Israel
An Execution in Tehran
Cranmer is right about this: It really is quite incredible. Last week, a convicted murderer, Troy Davis, was finally executed in the United States, and it seemed as though the… Continue reading
8 CommentsThe new Israel and Palestine question
The halls of the UN are packed with presidents and foreign ministers. But for all the thousands of subjects under discussion, this year’s General Assembly will be remembered for one… Continue reading
20 CommentsAbbas pitches for a Palestinian state
As Daniel wrote this morning, the Middle East peace process has returned to the headlines. Palestinian President Abbas has called for Palestine to be granted full membership of the United… Continue reading
10 CommentsBritain’s Palestinian statehood question
The Palestinians are seeking United Nations recognition as a state and a vote is apparently imminent. The Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland has a useful account of the diplomatic arithmetic and explains… Continue reading
30 CommentsWhere does the Arab Spring leave Israel?
After decades where Arab politicians kept the truth of their constructive relations with Israel hidden from their publics and stoked anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment for domestic purposes, it is no… Continue reading
40 CommentsPhilistines for Free Palestine
This summer I had the pleasure of listening to the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra performing in the once-ravaged Croatian coastal town of Dubrovnik. The concert, conducted by the Indian maestro Zubin… Continue reading
61 CommentsRelations between Turkey and Israel deteriorate
Last summer, I spoke to Turkey’s foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, about the Mavi Marmara row. Davatoglu was not only animated, but clear on what he thought. Unless Israel apologised, he… Continue reading
13 CommentsMiddle East round-up
Reuters is reporting that Libyan rebels have taken control of Libyan state TV – one of the last organs to remain in Gaddafi’s hands. It’s another indication that the dictator’s… Continue reading
3 CommentsTensions rise in the Middle East
The escalating crisis in Gaza and Sinai is worrying. Egypt is to recall its ambassador to Israel after 3 security personnel were killed in confused scuffles after an Israeli bus… Continue reading
15 CommentsAn Israeli Spring?
Israeli politicians have been worrying that the Palestinians would join the protests sweeping the Middle East. So far, this has not happened. But now the Israeli leadership is facing something… Continue reading
19 CommentsWill Britain recognise Palestine?
Will Britain recognise Palestine as a state if, as planned, the matter comes to a vote at the UN General Assembly in September? Right now, the government says it has… Continue reading
16 CommentsTim Pawlenty: Generic Republican
Tim Pawlenty’s Presidential campaign may be stranger than any of his rivals’. For some candidates – Gingrich, Cain – running for the Republican nomination is an outlet for excess egomania.… Continue reading
9 CommentsTrouble in Golan
In a clear move to distract attention from his own problems, Syrian president Bashir Assad has allowed people to march from the Syrian border toward the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, in… Continue reading
28 CommentsNetanyahu’s Myopia
What scares Israel more than anything else? Not, I wager, the rockets flying over the fence from Gaza or even, at least on a quotidian basis, the Iranian shadow. No,… Continue reading
9 Comments1967 And All That
How do you reconcile these comments? Argument A: "Abbas and co have had a laughably free pass despite their serial aggression, bad faith, reneging on treaties and repeated expressions of… Continue reading
8 CommentsNo, Obama Did Not Throw Israel "Under the Bus"
President Obama’s speech yesterday confirmed that the main thrust of American foreign policy in the middle east may now fairly be characterised as Obama men and Bush measures. In large… Continue reading
15 CommentsThrough a different camera: the source of Melanie Phillips’ discontent
It is unfortunate that Melanie Phillips based her allegations of BBC bias in its reporting of Israeli actions on a video by CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting… Continue reading
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