Righting the Wrong Israel’s continued treatment of Palestinian political prisoners is unconscionable. Mohammad El Halabi, an aid worker from Gaza, has been in prison for four years while he awaits his trial; this is nothing short of cruel absurdity. He has been forced before the court over 150 times, many of those appearances secret, without…
After 72 years of conflict, it is time for Israel and the Palestinians to realize that while a two-state solution remains the most viable option, there are irreversible realities on the ground that can be addressed only jointly in the context of a confederation. The contours of such a confederation are dictated by these realities,…
Recently I had an opportunity to brief a group of European diplomats and journalists on a variety of conflicts, with a focus on the Middle East. During the Q&A I was asked which of the region’s conflicts Biden should tackle first. Without much hesitation I said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, not only because it is over…
While I cheer Biden’s victory in the presidential election, I lament the state of the union Trump is leaving behind. Sadly, Biden’s victory has not been a repudiation of Trump, as he received more votes than any Republican candidate before him, which shocked millions of Americans. Why? Trump is a creature of our own making….
As a little Jewish boy in the streets of Baghdad I was looked upon by Arab boys my age as inferior. I became accustomed to it as if it were a natural phenomenon which I could do little to change. When my family and I landed in Israel following the historic exodus of the Iraqi…
The normalization of relations between Israel and Sudan is another step forward toward the establishment of a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace. This development, following the normalization of relations between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain, is extremely important, as any peaceful solution between adversaries that reduces the chances of violent conflict and promotes peace should be…
Turkey’s President Erdogan is becoming ever more dangerous as he continues to ravage his own country and destabilize scores of states in the Middle East, the Balkans, and North Africa, while cozying up to the West’s foremost adversaries. Sadly, there seems to be no appetite for most EU member states to challenge Erdogan and put…
On Wednesday Trump yet again refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power following the election: “Well, we’re going to have to see what happens. You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots and the ballots are a disaster.” Trump has demonstrated beyond any doubt that he has no respect for…
Kosovo became the youngest country in Europe when it declared independence in 2008. Sadly though, Kosovo continues to suffer from mounting problems, including a lack of experience in governing, rampant corruption (especially at the top echelons of the national government), dislocation of human and natural resources, bitter political rivalries, and undue influence by foreign powers….