Essays
Dr. Alon Ben-Meir has written scores of essays on the Middle East, with an emphasis on the Arab-Israeli conflict. His essays confront the current and headlining issues of the region, providing grounded historical and nonpartisan analysis.
His essays offer deep insight, not only into the complexities but also the human characteristics and psychological aspects of the conflict. Among his many essays on a variety of subjects, Ben-Meir also addresses critical issues related to democratization in the Arab and Muslim world, terrorism and the Iraq war. He seldom leaves out the role of the United States and its responsibilities toward the region.
Latest essays
Rebuilding Israeli-Palestinian Trust by Unilateral Steps
March 25, 2007
Historically and theologically, the Jews could be, and to a certain extent were being, trusted by Muslims as long as they were subordinate to the Muslims. Since the beginning of Zionism and the establishment of Israel, the Palestinians have been called upon to trust Israelis when they are powerful. Their mistrust is understandable, but the Israeli-Palestinian conflict stands no chance of being solved without overcoming this mistrust, at least at a minimum level. This realization was at the basis of the Oslo tal...
CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACY IN THE ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLD
May 5, 2006
President Bush’s notions that democratizing Iraq will have a ripple effect on the rest of the Arab world, bringing prosperity and peace to the region, and that democracy is the panacea for Islamic terrorism are unsubstantiated as well as grossly mi...
Lost Perspectives
October 25, 2005
Israel's momentous withdrawal from Gaza and the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, while substantially reducing the level of violence in the past eight months, have not produced the hoped-for momentum to propel the peace process...
The Battle to Rebuild Trust
September 12, 2004
The conference was sponsored by the Institute of the Study of Israel in the Middle East at the University of Denver, the University of Oklahoma's International Programs Center, Netanya Academic College's Strategic Dialogue Center in Israel,...
The Last Option
December 1, 2003
hope that the conflict between the Israelis and
Palestinians may at long last come to an end. This
spark though is barely visible in the darkness forged in
the crucible of more than three yea...
The Price Of Unilateralism
April 28, 2003
The Bush administration's decision to wage war against Iraq unilaterally under the cover of the so-called "coalition of the willing," that is, without the explicit approval of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has damaged, if no...
Peace With Syria First
February 12, 2001
By any Israeli geopolitical and strategic configuration, Syria remains the key to a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace. No one understands this premise better that Prime Minister Sharon. Sharon is savvy enough to know that, even if he were successful in a...
Behind The Tragic Israeli-Palestinian Violence and Beyond
December 15, 2000
America's Deepening Involvement In The Middle East
January 30, 2000
Sharing What Providence Has Given
January 29, 2000
Latest Articles RSS Feed