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Original Commentaries
Setting the Record Straight
A Shared Interest
"With his enthusiastic embrace of the so-called Saudi peace plan, Olmert is committing Israel to accepting the Arab narrative of the Arab-Israeli conflict. … With Olmert now giving his stamp of approval to the Saudi plan, he is denying the country its moral right to defend itself both militarily and diplomatically."
—Caroline Glick, deputy managing editor, The Jerusalem Post; senior fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs, Center for Security Policy, "Tzipi and the Drug Lords," The Jerusalem Post, November 27, 2008 
“Israel rejected the Initiative in the past without examining it in depth. According to the common wisdom, the more Arab partners involved, the more they’ll be pushing us and be in favor of the Palestinians. I think that in the present situation in the Arab and Muslim world, where we see strengthening of extremism that bothers moderate Arab states no less than it bothers us, the Arab states have an interest that such an agreement comes to fruition. And for that to happen, if there is a need to push the Palestinians or assist them, I think this is exactly the time to do that.”
—Maj. Gen (ret.) Danny Rothschild, president, Council for Peace and Security, interview, Israeli radio, Reshet Bet, November 2, 2008 (translated by Middle East Bulletin)
Middle East Analysis
- Putting the Arab Peace Initiative Into Action —Ghaith al-Omari, director of advocacy, American Task Force on Palestine; former foreign policy adviser to Palestinian President Abbas. Original Commentary for Middle East Bulletin.
- Peace Plan Needs PR Backing —Roula Khalaf (Financial Times)
- A Comprehensive Agenda —Ezzedine Choukri-Fishere, former adviser to the Egyptian foreign minister, & Omar Dajani, former legal adviser to the Palestinian negotiating team (Al-Ahram Weekly)
May 30, 2007
“There are a growing number of voices arguing for the United States to engage Iran and even to enter into negotiations with its regime. I believe that this would be a disastrous mistake.”
--Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on “The Iranian Challenge,” March 6, 2007 
The top U.S. commander in the Middle East said Iran is a major player in the area and cannot be ignored, but the United States has no intention of leaving the region, as Iran would like to see happen: "We have to figure out a way to come to an arrangement with them.”
--The Associated Press, quoting Adm. William Fallon, Commander, U.S. Central Command, May 27, 2007
CORRECTION: In Friday's edition of the Bulletin we referred to Gilad Sharon as a Member of Knesset, which he is not. We apologize for the error.