The deafening silence of Jewish and Islamic scholars and religious leaders in response to the tragic events have taken place over the past two years in the Middle East brings to mind, in a curious way, a biblical reference to the land of Canaan (present-day Israel, the West Bank, Ga

That we must win the war against international terrorism cannot and must not be in doubt. The problem is that after fourteen months of waging such a war we are almost as vulnerable as we were before September 11th according to a report sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations and pr

The next Israeli elections, like previous ones , may be greatly influenced by the Palestinians' conduct on the ground, especially by the level of violence against Israel. Under the best of circumstances, the Sharon government in its present composition will not last beyond the end of this yea

The Bush administration's call for an international conference on the Middle East this Summer was precipitated by the convergence of events that has dramatically changed the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The proposed conference can make important progress toward peace

The past 18 months of dehumanizing violence between Israel and the Palestinians might have forced Arafat to give up his demand for repatriation of the Palestinian refugees, a demand that torpedoed the Camp David negotiations in the summer of 2000. This critical shift in policy has begun to have a revitalizing effect on the Israeli peace now movement. These developments, if carefully nurtured by the United States, could finally usher in an agreement based on a two states solution.

Not since Pearl Harbor has America absorbed such a devastating surprise attack. The dimension of the coordinated terrorist act that obliterated the World Trade Center and severely damaged the Pentagon while leaving an unbelievable trail of death and destruction may finally awaken the United Stat

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.

When President Clinton meets with President Hafez Assad in Geneva mid-January, he should use the occasion to announce the removal of Syria from the State Department's list of countries that sponsor terrorism.

There may be a first real opportunity in 50 years for Israel and Syria to make peace. But this historic opportunity could be lost because of fierce resistance to a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights led by the Israeli opposition parties and parties within Barak's own coalition government. Th