Cartoon by Sam Ben-Meir The forced resignation of Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu suggests only one thing—President Erdogan, who is totally absorbed by his lust for power, will tolerate no one in his government to deviate from any of his political positions. Prime Minister Davutoğlu was no exception. Although the Turkish constitution grants the Prime…
By Alon Ben Meir, Professor at New York University, Expert on Middle-East Politics, specializing in negotiations and conflict resolution And Gilles Pargneaux, Member of the European Parliament, Vice-president of the delegation with Mashrek Countries The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has rarely been so far from finding a resolution. Since the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas…
A question often raised is: are leaders a reflection of their time, or are they individuals who rise to answer the call of the hour? History has shown that many have risen to the occasion out of strong moral conviction. The events and the circumstances at the time were such that acting or failing to…
An open letter to President Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas Political Chief Khaled Meshal, and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh Cartoon by Sam Ben-Meir Dear President Abbas, Mr. Meshal, and Prime Minister Haniyeh, I am writing this open letter to you because I believe that it’s time for you to take a hard look at the dismal reality…
The horrific attacks in Brussels by terrorists affiliated with ISIS that claimed the lives of 35 people and injured more than 200 was all but inevitable. These attacks may well increase in frequency and intensity in many European cities where citizens travel freely and violent extremists among them can plot attacks without early detection. Although…
In the wake of the unimaginable horror of World War II the international community committed itself to never allow such atrocities to take place again with impunity. But as was the case with the many tragic genocides that happened since then, including Bosnia and Rwanda, witnessing in real time the systematic destruction of a country…
Supporters of Gulen movement shout slogans during a protest outside the Kanalturk and Bugun TV building in Istanbul October 28, 2015. REUTERS/Osman Orsal Only a few months after Turkey’s President Erdogan raided the offices of the Koza Ipek Media Group, the Turkish police assaulted early this month the offices of Feza Publications, which owns two…
Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu, I write this letter to you with a heavy heart as it pains me deeply to see the beautiful dream of a strong and proud Israel, the country that was expected to embrace what is virtuous, moral, and just, now losing its reason for being—as a free and secure Jewish state…
One of the main prerequisites to defeating ISIS in Iraq and stabilizing the country is the establishment of an independent Sunni Iraqi state alongside the current Shiite government and the autonomous Kurdish entity. As long as the Sunni Iraqis do not know what the future has in store for them, they will be unwilling to…