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

"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)

Friends in High Places

The Economist

March 21, 2008

The Federal Republic of Germany waited until Israel was 17 years old before establishing diplomatic relations. But the two countries have since more than made up for the delay. This week the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, took half her cabinet to Jerusalem for an early celebration of Israel’s 60th birthday (in May). Israel’s prime minister, Ehud Olmert, greeted her at the airport as if she were an American president. On March 18th Ms Merkel addressed Israel’s parliament, an honour previously reserved for heads of state. It is almost official: Germany is Israel’s second-best friend.

Obviously, Germany counts for less than the United States, but its friendship is valuable even so. Within the European Union, Germany lobbies against one-sided criticism of Israeli behavior towards the Palestinians. It championed the 2000 association agreement, which liberalized trade between the EU and Israel. When the EU debates the Middle East, Germany is said by some to keep Israel quietly in the loop. Israel’s trust in Germany has even lessened its longstanding aversion to giving the EU a formal role in the Middle East peace process. Access the full article>>