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Middle East

Fighting A Losing Battle

Israel has mounted a campaign to squelch a diplomatic drive by major European countries to recognize a future Palestinian state. By doing so, Israel is fighting a losing battle, and is on the wrong side of history. In recent weeks, the new Swedish prime minister, Stefan Lofven, has expressed support for Palestinian statehood, which is […]

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Middle East

Kerry’s Absolutely Right

  John Kerry, the U.S. secretary of state, has been harshly and unfairly criticized by two right-wing Israeli cabinet ministers for having stated an obvious and compelling truth. Their tendentious comments reflect badly on their understanding of fundamental realities in the Middle East. Speaking at the State Department the other day, Kerry called for a […]

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Middle East

Rebuilding Gaza/Making Peace

The international donors conference held in Cairo on Oct. 12 sent out an unmistakable message: Rebuilding the Gaza Strip after last summer’s 50-day war between Israel and radical Palestinian factions is a necessity, but the Aug. 26 ceasefire that ended the fighting may not endure unless Israel and the Palestinians reach a broader political agreement to […]

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Middle East

Canada Goes To War

Canada is now officially at war with Islamic State, the Sunni jihadist organization that has left a bloody trail of death and destruction in Syria and Iraq. By a margin of 157-134, the Canadian parliament on Oct. 7 passed a motion authorizing air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq for a period of up to […]

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Middle East

Canada’s Jihadist Problem

Canada, belatedly, is waking up to the homegrown jihadist threat. Eight years have elapsed since the “Toronto 18” terror plot in southern Ontario was uncovered by police, yet Canada has only recently begun to treat the problem with the gravity it deserves. A few days ago, the Canadian government classified Islamic State as a terrorist […]

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Middle East

“The Sky’s The Limit”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in an upbeat mood as he turned up at a press conference in New York City on September 28. One of the topics at hand was his upcoming meeting with India’s newly elected prime minister, Narendra Modi, who’s considered friendly toward Israel. “We are very excited by the prospects of […]

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Middle East

Words Of Wisdom

Tzipi Livni, Israel’s lead negotiator at the failed peace talks with the Palestinian Authority, has issued a warning that Israel should heed. Livni, the minister of justice in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government, said that Israel has two choices: “Either we resume negotiations with the Palestinians to reach a permanent agreement, winning the world’s […]

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Middle East

Obama Buying Time

The latest phase in the global armed struggle against Islamic State, an Al Qaeda breakaway organization that has wreaked havoc in the Middle East, has begun with a flash of shock and awe. More than a month after bombing Islamic State strongholds in northern Iraq, the United States has opened a new front in the […]

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Middle East

Terrorism Unmasked

In a landmark court verdict whose ramifications may be of seminal importance in the battle against terrorism, a federal jury in New York City has concluded that a major financial institution in the Middle East, Arab Bank, supported terrorism. The judgment, handed down on Sept. 22, is significant. It’s said to be the first civil […]

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Middle East

Surrender To Malice

In a shameful surrender to ignorance and malice, South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress, has condemned Israel as “a state founded on the basis of apartheid.” Accordingly, the creation of Israel was “a crime against humanity.” This statement, issued by ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe in conjunction with the Communist Party, the Congress of […]