Middle East

Mideast turmoil spotlights value of U.S.-Israel alliance

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States provides military assistance to a variety of countries in the Middle East, Africa and Southwest Asia, including Israel, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Jordan, Yemen, Pakistan and Bangladesh. We provide equipment and training for the security forces of the Palestinian Authority. We also provide military aid to […]

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen

Ron Prosor named as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations

LONDON (WJC) — Ron Prosor, 58, currently Israel’s ambassador in Britain, has been appointed as the country’s new permanent representative to the United Nations in New York. According to media reports, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s National Security Advisor Uzi Arad is expected to succeed Prosor in London. Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan decided last week

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Middle East

Erekat’s resignation dispiriting to Israeli left

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–When Al-Jazeera published the so-called Palestine Papers, reporting on the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, it looked for a moment that the standard mantra of the right-wing in Israel that there’s no partner to negotiate with would be exploded. However, with the resignation of Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian

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Middle East

Egyptian intellectual says Brotherhood must prove its readiness for democracy

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Pay close attention. This is an important signal of where the Egyptian regime is going. Tarek Heggy, one of Egypt’s most distinguished intellectuals and a man who, more than anyone else I know, predicted the course of events there, has written an  analysis of the Muslim Brotherhood. It is

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Middle East

All things considered, Army guaranteeing Egypt’s stability wasn’t such a bad outcome

By Isaac Yetiv, Ph.D LA JOLLA,  California — Contrary to some pundits and politicos, I do not blame the Obama administration and its Intelligence apparatus for not having foreseen the events that shook Tunisia and Egypt. But I surely blame the US government for mishandling the crisis after it has erupted. The world heard different, sometimes even

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Middle East

Now that Mubarak is out, world watches what Egypt will do next

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — In a move that simultaneously caught the world by surprise and yet indicated the regime’s strategy, Egyptian President Husni Mubarak announced his resignation the day after refusing to resign. It is impossible to believe that the military, to whom Mubarak handed power, changed its mind and plan in the

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Middle East

Bipartisan pair of congressmen urge strong financial support for Israel

WASHINGTON, DC  (Press Release)- As Congress prepares to consider final funding levels for this year’s budget, and with rising uncertainty about the future stability of Egypt, a bipartisan pair of lawmakers are fighting to ensure that America’s support for the State of Israel remains strong. Earlier this week, Representatives Robert Dold (R- Illinois)  and Gary Peters

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Middle East

Jewish population increase outpacing that of Arabs in Israel

TEL AVIV (WJC)–A new demographic study says that Israel’s Jewish population now stands at over 6.1 million and predicts that this growth trend would continue in the coming years. According to the survey by the end of 2010 the Jewish population in Israel totaled 6,122,000. At the same time, the country’s Arab population was 1,573,000.

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Middle East

Predictions of new intifada based on faulty assumptions

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Major events in Lebanon,Tunis and Egypt, along with lesser noises from Yemen and Jordan have excited the Israeli and international peace camps to insist on greater efforts by Israel, the United States and others. If not, Israel will pay a heavy price in inevitable violence, and the rest of the world will

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Erdogan seeks to drum up popular Egyptian anger against Israel

ALEPPO, Syria  (Press Release)–Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that “Israel must under no circumstance interfere” in what is happening in Egypt. He told the Turkish newspaper ‘Hürriyet’ that the US and Greece should intervene to stop Israel should it be “inclined to meddle in Egypt in a last-ditch effort to try and

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Middle East

In praise of Shimon Peres

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Shimon Peres has held prominent positions in Israeli politics in general and (especially early in his career) in the defense establishment in particular since the inception of the state, even though the electorate has never liked him. Until the Knesset finally chose him to be Israel’s current president, he could

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Middle East