The Rise of Hamas-Gaza
By Jonathan Spyer May 16, 2012
Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement which controls the Gaza Strip, recently held internal elections. The polls were for the Gaza Political Bureau and Shura Council, often described as the movement’s parliament. Hamas holds its votes in secret, and tries to prevent the outside world from gaining knowledge of the movement’s internal political processes. However, it [...]
Syrian Kurdish Dissident: Break Syria Into Pieces
By Jonathan Spyer May 16, 2012
Sherkoh Abbas, a veteran Syrian Kurdish dissident, called on Israel this week to support the break-up of Syria into a series of federal structures based on the country’s various ethnicities. Speaking from Washington, Abbas was also critical of US attempts to induce Syrian Kurds to join and work with the main opposition body, the Syrian [...]
Middle East Media Sampler for May 16, 2012
By Daniel Goldstein May 16, 2012
1) Hungering for more information Both the New York Times and Washington Post reported on the recently ended prisoners strike. Both reports were pretty straightforward, but not without troubling omissions. Isabel Kershner reported Palestinians in Jails End Hunger Strike for the New York Times. Although only a minority of the hunger strikers were identified with [...]
Middle East Media Sampler for May 15, 2012
By Daniel Goldstein May 15, 2012
1) Hungering for more information Both the New York Times and Washington Post reported on the recently ended prisoners strike. Both reports were pretty straightforward, but not without troubling omissions. Isabel Kershner reported Palestinians in Jails End Hunger Strike for the New York Times. Although only a minority of the hunger strikers were identified with [...]
Middle East Media Sampler for May 14, 2012
By Daniel Goldstein May 14, 2012
1) Of liberals and Islamists An op-ed in the New York Times, Can Islamists be liberals? by Mustafa Akyol starts off promisingly. But there is another reason for concern: What if elected Islamist parties impose laws that curb individual freedoms — like banning alcohol or executing converts — all with popular support? What if democracy [...]
The Obama Government Backs the Atrocity-Producing Forces So How Will it Stop Atrocities?
By Barry Rubin May 13, 2012
How can one write satire when the Obama Administration has created an Atrocities Prevention Board to prevent mass murder and genocide at the same time as it has been largely supporting the forces most likely to commit mass murder and genocide? We can almost call these regimes the Organization of Atrocity-Exporting States (OAES). With the [...]
With Election Charade, Assad Bides Time
By Jonathan Spyer May 13, 2012
Polling stations for the Syrian “Peoples’ Assembly” election opened at 7 a.m. on Monday. Information Minister Dr. Adnan Mahmoud said the elections would be held in “an atmosphere of democracy and pluralism,” according to the SANA state news agency. Opposition activists dispute the claim, saying that the current polls are the latest episode in [...]
Assad’s Russian Lifeline
By Jonathan Spyer May 13, 2012
The port of Oktyabrsk is situated on the left bank of the Bug River, 58 km. north of the entry to the Black Sea. Close to the city of Nikolayev, this anonymous Ukrainian port could not seem further from the strife-torn Middle East. Yet in the last year, Oktyabrsk has played a key role in [...]
MIddle East Media Sampler for May 13, 2012
By Daniel Goldstein May 13, 2012
1) A strong editorial The editors of the Washington Post have a strong editorial, A united strong Israel: It’s true that a more stable and centrist Israeli government may take action on Iran or Palestinian statehood. Mr. Netanyahu is positioned to move aggressively in either area. But whether he does is likely to depend more [...]
The Transforming Fire: Review by Joseph Morrison Skelly
By Jonathan Spyer May 12, 2012
The Transforming Fire: The Rise of the Israel–Islamist Conflict by Jonathan Spyer (New York: Continuum, 2010), 227 pages Reviewed by Joseph Morrison Skelly Treasurer, Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa /US Army Reserve “People walked from tank to tank, shaking hands with friends, wishing each other luck. I remember standing with my [...]
