In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

12/11/08: Toward Resolution —President of Israel Shimon Peres. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.
11/25/08: U.S. Engagement with Iran: A How to Guide — Karim Sadjadpour, associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Original Commentary for Middle East Bulletin.
11/20/08: Pakistan: Learning the Right Lessons from Iraq —Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Original Commentary for Middle East Bulletin.

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)

The Palestinian Authority Government: Who’s Who

May 2, 2007

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)

There are 25 ministers in the Palestinian unity government. Twelve of them belong to or are affiliated with Hamas, six with Fatah, three are independent and four belong to leftist factions.

With the exception of Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, the Hamas representatives are technocrats, some of them political unknowns, while Fatah ministers are old political hands. Among the new ministers are several independents, some of whom have replaced Hamas ministers.

Foreign minister Dr. Ziad Abu Amr is a native of Gaza. He holds a PhD from Georgetown University and is an independent member of the Palestinian Legislative Council. He is close to Abu Mazen and has served as his liaison with Hamas.

Finance minister Salam Fayyad is a native of Tulkarm. He worked at the World Bank and holds a PhD in economics from the University of Texas.

Information minister Mustafa Barghouti ran in the 2004 presidential election receiving almost a fifth of the vote. He manages medical relief agencies in the Palestinian territories.

Sources: BBC News, Israel Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center