26 Results

Barack Obama and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu sought to present a united front during White House discussions but revealed different approaches to the Iranian nuclear threat, reports Jeffrey Heller and Matt Spetalnick.

Amid all the turmoil within the Middle East, diplomats, governments, communities and political advisers spend an enormous amount of time trying to frame the turmoil and events in ways that best suit their own aims.

A unity agreement between the two major Palestinian political parties, Fatah and Hamas, has been greeted with scepticism from Palestinian youth activists, writes Nigel O’Connor, a freelance journalist in Ramallah.

As Israel celebrates, and the world welcomes, the release of soldier Gilad Shalit, Hamas, the Islamist party controlling the Gaza Strip, has emerged with a significant victory in its push for Palestinian political supremacy, writes freelancer Nigel O’Connor.

Don’t be surprised if the Gillard government also bends in the wind when it comes to Palestine.

It’s reported today that, as expected, a range of Israeli civil rights organisation’s will file legal challenges against that country’s new law against boycotts.

Despite the US proudly launching peace talks with Palestinian and Israeli leaders just a month ago, no resolution could be reached before the end of Israel’s freeze on West Bank settlement construction. What will Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas do now?

Has Japan PM Yukio Hatoyama — who announced he’s stepping down as PM — crumbled under Barack Obama’s icy glare? Steve Clemons examines Obama’s very different relationships with the PMs of Japan, Israel and China.

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu has come out in defence [video]of the deadly flotilla attack, saying that Israel had to defend Gaza from weapons smuggling. The UN Security Council is now investigating.

Israeli policy seems to be stuck in a sphere of unreality where a two-state solution is officially proclaimed as the goal, but there is a taboo on any discussion of measures.

The American International School in Gaza was bombed on 3 January, completely destroying the institution . Today it is a twisted wreck of concrete, metal and burnt vans.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech giving support for a Palestinian state has been praised by The White House, but has drawn fire from Palestinians.

Obama is right when he puts the settlement issue ahead of everything else, even ahead of the peace negotiations, argues Uri Avnery.

Washington is no longer a welcoming the Israeli PM with open arms

Netanyahu thinks that if Israel gives the Palestinians something they want, such as land, the Palestinians should give Israel something Israelis want, such as peace, writes Bren Carlill.

Obama has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, agreeing to continue talks with Iran over their nuclear weapons program, but calling for an end to construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

The message from the American envoy to the Prime Minister reveals US concern that Israel could lose patience and act against Iran.

Israeli PM Netanyahu agreed to talk, but he gave no hint of the shape of a political settlement he might be willing to accept. Still he’s the best hope for peace.

Netanyahu recently appeared to give Obama a blunt ultimatum: Stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons — or we will. The world should hope it’s a hollow threat, writes Walt Rodgers.