Syria’s preeminent ally, Russia, should clarify its policy in Syria with respect to Israel, Iran and Hezbollah. At present, it is convoluted, contradictory and, ultimately, muddled. The problem is devilishly complex. The Syrians, having enabled Iran’s military entrenchment in Syria, have become entangled in Israel’s resultant conflict with Iran. Russia, Syria’s arms provider and political […]
The erratic and bombastic Donald Trump pulls one surprise after another from his bag of tricks. In December, the U.S. president announced that the United States, having defeated the Islamic State organization, would unilaterally withdraw its contingent of 2,000 troops from Syria. Trump’s announcement surprised, among others, the head of the U.S. Central Command, General […]
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thinks Israel can normalize relations with the Arab world before the Palestinian problem is fully resolved. Animated by this belief, he and his cabinet ministers have reached out to Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East — and in Africa — in a bid to turn this concept into reality. Netanyahu’s facile […]
A new wave of Democrats swept into the U.S. Congress last month after mid-term elections in November, wresting control of the House of Representatives from the Republicans. Among the novices are the first two Muslim women ever to serve in Congress — Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who have been respectively assigned […]
Israeli and Russian interests in Syria — Russia’s closest ally in the Middle East and Israel’s longtime enemy — have been on a collision course for the past few months. Nonetheless, Israel and Russia have managed to maintain a constructive dialog to soften the edges of their differences over Syria. Since last September, when Russia […]
Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, warned the Security Council on January 22 that Syria would attack Ben-Gurion Airport in Israel if Israeli air strikes against Damascus International Airport do not cease. In response, Israel deployed the Iron Dome missile defence system in the greater Tel Aviv area. Jaafari’s threat is very serious and […]
On his last visit to Israel earlier this month, John Bolton, U.S. President Donald Trump’s national security advisor, allotted a few hours of his time for a special tour. Weather permitting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would show him the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since the Six Day War and which it annexed […]
Less than a month after President Donald Trump abruptly announced the withdrawal of 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria within 30 days, the United States has adjusted its Syrian policy, much to Israel’s relief. Trump’s announcement on December 19 alarmed Israel, which feared that a precipitous U.S. pullout would leave a dangerous vacuum in Syria that Iran, Israel’s fiercest […]
When Israelis head to the polls on April 9 for the second time in four years to cast their ballots in a general election, they’ll be confronted by an array of political, social and economic issues. This time around, they’ll have to factor one more consideration into their calculations: the criminal charges of corruption and […]
Israeli police recommended a month ago that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be indicted on criminal charges in connection with three corruption, bribery and fraud cases against him. These are extremely serious accusations that should concern Israeli voters. Lest it be forgotten, this was the third time in a year that the police had filed this recommendation. […]