Middle East Task Force: Publications, Events and More

All recent articles, policy papers, events, press releases and "In the News" items relating to this program are available below. An RSS feed is also available; see the orange icon below.

Israel Lands on Obama's Front Burner | Politico

"For all the talk of putting the (Middle East) conflict on the back burner, it's going force itself onto the front burner," said Daniel Levy, ...
Daniel Levy | December 29, 2008

Israeli Action Complicates Obama's Mideast Pledge | Wall Street Journal

"A lot depends on how long this current conflict continues," said Daniel Levy, a former Israeli peace negotiator now at Washington's New America Foundation. ...
Daniel Levy | December 27, 2008

A Short Path, From Gaza To Somalia | Haaretz

For Israel, too, much is at stake. It's no fun to live in a Somalia, and no picnic either being its next-door neighbor. Daniel Levy, a senior fellow at the ...
Daniel Levy | December 18, 2008

With Elections in February, Israel Searching for Its Obama | The News and Observer

The problem in Israel, said former Israeli adviser Daniel Levy, is that the nation's voters are still largely driven by fear, whereas Obama's election was a ...
Daniel Levy | December 14, 2008

With Elections in February, Israel Searching for its Obama | McClatchy Washington Bureau

The problem in Israel, said former Israeli adviser Daniel Levy, is that the nation's voters are still largely driven by fear, whereas Obama's election was a ...
Daniel Levy | December 14, 2008

U.S. Policy in Lebanon

The discussion about Lebanon was focused on a soon to be published essay by Nicholas Noe entitled “Re-Imagining the Lebanon Track: Toward a New US Policy.” Noe, founder and editor-in-chief of the Beirut-based translation news service www.mideastwire.com, argued that a major fault in U.S. policy toward Lebanon has been the lack of nuanced and strategic understanding of Hezbollah and the

12/10/2008 - 3:30pm
12/10/2008 - 5:00pm

NATO in the West Bank | Newsweek

"People are increasingly going for the maximalist version," says Daniel Levy of the New America Foundation. What changed? Since the recent Lebanon war, ...
Daniel Levy | December 6, 2008

Regional Players Key to Salvaging Peace Process | Inter Press Service

"This next administration may well be the last administration that could realistically pursue a two-state solution," said Daniel Levy, a former Israeli ...
Daniel Levy | December 4, 2008

The U.S.- Israel Relationship

Naomi Chazan, President of the New Israel Fund, spoke with emotional sincerity and occasional humor about the future of the peace process. Her main focus and argument was that the current domestic political situation within Israel works against an eventual peace agreement between either the Israelis and the Palestinians or the Israelis and the broader Arab world. Citing the potential election of Benyamin Netanyahu as Israeli Prime Minister and the politically divisive nature of Israeli elections, Ms. Chazan believed that even if peace

12/03/2008 - 3:00pm
12/03/2008 - 4:30pm

A Brokered Peace | Newsweek

... the maximalist version," says Daniel Levy, a senior fellow at Washington's New America Foundation. What changed? To start, Israel has begun to recognize ...
Daniel Levy | December 2, 2008

Four Crises on Obama's Horizon

No one should be surprised that president-elect Barack Obama's first press conference, three days after his historic November 4th victory, was devoted almost exclusively to the economy. Obama was also quick to remind reporters that there is only one president at a time, and his turn does not begin until January 20. While domestic challenges will dominate his agenda, a not-insignificant list of Middle East crises will confront America's 44th president as well. Here are four of the more urgent issues in which Israel has a keen interest,… more

Daniel Levy | Haaretz | November 16, 2008

Daniel Levy in The Jewish Week | 'Iran Policy Now Seen Linked To Meltdown'

On the campaign trail, Republican supporters continue to hammer away at what they say is Obama’s naiveté on the subject, claiming he wants to “sit down and have dinner” with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

That’s a “red herring,” said Daniel Levy, director of the Prospects for Peace Initiative of the Century Foundation. “Substantively, the Bush administration has come closer to accepting the basic Obama position -- which is engagement.”

The same pressures that pushed the Bush administration to soften its policy of diplomatic isolation on Iran… more

Daniel Levy | October 20, 2008

Daniel Levy in Reuters | 'U.S. Assesses Isolation Policy of Syria'

Part of the move to reexamine Syria policy is also to lay the groundwork for the next administration, either led by Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama.

"They want to get involved now so that it does not look like a reversal," said Syria expert Daniel Levy, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation.

"The time was right a long, long time ago to do this ... the policy of isolation has not worked," he added. LINK

Daniel Levy | October 5, 2008

Daniel Levy on Foreign Exchange with Daljit Dhaliwal | 'Tzipi Livni'

This week Foreign Exchange features a look at potential Israeli prime minister, Tzipi Livni, with Daniel Levy of the New America Foundation. LINK to video
Daniel Levy | October 3, 2008

An Alternative to Paralysis

If Tzipi Livni becomes Israel's next prime minister, she will bring to that office a belief in the urgency of reaching an extensive, two-state solution with the Palestinians. This in itself distinguishes Livni from her two main rivals. Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu disputes the very framework of two viable, independent states, while Labor leader Ehud Barak parts ways on how pressing the need is to get there. Livni will inherit the Annapolis peace process -- and that is where her problems begin. Annapolis is… more

Daniel Levy | Haaretz | October 3, 2008

The New Face of Israel?

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert handed in his resignation. Israel’s Foreign Minister and the newly elected leader of the Kadima party, Tzipi Livni, has now been formally given the mandate by Israeli President Shimon Peres to build a governing coalition and thereby become prime minister. Olmert has faced ongoing corruption investigations, but the cloudy circumstances did not prevent him from leaving on a playful note. In convening the cabinet to inform them of his resignation, Olmert explained that there were a number of items… more

Daniel Levy | The Atlantic | September 25, 2008

Benchmarking the Mess and Trauma of Occupation

Jessica Montell, the executive director of B’Tselem, an Israeli NGO dedicated to rectifying what it recognizes as human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories, spoke at the New America Foundation in conjunction with the opening of a satellite office in Washington. The organization seeks to provide credible information on claims of abuse in the Palestinian territories, in part by distributing cameras in the West Bank and Gaza. The group was awarded the Carter-Menil Award for… more
09/25/2008 - 10:00am
09/25/2008 - 11:30am

Daniel Levy on Real News Network | 'Livni Poised to be Next Israeli PM'

DANIEL LEVY, POLITICAL ANALYST: Tzipi Livni as prime minister on the Palestinian track: Livni has been the head of the negotiation team with the Palestinians. What we can say is that Tzipi Livni is certainly not averse to negotiating with Palestinian leadership, not averse to conducting serious negotiations, not averse to showing flexibility on core issues. But we don't yet know if she can continue to travel to the place where you could actually strike a workable two-state solution. She is unequivocally in support of a two-state… more
Daniel Levy | September 18, 2008

Daniel Levy on Livni's victory in the Kadima primaries

Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has just won a primary election for the leadership of the governing Kadima party. Livni will now try to form a governing coalition. Daniel Levy discusses the political process in Israel in the weeks ahead, the coalition vs. election options and what a Livni premiership might mean for regional issues. Daniel Levy is a senior fellow and director… more

Daniel Levy | September 18, 2008

RNC Event: America's Next Foreign Policy

Panelists will discuss the challenges the next president will face in building a new equilibrium in the Middle East.

The dialogue will moderated by Steve Clemons and will be advanced by four short provocations delivered by foreign policy experts.

Light breakfast fare and coffee will be served beforehand.

09/03/2008 - 9:00am
09/03/2008 - 11:30am