Israel-Palestinian Issues

Hamas Openly Joins Brotherhood; Brotherhood Openly Joins Hamas’s War on Israel

By Barry Rubin January 3, 2012

Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group which rules the Gaza Strip and has been moving toward a partnership with the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah party, has openly proclaimed itself the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. This development took place during the visit to Cairo of Hamas’s Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. It should be remembered that Hamas not only calls for Israel’s destruction but for genocide against Jews generally. It was Haniyeh’s first trip abroad … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Egypt, Israel-Palestinian Issues, Middle East Politics

How Can Israel Please the American Government, Media, and “Experts”? It Can’t

By Barry Rubin December 18, 2011

640px-Barack_Obama_with_Benjamin_Netanyahu_in_the_Oval_Office_5-18-09_2

There is a constant effort—especially by the anti-Israel left--to portray those who express mainstream Israeli public opinion and the views of professional analysts as “right-wing” or “Likudnik.” This leads me to wonder what one would have to say to please these people. What would be the equivalent of a “liberal” position for Israel according to them? What kinds of positions would they see as legitimate? What follows is not meant to exaggerate in any way but is, I believe, a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Israel, Israel-Palestinian Issues, Middle East Politics, U.S. Policy on the Middle East, Understanding the Middle East

How Is Obama’s Middle East Policy Endangering Israel? Let Me Count the Ways

By Barry Rubin December 12, 2011

Think about this: In the year 2012 the overwhelming majority of Muslims in the Middle East will be governed by radical Islamist regimes that believe in waging jihad on Israel and America, wiping Israel off the map, suppressing Christians, reducing the status of women even more than it is now, and their right as true interpreters of God's will to govern as dictators. (Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia, and Turkey) President Obama does not see this as a problem. Recently a reader sent me a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Israel, Israel-Palestinian Issues, Middle East Politics, U.S. Policy on the Middle East

Fact-Checking Newt Gingrich and The Fact-Checkers on the Middle East

By Barry Rubin December 11, 2011

ABC News “fact-checked” Gingrich’s Middle East statements and some readers asked me to fact-check ABC so here is my view: Gingrich said Palestinians are an invented people. ABC says: Not true. I think Gingrich was basically correct but that point isn't so significant. There is a strong tendency of contemporary experts to argue that pretty much every nationality is invented including the French, British, Italian, Polish, and German. ABC says that the Palestinian Arabs began to have a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Israel-Palestinian Issues, Media Coverage of the Middle East, Middle East Politics, Palestinians

The Majdalani Effect, The Zawahiri Strategy and the Curse on the Middle East

By Barry Rubin December 6, 2011

In a rare glimpse behind the curtain, a Palestinian scandal sheds a lot of light on the Palestinian Authority, Arab politics, and Western illusions. Palestinian Authority (PA) Minister of Labor Ahmed Majdalani was being interviewed by a radio station when, not realizing that his microphone was on, he referred to Palestinian workers as “brothers of whores.” Hundreds of callers complained. Majdalani’s answer? He claimed he was talking about Israelis, not Palestinians! What does this tell … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Israel-Palestinian Issues, Media Coverage of the Middle East, Middle East Politics, Palestinians, Understanding the Middle East

Secretary of Defense Panetta Shows How the Obama Administration is Selling Out Israel and US Interests

By Barry Rubin December 4, 2011

In a major address on U S. Middle East policy to the Brookings Institution U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gave us a clear picture of the Obama Administration’s view of the region. When taken along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent speech on the same subject, we now know the following regarding Obama’s policy: It is dangerously and absurdly wrong. This administration totally and completely, dangerously and disastrously for U.S. interests misunderstand the Middle … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Israel-Palestinian Issues, U.S. Policy on the Middle East, Understanding the Middle East

Why Don’t Western Elites Get the Middle East? Because They Think It’s Just Like Them (Sort of)

By Barry Rubin November 22, 2011

I’ve come to realize a hitherto hidden dimension of why it is so hard for Western establishment figures (policymakers, journalists, and academics) to understand the Middle East. It is the conflict between the thirst for good news and the reality of bad news. Being optimists (based on the relatively good course of their own societies?) and believing that positive change is really easy if people only put their minds to making it happen (ditto and also liberal thinking), they exaggerate any … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Israel-Palestinian Issues, Middle East Politics, Understanding the Middle East

Why Did Sarkozy and Obama ‘Dis’ [Disrespect] Bibi?

By Barry Rubin November 17, 2011

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During a conversation when they thought nobody was listening French President Nicolas Sarkozy and U.S. President Barack Obama said nasty things about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A lot of the analysis about what this tells us I think is rather misleading. Regarding Sarkozy, French-Israel relations have been good and there have not been major problems with Sarkozy. On one hand, Sarkozy has been far friendlier to Israel than his Gaullist and Socialist predecessors. True, he is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, Israel-Palestinian Issues, Media Coverage of the Middle East, Regional, U.S. Policy on the Middle East

The Simplest Thing in the World to Understand: Why There Isn’t Israel-Palestinian Peace

By Barry Rubin October 18, 2011

Media, "experts," and governments finds it very hard to understand an amazing phenomena. No matter what they offer to the Palestinian Authority (PA)--even if it includes money, concessions, and steps toward statehood--the PA says "no." I wouldn't even bother to write this since the answer seems so simple but a lot of people who are paid to deal with this stuff don't get it. So let me elucidate: The PA wants everything, an independent state on all the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Israel-Palestinian Issues, Understanding the Middle East

Strategic Notes on the Gilad Shalit Prisoner Exchange

By Barry Rubin October 12, 2011

There are some substantial misunderstandings on the nature of the Gilad Shalit exchange deal. I should stress that the list of those Palestinian prisoners being given in exchange for him has not yet been released. But note the following: --The number 1000 is impressive but most will be chosen by Israel, meaning they will be prisoners with the lightest sentences and crimes, in other words, people who would have been released anyway during the next year or two. --Israel rejected Hamas's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Israel-Palestinian Issues