The Forward

Bush’s Bluffing Has Made Mideast Peace a Bad Bet

Ron Tang — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:39:00 -0400

From Taba to Tony, from the Rose Garden to Riyadh, from Geneva to Gaza -- in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, no American president has been presented with more opportunities for reaching a true and lasting peace than George W. Bush. But with just a half a year to go before he leaves the White House and little indication of a breakthrough, it is all but certain that Bush will leave behind a conflict more intractable than ever, not to mention a situation in Gaza that ranks as the world’s third-largest humanitarian crisis after Somalia and Darfur.

This is more… more

Grasp the Promise of Annapolis

adminn — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:25:00 -0500

Even the most hardened of Middle East cynics could be excused for momentarily feeling a fluttering of hope after witnessing the scenes at this week’s peace conference in Annapolis, Md.

Israel’s much-maligned prime minister, Ehud Olmert, conducted himself with consumate dignity, displaying a rare capacity to combine unabashed national pride with sincere empathy for the other. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, for his part, met Olmert’s outstretched hand with an unflinching commitment to a negotiated resolution of this bloody conflict and to a realization of his own nation’s aspirations that would not be at Israel’s expense. Both men have developed a degree… more

Quit the Canard That American Policy Advances Israeli Security

Articles — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 17:01:00 -0400

Rejection of hubris has become the defining characteristic of the post-Lebanon war mood and debate in Israel. That is understandable. Israel's civilians in the north faced a daily dosage of 200 missiles, while the military met a surprisingly well-equipped and trained guerrilla force. The mood has been best captured by the Israeli military's outgoing commander for infantry and paratroops, Brigadier General Yossi Hyman, who publicly bemoaned that "we were guilty of the sin of arrogance."

Although the circumstances in the United States are clearly different, a little introspection might benefit those Americans concerned and passionate about Israel. While the laudable United… more