Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies. alon@alonben-meir.com
Published books available on Amazon include:
* A Strategy for Implementing the Reconciliation Process Between Israel and the Palestinians
*A War We Must Win
* Framework for Arab-Israeli Peace
* In Defiance of Time
* Israel: The Challenge of the Fourth Decade
* Lost Perspectives
* Middle East Imperatives and Choices
* Spring or Cruel Winter: The Evolution of the Arab Revolutions
* Toward The Abyss: Israel and the Palestinians
By Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — The Trump administration’s approach to the Iran deal is problematic as it is taken out of the context of the multiple conflicts raging throughout the Middle East, the extent to which Iran is involved, and the role it can play in resolving them, including the conflicts in Syria, Yemen, […]
OpEd: Trump is wrong on Iran dal Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben- Meir NEW YORK — The current efforts to reconcile between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas will be doomed to fail just like several previous attempts, unless both sides agree to resolve three major obstacles—a united strategy to find a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the fate of Hamas’ cache of
Three necessary steps for the P.A. and Hamas Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — The concern that Iran will pursue the development of nuclear weapons once the current Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal expires in ten years is legitimate. But addressing these concerns cannot be achieved by nullifying the current agreement, which would only strengthen Iran’s resolve to acquire nuclear weapons. Instead,
Why U.S. should re-certify the Iran nuclear pact Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben-Meir Dear Mr. President, I have been in your country scores of times and developed close and friendly relations with many Turks from all walks of life, who all took pride in the incredible progress Turkey made under your leadership. During your first ten years as prime minister, you transformed Turkey economically, socially,
Scholar protests in open letter to Turkey’s Erdogan Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — The Iraqi Kurdish referendum vote for independence, scheduled for September 25, is more than likely to pass by an overwhelming majority of the Kurdish population. Sadly, however, not a single country (with the exception of Israel) expressed its support for the Kurds’ impending historic decision to finally realize their
Iraqi Kurds’ Freedom Long Overdue Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — I find it extremely hard to call you “President Trump” because sadly for America, you neither act like a president nor speak like one. You neither have the moral authority that a president needs to project, nor the courage of one. You have neither the vision of an enlightened
An open letter of complaint to President Trump Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK –President Trump’s new strategy that would presumably win the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan is doomed to fail, just like Bush’s and Obama’s before him. At best, the reported dispatch of an additional 4,000 American troops as recommended by his security chiefs will prevent the total collapse of Afghanistan
OpEd: Time for U.S. to make peace with the Taliban Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK –Much has been written about Syria’s civil war which has engulfed the country for the past six years, but sadly the mounting death and destruction in Syria has long since become mere statistics. The international community grew comfortably numb to the horror, the likes of which we haven’t seen since
Syria: A testament to intern’l moral bankruptcy Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — Iraq, once the cradle of civilization, has and continues to experience one of the most horrific violent conflicts in modern history that defies any semblance of civilized humanity. It is hard to imagine the mammoth death and destruction that has been inflicted on the Iraqi people by foreign powers and
Iraq should be divided into Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish states Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — It has been ten years since Hamas defeated the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and assumed control over the territory. Today, the socio-economic conditions in Gaza are so horrendous that if nothing is done immediately, the whole area is bound to explode in the face of Hamas, Israel, and the
Israel, Hamas must seek mutual peace Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir WASHINGTON, D.C. –Sixteen years have passed and we are still fighting a war in Afghanistan which is not only the longest in American history (at a cost approaching one trillion and the blood of thousands of brave soldiers), but one which is morally corrupting from which there seems to be no exit
U.S. military goals illusory in Afghanistan Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — It is hard to imagine that along with the catastrophe that has been inflicted on Syria for the past six years, another calamity is unfolding in Yemen of damning proportions while the whole world looks on with indifference. What is happening in Yemen is not merely a violent conflict
Yemen’s calamity is of damning proportions Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — Tens of thousands have been killed over 40 years of bloodletting between Turkish forces and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and tragically there seems to be no end in sight. In May 2016, President Erdogan stated that military operations against the PKK will continue until “the very last rebel is killed.”
Erdogan’s brutal treatment of the Kurds Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir Dear President Abbas, Last week I sent an open letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu, criticizing him in the strongest terms for pursuing policies that prolong the occupation of the West Bank rather than searching for ways to end it by resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on a two-state solution. I must
Israeli peace advocate writes open letter to Abbas Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East