannot Make Peace On Their Own Prime Minister Netanyahu or any other staunch right-wing ideologue may talk about a two-state solution to appease the international community and the political center in Israel, but they have no intention of entering into serious direct peace talks with the Palestinians that could potentially lead to a two-state solution.
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Friday, August 21, 2015
Israeli-Hamas Truce: An Opportunity In Disguise The prospective Israeli-Hamas truce presents a momentous opportunity, albeit in disguise, for all parties concerned to turn a new page in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and change its geopolitical and security dynamics, which succeeding Israeli and Palestinian governments could build on.
Friday, August 21, 2015Israeli-Hamas Truce: An Opportunity In Disguise The prospective Israeli-Hamas truce presents a momentous opportunity, albeit in disguise, for all parties concerned to turn a new page in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and change its geopolitical and security dynamics, which succeeding Israeli and Palestinian governments could build on.
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Wednesday, August 12, 2015
The Syrian Catastrophe And The World's Deafening Silence To demonstrate their good intentions, Russia and Iran ought to warn Assad that he must immediately cease and desist from dropping barrel bombs. If he refuses, the US should be prepared to strike Syrian military installations to stop Assad from raining barrel bombs, with or without the consent of Iran and Russia.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015The Syrian Catastrophe And The World's Deafening Silence To demonstrate their good intentions, Russia and Iran ought to warn Assad that he must immediately cease and desist from dropping barrel bombs. If he refuses, the US should be prepared to strike Syrian military installations to stop Assad from raining barrel bombs, with or without the consent of Iran and Russia.
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Wednesday, July 22, 2015
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly About The Iran Deal Although President Obama views the Iran deal as his signature foreign policy achievement, he will not see it come to fruition while still in office. He will leave behind this unfinished business to his successor, and his legacy will hang in the balance for years to come before historians render their final judgment.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015The Good, The Bad And The Ugly About The Iran Deal Although President Obama views the Iran deal as his signature foreign policy achievement, he will not see it come to fruition while still in office. He will leave behind this unfinished business to his successor, and his legacy will hang in the balance for years to come before historians render their final judgment.
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Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Overcoming The Israeli-Palestinian Psychosocial Barrier Anyone who is familiar with the daily lives of Israelis and Palestinians will tell you that stereotyping, mutual lack of trust, and animosity are most common. The Palestinians view the Israelis as cruel, uncaring, and bent on denying them a state of their own. The Israelis see the Palestinians as terrorists determined to wipe Israel off the map.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015Overcoming The Israeli-Palestinian Psychosocial Barrier Anyone who is familiar with the daily lives of Israelis and Palestinians will tell you that stereotyping, mutual lack of trust, and animosity are most common. The Palestinians view the Israelis as cruel, uncaring, and bent on denying them a state of their own. The Israelis see the Palestinians as terrorists determined to wipe Israel off the map.
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Sunday, June 28, 2015
Erdogan's Fall From Grace Erdogan's backsliding on all fronts has finally caught up with him. His successes during his first two terms seem to have blinded him. As a result, his ambition to change the constitution to grant him near-absolute power as president was overwhelmingly rejected by the electorate.
Sunday, June 28, 2015Erdogan's Fall From Grace Erdogan's backsliding on all fronts has finally caught up with him. His successes during his first two terms seem to have blinded him. As a result, his ambition to change the constitution to grant him near-absolute power as president was overwhelmingly rejected by the electorate.
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Thursday, June 18, 2015
The US Must Stop Enabling Israel Only when the US changes its policy and is prepared to exert, in the main, political pressure on Israel, will the US be able to save Israel from its destructive path. This in no way exempts the Palestinians from fulfilling their own responsibility in negotiating in earnest and making the required concessions, however painful, with the objective of reaching an agreement.
Thursday, June 18, 2015The US Must Stop Enabling Israel Only when the US changes its policy and is prepared to exert, in the main, political pressure on Israel, will the US be able to save Israel from its destructive path. This in no way exempts the Palestinians from fulfilling their own responsibility in negotiating in earnest and making the required concessions, however painful, with the objective of reaching an agreement.
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Wednesday, June 10, 2015
The Necessity Of Iraqi Sunni Independence The fact that the coalition of more than a dozen countries, led by the US, to battle ISIS from the air and ground has thus far failed is due to a lack of a comprehensive strategy to defeat ISIS, as well as the absence of the Iraqi Sunnis' commitment to fight it, which occupies much of their three provinces.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015The Necessity Of Iraqi Sunni Independence The fact that the coalition of more than a dozen countries, led by the US, to battle ISIS from the air and ground has thus far failed is due to a lack of a comprehensive strategy to defeat ISIS, as well as the absence of the Iraqi Sunnis' commitment to fight it, which occupies much of their three provinces.
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Friday, June 5, 2015
It's Time For A New Strategy The current young generation of Israelis and Palestinians need to see each other from a different lens and accept the fact that their coexistence is irrevocable, and therefore must choose to either live in constant ruinous hostilities, or in peace and prosperity. The regional turmoil must not forestall the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Friday, June 5, 2015It's Time For A New Strategy The current young generation of Israelis and Palestinians need to see each other from a different lens and accept the fact that their coexistence is irrevocable, and therefore must choose to either live in constant ruinous hostilities, or in peace and prosperity. The regional turmoil must not forestall the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
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Thursday, May 7, 2015
The Danger of Resurgent Anti-Semitism Anti-Semitism ranks as one of the vilest of bigotries, especially considering the West's disgraceful history of persecuting and killing Jews. Any resurgence deserves full-throated condemnation. But the current danger is that Israel's mistreatment of the Palestinians is fueling an ugly comeback, warns Alon Ben-Meir.
Thursday, May 7, 2015The Danger of Resurgent Anti-Semitism Anti-Semitism ranks as one of the vilest of bigotries, especially considering the West's disgraceful history of persecuting and killing Jews. Any resurgence deserves full-throated condemnation. But the current danger is that Israel's mistreatment of the Palestinians is fueling an ugly comeback, warns Alon Ben-Meir.
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Friday, January 30, 2015
Netanyahu Betrays What's Best For Israel By what logic does Netanyahu have the chutzpah to second-guess the US and act in a reckless and appalling manner, which can only damage Israel's sacred ties with the US to score some political points at home, especially at election time? Notwithstanding the accolades Netanyahu may receive from the floor of Congress, he has betrayed what is best for Israel.
Friday, January 30, 2015Netanyahu Betrays What's Best For Israel By what logic does Netanyahu have the chutzpah to second-guess the US and act in a reckless and appalling manner, which can only damage Israel's sacred ties with the US to score some political points at home, especially at election time? Notwithstanding the accolades Netanyahu may receive from the floor of Congress, he has betrayed what is best for Israel.
