What If Bush Invited Sharon and Abu Mazen to Camp David?
The Prospects for Negotiations in the Post-Arafat Era
Dore Gold and David Keyes
The Geneva Accord conceded almost all the security arrangements for the West Bank and Gaza Strip sought by past Israeli governments and leaves Israel with no safety net in the event that the agreement is violated by the Palestinian side.
The Geneva Accord: A Strategic Assessment
Maj. Gen. (res) Yaakov Amidror
The Geneva Accord conceded almost all the security arrangements for the West Bank and Gaza Strip sought by past Israeli governments and leaves Israel with no safety net in the event that the agreement is violated by the Palestinian side.
Legal Acrobatics: The Palestinian Claim that Gaza is Still Occupied Even After Israel Withdraws
Dore Gold
If no Israeli military government is exercising its authority or any of "the functions of government" in the Gaza Strip, as stated in Article 6 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, then there is no occupation. Thus, the charge of continued "occupation" even though the Palestinians exercise self-government and the Israeli civilian and military presence have been removed, is less a rigorous legal definition and more a blunt political instrument to serve the PLO's diplomatic and military agenda against Israel.
Are There Signs of a Jordanian-Palestinian Reengagement?
Dan Diker and Pinchas Inbari
For the first time in Arab diplomatic history, the Jordanians drafted a peace proposal in March 2005 calling for normalization of relations with Israel before the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Arab League delegates reported that at least 13 of the 22 Arab countries expressed initial support for the Jordanian proposal. A Palestinian-Jordanian confederation of some variety seems to be the most natural political alternative from historical, cultural and ethnic standpoints.
Understanding the Breakdown of Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations
Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
A Palestinian state will never be perceived as the ultimate fulfillment of Palestinian national aspirations. Perceiving political compromise as proof of a historic retreat of Zionism before the Palestinian national movement, and proof that the balance of power is changing in their favor, the Palestinians will be in a better position to continue the struggle.
Lessons of the Gaza Security Fence for the West Bank
Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog
As part of Oslo, Israel gave up 80% of Gaza on May 18, 1994. Disengagement from Gaza means withdrawal from the remaining 20%.
A key security element in Gaza was the creation of a one-kilometer security buffer zone monitored by soldiers in high-tech observation posts.
In addition to the fence, we must continue to gather intelligence throughout the territories in order to be able to intercept Palestinian terrorists.
Ethical Dilemmas in Fighting Terrorism
Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin
An ethics committee crafted principles on how to make moral and ethical decisions in Israel's operational campaign against terror.
Everyone who is directly involved in terror is a legitimate target. Because of the level of incitement, collateral damage only raised Palestinian public support for terror from 95 to 96%.
In the current war Israel has lost over 1,000 people - equivalent to
the U.S. suffering 45,000 dead and 300,000 wounded.
21st Century Threats Facing Israel
Maj. Gen. Dan Haloutz
The challenge of full-scale war is not behind us. Many countries in the region do not accept the presence of Israel as a natural fact. If the time comes that someone in the region thinks we have lost our strength, we can expect to be challenged.
Wartime Witch Hunt:
Blaming Israel for the Iraq War
Dore Gold
While some have charged that the primary interest of the Bush administration in going to war against Saddam Hussein was to defend Israeli security interests, by 2003 Iraq was clearly not Israel's primary concern. With Israeli leaders at the time calling Iran "the main existential threat to Israel,"
the American war against Iraq may have had an unintended side-effect of removing a secondary or tertiary threat to Israel, but not a primary threat.
American Evenhandedness in the Mideast Peace Process: Lessons from Camp David II and the Al-Aqsa Intifada
Saul Singer
Though the ties between the U.S. and Israel are indeed close, deep, and institutionalized, a closer examination reveals a constant tension between support for Israel and "evenhandedness" between Israel and the Arab world. Rather than "bridging" between extreme Israeli concessions and absolutist Palestinian positions, there must be a recognition that a lasting peace depends on the Palestinians' ability to compromise.
Bush Erases the Clinton Parameters
Dore Gold
President Bush's April 14, 2004, letter to Prime Minister Sharon represents a significant shift in U.S. policy. Bush does not insist on any land swaps involving Israeli territory, and states that Palestinian refugees should be settled in a future Palestinian state "rather than Israel."
Bush refers to "defensible borders" in the context of preserving and strengthening "Israel's capability to deter and defend itself, by itself." Under Bush, security must be achieved first, as a prerequisite for peace.
The Expulsion of the Palestinian Authority from Jerusalem and the Temple Mount
Dan Diker
Israel has ended the Palestinian Authority's penetration of eastern Jerusalem and its control of the Muslim Waqf on the Temple Mount, restoring Jordanian religious administration of the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound. West Bank Palestinians may have to decide whether they prefer a political association with a post-disengagement Gazan leadership, which West Bankers have traditionally viewed as their inferiors, or a connection of even the most minimal sort with Jordan instead.
Is Hamas Preparing to Inherit the Palestinian Authority?
Jonathan D. Halevi
Hamas has established its own "army" in the Gaza Strip as a source of power and strength in opposition to the Palestinian Authority, in the understanding that the force that controls the Strip is the one that will actually succeed the Palestinian Authority.
The Use of Palestinian Children in the Al-Aqsa Intifada
Justus R. Weiner
The Palestinian Authority has intentionally mobilized Palestinian children to man the front line in its struggle against Israel, frequently using them as shields to protect Palestinian gunmen. The utilization of children in armed conflicts is barred by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and by UN Security Council Resolution 1261.
Israel's Anti-Terror Fence: The World Court Case
Laurence E. Rothenberg and Abraham Bell
The security fence is a necessary and proportional response to a campaign of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes by Palestinians. The "green line" from 1949 bounding the West Bank is solely a defunct military line demarcating the extent of the Transjordanian invasion of Israel in 1948.
Should the International Court of Justice Givean Advisory Opinion on Israel's Separation Fence?
Prof. Ruth Lapidoth
The emergency special session of the UN General Assembly was convened in accordance with the Uniting for Peace resolution of 1950, according to which certain conditions have to be fulfilled before the General Assembly can act, and these conditions have not been fulfilled in the present case.
In addition, the question is already being dealt with by the Security Council, which has adopted the "road map."
An Answer to the New Anti-Zionists: The Rights of the Jewish People to a Sovereign State in their Historic Homeland
Dore Gold and Jeff Helmreich
The new attack on Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state is particularly ironic since Jewish nationhood preceded the emergence of most modern nation-states by thousands of years. Given the historical background, it is impossible to argue that the Palestinians have a claim to the Land of Israel superior to that of the Jews.
From "Occupied Territories" to "Disputed Territories"
Dore Gold
The politically-loaded terms "occupied territories" or "occupation" seem to apply only to Israel and are hardly ever used when other territorial disputes are discussed. Israel possesses legal rights with respect to the West Bank and Gaza Strip that appear to be ignored by those who repeat the term "occupied territories" without any awareness of Israeli territorial claims.
Diplomatic and Legal Aspects of the Settlement Issue
Jeffrey Helmreich
One may legitimately support or challenge Israeli settlements in the disputed territories, but they are not illegal, and they have neither the size, the population, nor the placement to seriously impact upon the future status of the disputed territories and their Palestinian population centers.
Israel's Rights in Jerusalem
Dore Gold
An examination of Israel's position in Jerusalem through the study of the historical record and diplomatic documents.
International Recognition of a Unilaterally Declared Palestinian State: Legal and Policy Dilemmas
Tal Becker
The whole issue of recognizing new states is directly tied to regional security in many parts of the world. The precedent that would be set in the Palestinian case, analyzed here, has important implications for the international community as a whole.
Legal Aspects of the Palestinian Refugee Question
Ruth Lapidoth
UN General Assembly Resolution 194 of 11 December 1948 does not recognize any "right" to return, but recommends that the refugees "should" be "permitted" to return, subject to the condition that the refugee wishes to live at peace with his neighbors.
Will a Gaza "Hamas-stan" Become a Future Al-Qaeda Sanctuary?
Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror and David Keyes
Would a security vacuum in a post-withdrawal Gaza facilitate al-Qaeda's entry there? In the past, al-Qaeda sought to establish itself wherever there was a security vacuum - in economically weak, failed states.
To prevent a safe haven for terrorism from emerging in Gaza, Israel must maintain control over the strategic envelope around Gaza even after its disengagement, particularly air, land, and sea access to the territory.
Empirical Hubris: How "Anonymous" Disguises the Real Threat to the West and Damages the CIA
Jeff Helmreich
The book, Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror, claims that Islamists are at war with the West over its policies, not its culture or values, and
seeks a reduction of U.S. support for Israel. Yet U.S. policy in the 1990s defended Muslims in Kuwait, Somalia, Bosnia, and Kosovo, while pressing for Israeli withdrawals, through the Oslo process, for the sake of the Palestinians - at the same time that al-Qaeda grew.
Lessons from Northern Ireland for the Arab-Israeli Conflict
Dean Godson
Northern Ireland has become the defining national security experience for those who now have stewardship for British policy. Many British officials see a strong resemblance between the Israelis and the Unionists, both of whom have to be pulled down a peg or two.
Britain recognizes the Jewish state's "right to exist." Beyond that, though, almost everything else is up for grabs.
Al-Qaeda's Intellectual Legacy: New Radical Islamic Thinking Justifying the Genocide of Infidels
Jonathan D. Halevi
From the radical Islamist perspective, democracy is a prohibited innovation that contradicts Islamic values and embodies a new heretical religion. The citizens in democratic Western countries become full participants in governmental decision-making by voting in elections and therefore they are no longer considered "non-combatants."
Israel is Not the Issue: Militant Islam and America
Dore Gold
State-supported media in parts of the Arab world continually engage in incitement of the Arab civilian population against the United States, regardless of the Israeli factor.
Combating Terrorist Financing: Where the War on Terror Intersects the Roadmap
Matthew Levitt
Since there is significant overlap between terrorist groups in the area of financing, failure to deal with the financing of groups like Hamas undermines efforts to stem the flow of funds to al-Qaeda.
Who is Taking Credit for Attacks on the U.S. Army in Western Iraq? Al-Jama'a al-Salafiya al-Mujahida
Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi
The new Iraqi Sunni resistance organization al-Jama'a al-Salafiya al-Mujahida offers a radical Islamic platform that contains many points in common with al-Qaeda.
Saudi Arabia's Dubious Denials of Involvement in International Terrorism
Dore Gold
Saudi Arabia's past involvement in international terrorism is indisputable. Saudi involvement in terrorist financing can be documented through materials captured by Israel in Palestinian headquarters in 2002-3.
Russia and Iran's Nuclear Program
Uzi Arad
Since the mid-1990s, there has been a continuous stream of leakage of Russian technology to Iran in the two critical domains of missile capability and nuclear development.
The Russians secretly negotiated additional nuclear cooperation agreements with Iran, with full knowledge that they were assisting Iran in its military programs.
What If Iran Gets the Bomb? The Iranian Challenge to the West
Ephraim Kam
From the Israeli viewpoint, an Iranian bomb will mean that for the first time an enemy country - and Iran is an enemy country by all definitions - will acquire the capability to inflict a very heavy blow on Israel. The more so since the formal Iranian position is that Israel should disappear from the map, that the solution of the Palestinian problem should be the establishment of a Palestinian state not alongside Israel but instead of Israel. No Arab government today holds such a position.
Domestic Threats to Iranian Stability: Khuzistan and Baluchistan
Michael Rubin
Iran is facing a new wave of domestic violence, with multiple bombings in the provinces of Khuzistan and Baluchistan. While the terrorism may have some ethnic or sectarian component, Iranian nationalism trumps ethnic separatism.
Any U.S. or Western attempt to play an ethnic card in Iran will backfire.
Are Jews Becoming Republican? Insights into Jewish Political Behavior
Steven Windmueller
An overwhelming majority of American Jews - 73 percent - describe themselves as moderate or liberal; 23 percent label themselves as conservative. Only 19 percent voted for Bush in the 2000 elections, but there are indications that Jewish support for the Republican Party is on the rise.
The Israel Swing Factor: How the American Jewish Vote Influences U.S. Elections
Jeffrey S. Helmreich
The issue of support for Israel has proven capable of spurring a sizable portion of Jews to switch parties - in large enough numbers to tip the scales in national or statewide elections.
Countervailing Trends in American Jewry: An Interview with Norman Podhoretz
Manfred Gerstenfeld
Like most non-Jewish liberals, the majority of American Jews were against the war in Iraq. Nevertheless it has been assumed all over the world that support for the war was disproportionately high among Jews.
What Went Wrong at the BBC: A Public Monopoly Abusing Its Charter Through Bias Against Israel
Trevor Asserson
BBC news reports about Israel are distorted by omission, by inclusion, by only giving partial facts, by who is interviewed, and by the background information or lack of it that is provided. Distorted media reporting creates an atmosphere in which anti-Semitism can thrive.
Journalistic License: Professional Standards in the Print Media's Coverage of Israel
Jeff Helmreich
Violations of professional journalism codes dominate reporting on Israel and the Palestinians. Careless reporting and errors in some of the most respected print media in the English language.
Does the International News Media Overlook Israel's Legal Rights in the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict?
Dan Diker
International news organizations covering the Arab-Israeli conflict frequently refer to international agreements and resolutions in ways that are prejudiced against Israel's legal rights and claims.
The International Atomic Energy Agency and Israel:
A Realistic Agenda
Gerald M. Steinberg
Under the terms of a 1969 agreement with the U.S. government, Israel has refrained from making any declarations about its nuclear weapons capability, or from testing devices.
As long as Jewish sovereignty and Israel's right to equality as a state among the nations is denied and hatred of Israel in the Arab and Moslem worlds remains intense, the need for a credible deterrent will not end.
The goal of a Middle East Nuclear Weapons Free Zone will become essentially unfeasible if Iran crosses the point of no return in its development of nuclear weapons.
The UN and the Assault on Israel's Legitimacy: Implications for the Roadmap
Anne Bayefsky
Israel must reassert that its consent is necessary for any decision affecting its essential interests. The UN and the European Union must be kept out of any monitoring and assessment function.
Srebrenica: The Dutch Sabra and Shatilla
Manfred Gerstenfeld
In the UN safe area of Srebrenica, 6-8,000 Bosnian Moslems were murdered in July 1995 by the Bosnian Serbs, the largest civilian massacre in Europe since the Holocaust. Although aware that Serbs were executing Bosnian Moslems, the Dutch UN forces fled the area.
Baseless Comparisons: UN Security Council Resolutions on Iraq and Israel
Dore Gold
Resolutions adopted under Chapter VI of the UN Charter - that deals with "Pacific Resolution of Disputes" - are implemented through a process of negotiation between the parties to a dispute. Those specifically adopted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter deal with "Threats to Peace, Breaches of the Peace and Acts of Aggression."
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