Abbas Comments on Right of Return Spark Protests
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was asked in a recent interview on Israeli television, "Would you like to go to Safed?" Abbas responded, "I want to see Safed. It's my right to see it but not to live there." The ...
POMED Notes – The Political and Economic Implications of the Palestinian Authority’s Fiscal Crisis
The Middle East Institute hosted an event on Tuesday (10/23) entitled “The Political and Economic Implications of the Palestinian Authority’s Fiscal Crisis.” The panel included Oussama Kanaan, mission chief for the West Bank and Gaza at the International Monetary Fund; Khaled Elgindy, fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy; Robert Danin, senior fellow for the Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations; and was ...
Qatari Emir’s Visit to Gaza Draws Mixed Reactions
The arrival of Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani was welcomed by Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh who thanked the Emir for his visit saying, “Today you have officially broken the unjust siege imposed on the Gaza Strip by ...
October 25, 2012
Category: Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Islamist movements, Israel, Palestine, Qatar, US foreign policy
October 23, 2012
Category: Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, Civil Society, Egypt, Elections 2012, Featured, Human Rights, Iran, Iraq, Islam and Democracy, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Political transition, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, US foreign policy, US politics
POMED Notes: A Conversation on the Current Middle East Situation with Walid Khalidi
The Middle East Institute hosted “A Conversation on the Current Middle East Situation with Walid Khalidi” on Thursday. Khalidi is a renowned Palestinian historian and co-founder of the Institute for Palestine Studies and the Royal Scientific Society of Amman. Khalidi’s remarks focused on contextualizing the “Palestine Question” by investigating the prevailing views in Israel, Palestine, the Arab World and the U.S. In the Q&A period, Khalidi also outlined an interesting ...
POMED Notes: Policy Choices for the New Administration
The Middle East Policy Council hosted an event Wednesday (10/17) entitled “Policy Choices for the New Administration.” The event examined the Middle East policy issues which the next U.S. president should address. Questions posed included “Will the next administration seek an Israel-Palestinian solution?” “How will they address the Iran-Syria-Hezbollah issue?” “Is there a prospect for bringing Assad down, and if so, is there a post-Assad role for the U.S.?” Additionally, ...
October 19, 2012
Category: Bahrain, Egypt, Event Notes, Iran, Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, US foreign policy, Yemen
POMED Notes: What Are the Prospects for Democratization in the Arab World?
On October 10, Laurel Miller and Jeff Martini of the Rand Corporation held a congressional briefing summarizing one of their new publications regarding democratic transition in the Middle East. The speech started with a brief explanation of the three waves of democracy and a chart showing an increase over the last 40 years in the number of countries worldwide that are rated “free,” as opposed to “partly free” and not ...
October 12, 2012
Category: Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Economics, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Islam and Democracy, Israel, Legislation, Parliament, Political Islam, Political transition, Reform, Sectarianism, Secularism, Tunisia
POMED Notes: The Future of the Palestinian Authority, Is Collapse an Option?
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy hosted an event Thursday (10/10) entitled “The Future of the Palestinian Authority: Is Collapse an Option?” The organization noted that while Mahmoud Abbas approaches what might be a last hurrah in terms of upgrading the Palestinian Authority's U.N. status, talk among West Bankers has increasingly turned to the gloomy, fractious outlook facing the PA in the post-Abbas era. Panelists, Ehud Yaari, Lefer International Fellow at The Washington ...
PM Appointed in Jordan, Netanyahu Calls for Early Elections
Abdullah Ensour was appointed prime minister by King Abdullah II, with the task of forming a new government ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections. No deadline has been set for the establishment of a government, but it would be in ...
October 11, 2012
Category: Civil Society, Elections, Featured, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Parliament, Political transition, Protests, Reform
The Brookings Institution: Americans on the Middle East
The Brookings Institution published a study of American opinions on the Middle East, conducted by the University of Maryland’s Program on International Policy Attitudes and Anwar Sadat Chair Shibley Telhami. The study sought to gauge American first impressions and public opinion of the attacks on U.S. embassies in the Middle East, and whether attitudes on other issues have changed since the attacks. A poll conducted as part of the study found that a majority ...
October 9, 2012
Category: Egypt, Foreign Aid, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Israel, Libya, Political transition, Syria, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: U.S.-Egyptian Relations: Where is the Bilateral Relationship Headed?
The Center for National Policy hosted an event on Thursday (10/4) entitled “U.S.-Egyptian Relations: Where is the Bilateral Relationship Headed?” The discussion centered around the slow and initial tepid response of the new Egyptian leadership to the attack on the U.S. embassy in Cairo. The response caused some members of Congress to advocate for a cut in U.S. assistance. On the other hand, both Egyptian and U.S. officials have indicated ...
October 8, 2012
Category: Congress, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Islam and Democracy, Israel, Muslim Brotherhood, Political transition, Reform, US foreign policy
October 5, 2012
Category: Diplomacy, Featured, Freedom, Israel, NATO, Parliament, Political transition, Reform, Syria, Turkey, UN Security Council, Uncategorized, United Nations, US foreign policy
Obama Speaks on Middle East Policy at UN
On September 25, President Barack Obama spoke at the U.N. General Assembly focusing heavily on foreign policy in the Middle East. His speech addressed recent violence directed at U.S. embassies, reiterated the administration’s support for democratic reform, encouraged ...
September 25, 2012
Category: Civil Liberties, Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Gulf, Human Rights, Islamist movements, Israel, Libya, Palestine, Policymakers, Presidential Candidates, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, United Nations, US foreign policy, US politics, Yemen
Clinton and Morsi Discuss Economic Assistance
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi met in New York to discuss the potential for expanded aid, despite the recent outbreak of violence in the region. The proposed $1 billion in debt relief ...
September 25, 2012
Category: Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Islamist movements, Israel, United Nations, US foreign policy
Protests Paralyze the West Bank
Protests across the West Bank continued as taxi drivers, teachers, refugees and youth groups took to the streets on Monday to call attention to the rising cost of living. A general public transportation strike slowed movement between cities and ...
Constitution Drafted This Week Says Egyptian Official
The Secretary General of Egypt's Constitutional Assembly, Amr Darrag, announced Tuesday that the country's new constitution will be drafted by the week's end. According to Darrag, all committees have finished reviewing proposals and will submit their suggestions to the drafting committee, who will ...
August 7, 2012
Category: Egypt, Featured, Israel, Muslim Brotherhood, Palestine, Parliament, Political transition
Salam Fayyad Calls for West Bank Elections
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is calling for parliamentary elections in the West Bank to be held soon, without waiting for a reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. He compared the Gaza-West Bank split to that of East and ...
POMED Notes: “Israel and Egypt: In-Depth Reports from a Changing Region”
On Wednesday The Washington Institute hosted a conversation on recent political developments in Israel and Egypt which featured David Makovsky, the Ziegler distinguished fellow and director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process; and Eric Trager, the Next Generation Fellow and a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of Pennsylvania. Makovsky and Trager recently returned from Israel and Egypt, respectively. For full event notes, continue reading below ...
POMED Notes: “Chronic Kleptocracy: Corruption Within the Palestinian Political Establishment”
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing on the topic of corruption within the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Fatah party. Rep. Steve Chabot chaired the hearing, with Reps. Gary Ackerman, Ted Deutch, Gerry Connolly, and Tom Marino also present. Testifying witnesses included Elliott Abrams, Jonathan Schanzer, and Jim Zanotti. For full event notes, continue reading below or click here. Chabot began the hearing by stating that the purpose of ...