The news that Hamas and Fatah may conclude an agreement and avert not only more deadly clashes but reach a consensus on a national political agenda would be the best thing that can happen to the Palestinian people. Fed up with internal infighting, political disarray, corruption, and now, p

The decision by President Mahmoud Abbas to engage all Palestinian factions in a national dialogue to stop the present internal discord from spinning out of control and to create a coherent national policy toward Israel has not been made a minute too soon. The challenge that Mr. Abbas prese

For the past five years the Bush administration has followed a failed policy toward Iran, leading to the current dangerous impasse. It is time for the administration to reassess its strategy, think out of the box, and enter into direct talks with Tehran. The goal would not simply be to defuse the pr

Any concerted effort by the Bush administration with the support of other regional powers in the Middle East to undermine Hamas and precipitate its early collapse will be counterproductive and extremely dangerous. A better option is to persuade Hamas, for its own good, to enforce a compreh

The realignment of Israel’s body politic as manifested in the recent elections represents an historic watershed in Israeli politics. For the first time since 1967, a conversion of several parties, representing a majority of the Israeli electorate, supports the withdrawal from most of

Committing an act of terror against Israel at this particular juncture, or even condoning it, is the worst mistake Hamas can make. It is a mistake that will severely undermine its authority and shatter the ardent hope of the Palestinian majority to live in peace. Hamas must quickly rein in

For the first time, Israeli demands for ending the violence as a precondition for any progress in negotiation with the Palestinians converge with Hamas’ interests in ending the violence in order to survive politically following its overwhelming victory in the recent elections. This i

In less than a month, national elections in Israel will determine which party wins a relative majority in the Knesset. I believe that the Kadima Party under your leadership will emerge victorious and you will become Prime Minister. More than at any other time in Israel’s history a co

I am addressing this letter to you because you are known to be a pragmatic man and also a believer. Use your pragmatism and belief in God to alter the destiny of your people and walk them to the “promised land” because they have suffered enough.

The long history of the H