International

Iran and Syria’s nuclear deception verified

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Finally. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) formally acknowledged that the target destroyed in the Syrian desert in 2007 was a covertly built nuclear reactor.  Director General Yukiya Amano publicly accepted U.S. intelligence information that identified it as a nearly completed nuclear reactor that would have been able to […]

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International, Shoshana Bryen

Hamas-Fatah reconciliation counterproductive to Palestinian cause

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It looks like they lost the farm. The reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas surprised Mahmoud Abbas as well as Israelis. Fatah’s leadership had signed a draft agreement in 2009, and Hamas’ signing on this week came out of the blue. Or, on the basis of a post hoc analysis,

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

What Abbas and Haniyah may have told each other

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hamas and Fatah have reportedly smoothed over their differences to present a united front in pursuit of a declaration of Palestinian independence from the UN General Assembly in September. [Side note: most countries declare independence, a la Thomas Jefferson or David Ben Gurion. The Palestinians prefer that someone do

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen

Hamas-Fatah deal augurs death of Israeli-Palestinian peace process

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Suddenly, after years of persistent failure, Fatah and Hamas–which means the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas–have signed a detailed reconciliation agreement. Why now? It’s preparation for the UN and the claim that the PA is sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinians. In exchange for being able to claim it

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Middle East

Obama may have Nobel Prize but in foreign policy he needs help

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — No one should claim that Barack Obama is a foreign policy sophisticate. His Nobel Peace Prize will keep historians busy speculating for generations. We might forgive his pledges to close Guantanamo and focus the American commitment in Afghanistan as electoral fluff, but Guantanamo is still active as his campaign for

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Ira Sharkansky, USA

Maimuna: A holiday for reaching across the ethnic divide

By Rabbi Dow Marmur  JERUSALEM — The festival of Maimouna was brought to Israel by the Jews from Morocco. There’re several theories about its origin, none of which is convincing. But that hasn’t stopped it from becoming a national event in the country, celebrated by Jews from many different backgrounds. It starts the same evening as Pesach

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Middle East

The Big Historic Event Today: Syria’s Biggest Crisis in 40 Years

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Today Syria has entered its biggest internal crisis since 1970. The regime has come out to crush the insurrection. Either it will succeed by killing many people or the insurrection will build into a real potential revolution. And the Western states are doing…precisely zero. One Syrian expert friend responded:

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International, Middle East, USA