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In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

11/13/08
The View from Gaza  —Taghreed El-Khodary, New York Times journalist in Gaza and Harvard University Nieman Fellow (2005-2006). Interviewed by Middle East Bulletin.
11/04/08
Getting on the Right Track  —Dalia Rabin, chairperson, Rabin Center, and daughter of the late Yitzhak Rabin. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.
10/23/08
Bottom-Up Meets Top-Down for Progress  —Robert Danin, Head of Mission, Office of Quartet Representative Tony Blair and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.

Setting the Record Straight

U.S. Policy Strengthens Iran

"Simply put, without permanent bases in Iraq, a nuclear capable Islamic Republic cannot be contained."
—Michael Rubin, resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute, "Can a Nuclear Iran Be Contained or Deterred?" Middle Eastern Outlook, November 5, 2008 versus
  • “[B]y attacking Iraq, we automatically made Iran a regional power. We took out their major adversary in Iraq, and we neutralized, if only temporarily, the Taliban, on the other side. And so now we see not only that they are regional powers, but clearly indications of aspirations to be perhaps a hegemon in the area, their role in Iraq, their role in Syria, in Lebanon as well. And I can tell you, and I think you’ve heard it already, that there is real fear among the GCC countries about where all of this is going. All of them have minorities, in one case it’s not a minority, it’s a majority of Shias, and as the Sheika correctly pointed out, they can’t exchange Iran for some place else.”
    —General Joseph P. Hoar (USMC, Ret.), former commander of U.S. Central Command (1991-94), National Council On U.S.-Arab Relations, 17th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, October 30, 2008

    • Middle East Analysis

    Annapolis Follow-Up Efforts

    November 28, 2007

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

    Palestinian-Israeli Negotiations

    Target Date: The end of 2008

    Goal: The establishment of a secure and viable Palestinian state, coexisting with Israel, and resolution of all outstanding issues, including final-status issues (status of Jerusalem, borders, refugees, and security).

    Location: Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas will inaugurate their bilateral negotiations in Washington with President Bush on Wednesday, November 28. However, according to Olmert’s statement at Annapolis, the bulk of the negotiations will take place in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

    Negotiators: A joint Palestinian-Israeli steering committee will first meet on December 12. The steering committee will be responsible for creating a joint work plan and for forming and monitoring negotiating teams. President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert will continue their bi-weekly meetings throughout the negotiations.

    Format of Negotiations: The treaty negotiations will be bilateral, direct, and based on previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements, U.N. resolutions 242 and 338, the 2003 Roadmap, and the 2004 letter from President Bush to the Prime Minister of Israel.

    Follow-Up on the Roadmap

    Goal: To immediately implement Israeli and Palestinian obligations under the 2003 performance-based roadmap until a peace treaty is reached. These include freezing settlement activity and combating terrorism.

    Implementation and Monitoring: An American, Palestinian, and Israeli mechanism will be created to implement roadmap responsibilities. This will be led by the United States, and U.S. General Jim Jones will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating each party’s progress.

    International Donors Conference

    Date: December 17th

    Location: Paris

    Agenda: To raise funding for projects proposed by Quartet Envoy Tony Blair aimed at strengthening the Palestinian economy and institutions. These projects include repairing infrastructure, increasing investment in Palestinian businesses, and renovating towns and cities. Most of these projects will take place in the West Bank.

    The Quartet will also meet during the donors conference to discuss ways to support the Annapolis agreement.

    Russian Post-Annapolis Follow-Up Conference

    Date: Not yet announced, possibly in the spring of 2008.

    Location: Moscow

    Participants: Still unknown, but reportedly the U.S. suggested that the follow-up meeting in Moscow be primarily for Annapolis’ Arab participants.

    Agenda: Official agenda items have not been specified, though there has been speculation that the Moscow conference will deal with the Israeli-Syrian track, rather than the Israeli-Palestinian track.