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In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

09/04/08
From Zero-Sum to Win-Win  —Mara Rudman, adviser, Middle East Progress; senior fellow, Center for American Progress. Original Commentary for Middle East Bulletin.
09/04/08
How Progress Is Possible  —
08/07/08
How to Deal with Jerusalem  —Lt. Col. (Res.) Ron Shatzberg, Project Director, Economic Cooperation Foundation. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.

Setting the Record Straight

Two-State Solution Still Best Option

“In practical terms, we can reach two conclusions: First, a final-status agreement, although its details are known, cannot be secured in the foreseeable future. Second, the time has come to think about other solutions. One of them is a return not to the 1967 borders, but rather, to the reality that prevailed in 1967, when Jordan controlled the West Bank.”
—Major General (ret.) Giora Eiland, “The Jordanian Option,” YNet, September 3, 2008 versus
  • "On both sides of the green line and, indeed, wherever people think about solutions to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, a lot of old/new thinking is taking place. … Most of these ideas are patently unrealistic. Discussion of them often reflects despair, not pragmatic strategic thinking. … Precisely because there is no such alternative, other options more readily suggest themselves, ranging from temporary conflict management to three states or entities. Nor does failure today mean that tomorrow we cannot try again to arrive at a two-state solution, which remains the best option for all."
    —Yossi Alpher, coeditor of the bitterlemons family of internet publications & former director, Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University, "One State Definitely Not an Option," bitterlemons.org, August 18, 2008

    • Middle East Analysis

    • How Progress Is Possible —Hiba Husseini, chair, Legal Committee to Final Status Negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis; former vice chairperson of the Palestine Securities Exchange (1998-May 2005). Interview with Middle East Bulletin.
    • Perils of an Israeli Transition —The New York Times, Editorial
    • The Arabs Will Look Differently Upon America —Ron Pundak, director general of the Peres Center for Peace and former architects and negotiators of the Oslo Agreement (bitterlemons.org)

    Who is General James L. Jones?

    November 30, 2007

    Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)

    Following the Annapolis Conference, General Jones was appointed Middle East Security Envoy by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Known for his outspoken independence and rich resume, General Jones has been in high demand since his retirement from the Marine Corps last year. The following are highlights of his career:

    Middle East Security Envoy:
    Appointed: by Condoleezza Rice on November 28, 2007
    Role: General Jones will address the regional security challenge “comprehensively and at the highest level” so as to build a solid foundation for a lasting peace, as described by Secretary Rice. General Jones’ mandate will extend beyond Israel and the Palestinian territories to include the entire region, such as Egypt and Jordan, giving him broader responsibilities than U.S. General Keith Dayton, with whom he will work.
    Notes: Secretary Rice said that she will look to General Jones for “candid, independent advice and assessments of our efforts [in the Middle East].”

    Chairman of the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq:
    Appointed: by Congress in June 2007
    Role: Chaired the independent commission to assess the readiness of the Iraqi Security Forces, their capabilities, and how support and training by U.S. forces can contribute to their effectiveness. The commission reported to Congress on September 2007.
    Notes: General Jones’ testimony to Congress was critical of the Iraqi security forces, but offered suggestions on how to move forward, including getting rid of Iraq’s national police force and trying to change the image of the U.S. forces as occupiers.

    Commander of U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR):
    Appointed: nominated by President Bush in January 2003 and confirmed by NATO member states, served until 2006
    Role: Commanded 38,000 service members from the alliance’s 26 member countries. NATO operations under his command included Afghanistan’s International Security Assistance Force, peacekeeping in Kosovo, “Operation Active Endeavor” in the Mediterranean, supporting the African Union’s peacekeeping mission in Sudan’s Darfur region, and training the new Iraqi military’s officer corps. While overseeing NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Jones emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach to solving the conflict, which included international aid and reconstruction efforts targeted at combating corruption and the drug trade.
    Notes: General Jones was the first Marine to lead NATO. As SACEUR, Israel was included in his area of responsibility.

    32nd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps:
    Appointed: nominated by President Clinton in April 1999 and approved by the Senate for appointment to the rank of general from lieutenant general and assignment as the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps
    Role: General Jones began his term of service in July 1999, making him a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

    Previous Career in the Marine Corps:
    Commissioned: General Jones was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in January 1967.
    Role: His career in the Marines spanned five decades, during which he served in a variety of posts both domestically and abroad, including Vietnam, Japan, Iraq, Turkey, Germany, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia. In Washington, General Jones served as the Marine Corps liaison officer to the U.S. Senate, as the Director of Expeditionary Warfare Division (N85) in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Policies and Operations and Marine Corps Headquarters, and Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, all of which gave him extensive experience working with legislators on Capitol Hill.
    Notes: General Jones’ personal decorations include: Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit with four gold stars, Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V", and the Combat Action Ribbon.