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 — Today, the Israeli occupation of the West Bank has reached the milestone of 50 years that will be recalled in shame. Fifty years that have dehumanized both the occupier and the occupied; years of failing to muster the courage to right the wrong. Fifty years that bred nothing […]
Op-Ed: 50 years of immoral occupation Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — Sadly, President Trump’s visit to the Middle East only confirmed my skepticism about what might come out of it. Trump went to the region with nothing to offer to mitigate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and received no commitment from either Israeli or Palestinian leaders to resume the peace negotiations in
Trump in the Middle East: Much ado about nothing Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — President Trump’s upcoming visit to Israel and Palestine—during which he hopes to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process—will go nowhere unless he fully understands the complexity of the conflict and why previous attempts by successive American administrations to negotiate a peace deal have failed. Recently, he stated that “I want
How Trump can facilitate Mideast peace Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — Israel will soon reach on June 5th the grim milestone of fifty years of occupation of the West Bank. Many Israelis have become complacent and succumbed to the government’s argument that the continuing occupation is necessary to safeguard Israel’s national security. Others are lamenting the day, as they view
To end occupation, Israeli left must unite Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — The razor-thin victory (51.3% to 48.7%) of Turkey’s President Erdogan in the referendum held on April 16 in fact denies Erdogan the mandate to govern with the sweeping powers the new constitution grants the President, especially when the results of the referendum are seriously contested. Even if there was no
Op-Ed: A sad day for the nation of Turkey Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — President Trump’s unexpected attack on Syria’s Shayrat airbase in response to President Assad’s sarin gas attack on his own citizens has changed the dynamic of Syria’s civil war and potentially its eventual outcome. Trump’s attack sent a clear message not only to Assad, but to Russia and Iran, who
Force plus diplomacy: a winning strategy Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — The growing tension between Turkey and its Western allies, which was further heightened during the Obama administration, is narrowing the space for cooperation between the two sides and in fact is progressively worsening. Erdogan’s hope that he and President Trump would improve their ties as members of NATO has dramatically
Turkish – Western alliance seriously fraying Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — As we approach the sixth year of Syria’s civil war, the whole international community remains completely inept and has failed to join together in the search for a solution that could end the horrifying slaughter of thousands of innocent civilians each month. Sadly (but for obvious reasons), each
The battle over Syria’s future Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — Although Prime Minister Netanyahu is known for his focus on the Palestinian and Iranian threats to Israel’s national security, in recent months he has increasingly sounded the alarm over Iran in particular rather than the Palestinians. As the defeat of ISIS in both Iraq and Syria is all but
Nightmare scenario: A three-front Israeli war Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle EastThis is the fourth and last in a series of articles based in part on eyewitness accounts about the rapidly deteriorating socio-political conditions in Turkey and what the future may hold for the country By Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK–In many conversations and encounters I had over the years with former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu,
The Sultan of an illusionary Ottoman Empire Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, InternationalBy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — Anyone who follows Turkish President Erdogan’s political career cannot escape the conclusion that he has carefully and systematically crafted policies framed in Islamic clothing. He uses religion to present himself and his political agenda as if it is being sanctioned by a higher authority, surreptitiously uses Islamic symbols to indoctrinate
Erdogan exploits Islam for personal and political gain Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle EastBy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — President Trump remained true to his customary flip-flopping on just about every issue when he stated during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu that he is “looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like… I can live with either one.” By
Two-state solution is the only workable choice Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — Should President Trump fulfill his campaign promise to relocate the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, it would have major regional and international repercussions. The Trump administration is currently reevaluating the implications of such a move and no final decision has been made. Given the sensitivity and far-reaching
U.S. could suggest a price for moving its embassy Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USAThis is the second in a series of articles based in part on eyewitness accounts about the rapidly deteriorating socio-political conditions in Turkey and what the future may hold for the country. The first article is available here. By Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — Much has been written on the endemic corruption in Turkey which
Erdogan: A classic case of how power corrupts Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East