THE MIDDLE EAST, TURKEY & NORTH AFRICA ARCHIVE :

Please note : Most publications move older stories into their archives which may require a fee to view the full story. Some stories listed below may no longer be available online.

See also archives for Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan/Pakistan.

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec 09, by Nicholas Blanford
Obama Nobel Peace Prize: What Arabs think
'The Obama Nobel Peace Prize is seen as inappropriate by many Arabs, who are angry about the surge of US troops into Afghanistan and a stagnant Israeli-Palestinian peace process.'

New York Times, 18 Nov 09, by Ethan Bronner
Mideast Peace Talks Hang in Balance Over Abbas
'Two weeks after the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, vowed not to run for re-election and hinted that he might resign, the Middle East peace process has sunk into a deep crisis amid urgent efforts to revive it.'

New York Times, 17 Nov 09, by Isabel Kershner
Plan to Expand Jerusalem Settlement Angers U.S.
'Israel said Tuesday that it had advanced plans to expand a Jewish district of Jerusalem in territory that was captured in the 1967 war and that the Palestinians claim as part of their future state. The move is likely to further complicate the Obama administration’s faltering efforts to restart peace talks.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Nov 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Israel rejects Palestinian statehood bid via the UN
'Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a new Palestinian plan to seek unilateral statehood through a UN Security Council vote. Palestinian leaders say the US and Israel leave them with no other option.'

New York Times, 09 Nov 09, by Ethan Bronner
Palestinian Authority’s Future Is in Question
'The collapse of the Palestinian Authority, Israel’s negotiating partner, was raised as a possibility on Monday, as several aides to its president, Mahmoud Abbas, said that he intended to resign and forecast that others would follow.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Nov 09, by Nicholas Blanford
Lebanon's Hariri, Hezbollah form new government
'Five months after a Western-backed coalition narrowly beat the Hezbollah-led opposition in in Lebanon's June elections, the two sides reached a deal Monday night.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Nov 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
As Netanyahu meets Obama, Israel ex-general offers Hamas talks
'Former Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, now leader of Israel's opposition party, unveiled a new peace plan Sunday – and aspirations of replacing Netanyahu.'

New York Times, 09 Nov 09, by Robert F. Worth
Impasse Over, Lebanon Forms Cabinet
'... for all the relief surrounding its formation, the government will continue to face deep rifts that go to the heart of Lebanon’s still-unresolved identity, with one camp defining itself through resistance to Israel and the West, and the other aspiring to a more commercial and cosmopolitan role.'

New York Times, 04 Nov 09, by Mark Landler and Alan Cowell
Clinton Backs Peace Talks Before Israeli Settlement Freeze
'Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s call for peace talks to precede a freeze of Israeli settlements conflicts with Arab and Palestinian demands.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Nov 09, by Hannah Armstrong
Clinton's push for Arab democracy overshadowed by Israel stance
'Hillary Clinton announced new aid programs at a two-day forum with Arab leaders in Morocco, which she held up as a model for democratic reform in the region.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Nov 09, by Dan Murphy
Israel says weapons shipment a war crime, Iran and Syria cry foul
'Israel's Netanyahu said Thursday a large arms shipment seized this week was sent by Iran to Syria and Hezbollah, and charged this was a "war crime."'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Nov 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Interview: How Salam Fayyad plans to save the Palestinian dream
'Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad brought the PA back from the brink once. Now he wants to create Palestinian settlements, in effect, to counter Israeli moves.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Oct 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
To defend against Iran missiles, US and Israel conduct joint exercises
'Amid high international tensions over Iran's nuclear program, the US and Israel are engaged in three weeks of virtual wargames aboard the USS Higgins, a missile-defense warship.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Oct 09, by Yigal Schleifer
Turkey moves to engage more deeply in Mideast – and with neighbors
'Turkey's government has inked new accords with Armenia and Syria, evidence of its bid to establish itself as a regional soft-power broker.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Oct 09, by Caryle Murphy
Saudi concern rises over Al Qaeda activity in Yemen
'The recent interception of two suicide bombers follows earlier arrests this year of extremists operating inside Saudi Arabia with links to Al Qaeda.'

BBC News, 15 Oct 09
Allies push Israel for Gaza probe
'Israel has come under pressure from its allies to investigate UN allegations of possible war crimes by its army during its Gaza offensive last winter.'

New York Times, 14 Oct 09, by Sharon Otterman and Neil MacFarquhar
Palestinians, in Reversal, Press U.N. Gaza Report
'The Palestinian leadership tried to regain lost credibility by pressing forward Wednesday on a United Nations report on the Gaza war at a specially scheduled debate at the United Nations Security Council, saying it would call for a formal endorsement of the report this week in Geneva.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Oct 09, by Joshua Mitnick
What needs to be solved for Fatah-Hamas reconciliation
'Fatah agreed Wednesday to an Egyptian-backed deal, but tension over the Goldstone report and deep distrust have left many skeptical.'

Washington Post, 15 Oct 09, by Howard Schneider
Abbas's Political Crisis Dim Hope for Talks
'Crisis for the Palestinian Authority and growing doubts about U.S. mediation have undercut chances that Israeli-Palestinian peace talks will resume in the near future.'

New York Times, 13 Oct 09, by Sebnem Arsu
Turkey and Syria Signal Improved Relations
'... meetings were intended to forge a new era of cooperation that would have been inconceivable a decade ago, when tensions ran high because Turkey believed that Syria was abetting attacks by the separatist militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or P.K.K.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct 09, by Peter N. Spotts
CERN physicist accused of terror links. What access did he have?
'Adlène Hicheur worked in a large group that has run experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. Now, he is accused of collaborating with an Al Qaeda spinoff group in North Africa.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Oct 09, by Dan Murphy
Could an Israeli air strike stop Iran's nuclear program?
'Israel does have the capability to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, but such an operation would be very complex and costly, politically.'

Washington Post, 09 Oct 09, by Sudarsan Raghavan
Egyptian Reform Activists Say U.S. Commitment Is Waning
'... concern is mounting among Egypt's pro-reform activists that the United States is abandoning its long-standing efforts to bring democratic reforms to the Arab world's most populous nation.'

Asia Times, 15 Oct 09, by Derek Henry Flood
The 'other' Kurdistan seethes with rage
'While Iraqi Kurdistan elects its own parliament and forges oil contracts independent of Baghdad, other ethnic Kurdish insurgents from Iran, Syria and Turkey are flooding into remote redoubts in the fearsome Qandil Mountains to battle nation-states that have persecuted them for decades.'

Asia Times, 14 Oct 09, by Jerrold Kessel and Pierre Klochendle
Turkey won't play with Israel
'Israel believes Turkey's cancellation of joint war games is linked to lingering anger in Ankara over Israel's offensive on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, while Turkey is trying to downplay what is clearly a blip in one of the region's most strategic - and unlikely - relationships.'

Washington Post, 14 Oct 09, by Sudarsan Raghavan and Peter Finn
U.S. Sees Saudi Program As an Option for Detainees
'The rehabilitation of militants such as Jehani has convinced the Obama administration that Saudi Arabia is the ideal place to send dozens of Yemenis being held at Guantanamo.'

Washington Post, 07 Oct 09, by Howard Schneider
What to Do With Hamas? Question Snarls Peace Bid
'Islamist Group's Resilience and Obstinacy Frustrate Many'

Asia Times, 08 Oct 09, by Khaled Fattah
Yemen: A slogan and six wars
'The Zaydi rebellion in northern Yemen is not a proxy ideological war between Saudi Arabia and Iran nor a response to state-sponsored suppression of Shi'ites. The slogan "Death to America" is integral to the rebel movement, illustrating how fierce anti-United States sentiment in the Middle East is creating new insurgencies.'

Washington Post, 07 Oct 09, by
In Failed Strike on Saudi Prince, A New Fear of Al-Qaeda's Tactics
'The attack, the first serious assassination attempt against a member of the Saudi ruling family in decades, raised new concerns about al-Qaeda's tactics, strength, and its use of neighboring Yemen as a haven and training ground.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Oct 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Goldstone report: New roadblock to Palestinian reconciliation?
'Hamas cancels Fatah reconciliation talks in Egypt. At the UN, Libya gets a hearing today about allegations in the Goldstone report on the Gaza war.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Oct 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Palestinians outraged over Abbas bowing to Israel, US
'The Palestinian Authority's decision to postpone a vote on the Goldstone report last week is the last straw for many, sparking protests in the West Bank and Gaza.'

New York Times, 30 Sep 09, by Michael Slackman
Possibility of a Nuclear-Armed Iran Alarms Arabs
'As the West raises the pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, Arab governments, especially the small, oil-rich nations in the Persian Gulf, are growing increasingly anxious. But they are concerned not only with the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran but also with the more immediate threat that Iran will destabilize the region if the West presses too hard, according to diplomats, regional analysts and former government officials.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Sep 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Hamas, Fatah close in on reconciliation deal
'Hamas agreed 'in principle' to an Egyptian proposal Monday that would give Palestinians a united front in peace talks with Israel.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Sep 09, by Julien Barnes-Dacey
Yearning for the Golan Heights: why Syria wants it back
'The disputed territory is key to the broader US goal of Arab-Israeli peace. On Monday, Washington hosted the first high-ranking Syrian official in five years.'

Washington Post, 24 Sep 09, by Howard Schneider
Starting Point for Mideast Talks Remains an Issue, Analysts Say
'President Obama's personal push to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks will face a tough early hurdle in simply getting the two sides to agree on a starting point for negotiations, according to Israeli and Palestinian analysts.'

Washington Post, 25 Sep 09, by Keith B. Richburg
Gaddafi Calmly Takes On the Experts
'At the Council on Foreign Relations, Libyan leader scolds questioner for not understanding his Third Universal Theory of society.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Sep 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
How to get Mideast peace talks out of 'dark corner' of Israeli settlements
'The Geneva Initiative, a group of prominent Israelis and Palestinians, on Tuesday presented a blueprint for comprehensive peace. Next step: public debate.'

New York Times, 15 Sep 09, by Neil MacFarquhar
Inquiry Finds Gaza War Crimes From Both Sides
'A United Nations fact-finding mission investigating the three-week war in Gaza last winter issued a highly critical report on Tuesday detailing what it called extensive evidence that both Israel and Palestinian militant groups took actions amounting to war crimes, and possibly crimes against humanity.'

CNN, 01 Sep 09, by Ivan Watson
Turkey, Armenia edge towards peace deal
'Political analysts warn that there are still immense hurdles left, before Armenians and Turks can overcome nearly a century of bad blood and re-open a border that has been sealed shut for more then fifteen years.'

AFP, 02 Sep 09, by Ali Khalil
Al-Qaeda launchpad in Yemen gives Saudis new headache
'Al-Qaeda's regrouping in Yemen is proving a headache for authorities in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, who have dealt severe blows to the jihadists but have failed to eliminate the root causes of extremism in the kingdom, analysts say.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug 09, by Ashraf Khalil
Palestinians say full settlement freeze is precondition to new peace talks
'A lead Palestinian peace negotiator says the demand for a full settlement freeze – not a partial one – is a precondition to resuming peace talks. But a meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Abbas is still possible in September.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Sep 09, by Tom A. Peter
Mitchell meets with Israelis as settlement issue looms
'The US Mideast envoy called the meeting "good" but didn't say whether he discussed a settlement freeze, which Palestinians have called a prerequisite to peace talks.'

Wall Street Journal, 01 Sep 09, by Marc Champion
Azerbaijan Casts Doubt on Turkey-Armenia Pact
'Turkish and Armenian diplomats on Monday initialed a road map to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries for the first time.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Aug 09, by Rafael D. Frankel
Why Gaza's moderates are losing hope
'Isolated by Israel and alienated by Hamas, they see little room for constructive lives in a society that is disintegrating.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Aug 09, by Howard LaFranchi
Mitchell, Netanyahu report 'good progress' in Mideast talks
'All sides have promised to meet again. Israeli settlements and a belligerent Iran remain the biggest stumbling blocks.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Aug 09, by Robert Marquand
Skepticism over 'breakthrough' Middle East peace plan
'London report of Israeli-Palestinian plan linked to Iran sanctions disputed by European experts.'

The Telegraph, 26 Aug 09
Israel raises prospect of a deal with America on settlements
'Israel proclaimed its hope that it could diffuse a public disagreement with America over West Bank settlements as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with a top American envoy in London.'

Christian Science Monitor, 25 Aug 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
The 'Elders' arrive in Israel to boost Mideast peace
'The respected delegation, headed by former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, irked Israel by initially planning to meet Hamas in Gaza. That trip has been delayed.'

New York Times, 25 Aug 09, by Michael Slackman
Chafing After 40 Years, Qaddafi Baffles the West
'Once the mad dog of the Middle East, as Ronald Reagan called him, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the Libyan leader, has focused on shedding his outlaw status: He heads the African Union, attended a Group of 8 economic conference in Rome and is courted by Western powers hungry for Libyan oil.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Settlement issue looms over Netanyahu's Europe trip
'In London on Wednesday, he'll discuss how to fast-track the peace process with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell.'

The Australian, 22 Aug 09, by John Lyons
Saudis set stage for Mid-East nuke race
'The scene has been set for a race between several Middle Eastern countries to develop a nuclear program after Saudi Arabia yesterday revealed its intention to push ahead with a nuclear industry.'

Voice of America, 21 Aug 09, by Mohamed Elshinnawi
Former U.S. Statesmen Say U.S. Role Critical to Securing Middle East Peace
'The meeting between President Barak Obama and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak ... comes amid a chorus of proposals from independent groups suggesting ways the U.S. can help resolve the bloody, decades-old conflict.'

New York Times, 24 Aug 09, by Elisabeth Bumiller
With Libya Ties Strained, U.S. Has Limited Options
'The United States government lifted economic sanctions against Libya and restored diplomatic ties after Libya gave up its nuclear and chemical weapons program under the Bush administration in late 2003. ... But Libyan officials have said recently that they are dissatisfied that the United States has not done more in return for Libyan concessions, like providing civilian nuclear technology and some conventional weapons systems.'

New York Times, 26 Aug 09, by Steven Erlanger and Souad Mekhennet
Islamic Radicalism Slows Moroccan Reforms
'Morocco has long been viewed as a rare liberalizing, modernizing Islamic state, open to the West and a potential bridge to a calmer Middle East that can live in peace with Israel. But under pressure from Islamic radicalism, King Mohammed VI has slowed the pace of change. Power remains concentrated in the monarchy; democracy seems more demonstrative than real.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug 09, by David Montero
Yemen's instability could draw regional players into fray
'The impoverished country's battles against Shiite rebels and a growing Al Qaeda threat have heightened tensions between Sunni and Shiite neighbors in the region.'

Washington Post, 16 Aug 09, by Howard Schneider
For Hamas, Challenges May Be Growing
'Shootout With Splinter Group Suggests Movement Faces Tough Options, Analysts Say'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 Aug 09, by Erin Cunningham
Growing threat to Hamas: Gazans who think it has sold out
'A gun battle between Hamas and an Al Qaeda-inspired group that left about 30 dead last week is a sign of a growing movement inside the impoverished territory.'

Christian Science Monitor, 16 Aug 09, by Erin Cunningham
Hamas profits from Israel's Gaza blockade
'The group, which taxes goods smuggled through tunnels, is supplanting Gaza's business leaders and could strengthen its political position as well.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Aug 09, by Nicholas Blanford
Israel, Hezbollah threaten war – again
'Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah hurled the latest warning on Friday, a month after 60 blasts at a suspected Hezbollah weapons cache in southern Lebanon heightened tensions.'

New York Times, 11 Aug 09, by Robert F. Worth
Kuwait Arrests 6 in Plot to Hit a U.S. Base
'The Kuwaiti authorities said Tuesday that they had arrested six jihadists who were planning to attack the main United States military base in the country and other sites.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Aug 09, by Joshua Mitnick
Abbas emerges stronger from Fatah conference
'As the Fatah party convention wrapped up Tuesday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas emerged stronger, signaling a comeback for the US-backed peace proponent after his party was trounced by Hamas.'

BBC News, 12 Aug 09, by Roger Hardy
Fatah: A new beginning?
'The party founded by the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat four decades ago is struggling to revive its fortunes. But has its latest congress really made it a more united and credible force?'

New York Times, 11 Aug 09, by Ethan Bronner
Israel Is Wary of Calm Days That May End in Turmoil
'On every front, Israel is worried that it is living a false calm that could explode at any moment. Its airwaves and public discourse are filled with menace and concern.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Aug 09, by Jane Arraf
Turkey offers water for Iraqi crackdown on Kurdish rebels
'Seeking to expand its role on the Mideast stage, it promised Tuesday to send more water to drought-stricken Iraq, which faces its lowest harvest in a decade.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jul 09, by Laura Kasinof
Why Yemen could become Al Qaeda haven
'Four clashes in the past eight days underscore the state's vulnerability. Southern secessionists and northern rebels have weakened the central government.'

New York Times, 04 Aug 09, by Isabel Kershner
Abbas Urges ‘New Start’ at Fatah Conference
'The concept of the armed struggle is likely to be the subject of heated debate at the conference. Many members want Fatah to remain a liberation movement until the goal of a Palestinian state has been achieved.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Aug 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
'Stormy' start to Fatah's historic summit
'Some of the 2,200 delegates expressed outrage at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s account of the party’s past 20 years.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jul 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Arabs losing hope in Obama's ability to broker Mideast peace
'In a push for progress, three heavy hitters from the administration – Mitchell, Gates, and Jones – visited the region this week.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Jul 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
In Israel, no settlement deal for US envoy – just more settlers
During Mitchell's visit, activists set up 11 outposts. A report said the number of Israelis living in the West Bank has surpassed 300,000.

The Jerusalem Post/AP, 27 Jul 09
'Hizbullah training Lebanese Armed Forces'
'Lebanese defense officials believe there is a secret pact between Hizbullah and top officers in the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), the Kuwaiti paper Asiyassa reported on Monday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Jul 09, by Nicholas Blanford
Will Iran's political turmoil shake Hezbollah?
'The Shiite militant organization in Lebanon draws money and ideological guidance from Iran's supreme leader.'

Asia Times, 23 Jul 09, by Sami Moubayed
Hezbollah stalls Syrian-Saudi detente
'Born out of a common need to counter Iran's growing regional influence, Saudi Arabian and Syrian ties have improved solidly this year. But hopes of a three-way summit with Lebanon have stalled. Saudi heavyweights say Lebanon's new leader must first overcome Hezbollah's aggressive political demands and succeed in forming a new government.'

New York Times, 16 Jul 09, by Ethan Bronner
Signs of Hope Emerge in the West Bank
'For the first time since the second Palestinian uprising broke out in late 2000, leading to terrorist bombings and fierce Israeli countermeasures, a sense of personal security and economic potential is spreading across the West Bank as the Palestinian Authority’s security forces enter their second year of consolidating order.'

Washington Post, 14 Jul 09, by Howard Schneider
Britain Cuts Some Arms Exports To Israel Over Conduct in Gaza
'Britain has revoked five licenses for arms exports to Israel after reviewing how British-provided equipment was used during Israel's three-week war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, officials from both nations said Monday.'

New York Times/AP, 16 Jul 09
Israel: Lebanon Blast Shows 'Flagrant' Violations
'Israel charged Iran and Syria Thursday with continuing to send weapons to Lebanon's Hezbollah in violation of U.N. resolutions after one of the militant group's weapons warehouses blew up in south Lebanon.'

New York Times, 15 Jul 09, by Ethan Bronner
Israel Sees Evidence of Hezbollah’s Rearming in Explosion
'Israel said Wednesday that a two-story building that held a Hezbollah arms cache exploded in a village in southern Lebanon a day earlier and that the arsenal was a violation of the United Nations resolution that brought an end to the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.'

Washington Post, 16 Jul 09, by Howard Schneider and Glenn Kessler
Ex-U.S. Diplomat Talks With Hamas
'Officials of Islamist group see an opening, but Washington says nothing's changed.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Jul 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
In Israel, US envoy maps peace with Syria
'Frederic C. Hof, author of a March report suggesting an environmental preserve and other initiatives in the disputed Golan Heights, is meeting with Israeli officials.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Jul 09, by Josh Mitnick
Why US diplomats are visiting Israeli settlers
'The Obama administration has made firm demands for Israel to halt all settlement expansion. But political officers are making trips to talk with settlers directly.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Jul 09, by Yigal Schleifer
Anger China or defend Uighurs? Turkey walks fine line.
'Beijing urged Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan to retract his statement that China is committing "genocide" against its Muslim minority.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Jul 09, by Rafael D. Frankel
Hamas bends to pressure in Gaza and abroad
'Its support base dropped to 19 percent after the war; many blame the Hamas-Fatah standoff for their plight. Egypt hosts the rivals for a final round of reconciliation talks July 25.'

Washington Post, 01 Jul 09, by Glenn Kessler
Barak, U.S. Envoy Discuss Settlements
'Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak huddled for four hours yesterday with former senator George J. Mitchell, the Obama administration's special envoy for Middle East peace, seeking to resolve an impasse between their two governments over the expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.'

Washington Post, 26 Jun 09, by Sudarsan Raghavan
Arab Activists Watch Iran And Wonder: 'Why Not Us?'
'Across the Arab world, Iran's massive opposition protests have triggered a wave of soul-searching and conflicting emotions. Many question why their own reform movements are unable to rally people to rise up against unpopular authoritarian regimes. In Egypt, the cradle of what was once the Arab world's most ambitious push for democracy, Iran's protests have served as a reminder of how much the notion has unraveled under President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for 30 years.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jun 09, by Erin Cunningham
UN probe into Gaza conflict
'Israelis and Palestinians question the credibility and effectiveness of "unprecedented" public hearings about last January's attacks.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jun 09, by Mel Frykberg
How Israel's naval blockade denies Gazans food, aid
'The naval blockade – part of a wider Israeli effort to seal off the tiny coastal strip controlled by the Islamist militant group Hamas – not only prevents such shipments, it is also devastating a key Gazan industry and source of food: fishing.'

New York Times, 24 Jun 09, by Michael Slackman
Arab States Aligned With U.S. Savor Turmoil in Iran
'The rancorous dispute over Iran’s presidential election could turn into a win-win for Arab leaders aligned with Washington who in the past have complained bitterly that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was destabilizing the region and meddling in Arab affairs, political analysts and former officials around the region said.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Jun 09, by Liam Stack and Dan Murphy
Will Iran's turmoil change the Middle East?
'The Islamic republic is unlikely to change its foreign policy or nuclear program, no matter who comes out on top. But the crisis could change Arab relations with the US and Iraq.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Jun 09, by Liam Stack and Dan Murphy
Arab countries: Is Iran's unrest an opportunity or a threat?
'If the mass protests in Iran succeed in bringing about change, it could produce a better neighbor – but also set a dangerous precedent for oppressive regimes.'

Washington Post, 23 Jun 09, by Howard Schneider
Palestinian Premier Sets Statehood Target
'Salam Fayyad calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state within two years, a timeline he says is possible if Israel upholds its existing commitments.'

Asia Times, 23 Jun 09, by Seema Sirohi
Israel stunned by Obama's tough love
'United States President Barack Obama's bold new rulebook for the Middle East attempts a much-needed balance in a US foreign policy that has long tilted in favor of one against the region's many.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 09, by Joshua Mitnick
Why Iran's Ahmadinejad is preferred in Israel
'The incumbent president will be easier to isolate than reformist leader Mr. Mousavi, say some leading Israeli policymakers.'

New York Times, 16 Jun 09, by Taghreed El-Khodary and Isabel Kershner
Carter, in Gaza, Urges Hamas to Meet Demands
'Former President Jimmy Carter said Tuesday that he urged Hamas's leaders during a high-profile meeting here to take steps necessary to become accepted by the leading Western nations.'

Christian Science Monitor, 16 Jun 09, by Erin Cunningham
Why Israel and Hamas are meeting with Jimmy Carter
'Mr. Carter has been shunned in the past by both the Bush administration and Israeli leaders, who criticized his efforts to engage the militant Palestinian group that he says is crucial to any lasting Arab-Israeli peace. But analysts say Carter's ties with the more like-minded Obama administration, which has taken a firmer stand with Israel on some issues, may bolster his effectiveness as a regional peace broker.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jun 09, by Josh Mitnick
Netanyahu's two-state solution: You recognize us, we'll recognize you.
'Some see the Israeli prime minister's demand that Arabs recognize Israel as a Jewish state as a simple quid pro quo, but critics say it's a new obstacle.'

BBC News, 16 Jun 09, by Ginny Hill
A new pattern of Yemeni violence?
'Nine foreigners were abducted in Yemen at the weekend, in a remote mountainous area near to the Saudi border. ... Local rebels in the Saada region have not taken foreign hostages before, and they deny any involvement in the kidnapping. However, the Saada conflict has become so complex since its inception that it is hard to distinguish with clarity and confidence all the overlapping, shifting links between the different actors in play.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jun 09, by Laura Kasinof
Yemen hostage killings: the work of Al Qaeda?
'Yemeni officials pointed to Shiite rebels that have clashed with the government, but the operation is a marked departure from their style of hostage-taking.'

New York Times, 08 Jun 09, by Michael Slackman
Hopeful Signs for U.S. in Lebanon Vote
'There were many domestic reasons voters handed an American-backed coalition a victory in Lebanese parliamentary elections on Sunday — but political analysts also attribute it in part to President Obama's campaign of outreach to the Arab and Muslim world.'

Washington Post, 09 Jun 09, by Howard Schneider
Lebanese Victor's Toughest Dilemma
'If, as expected, [Hariri] becomes the nation's next prime minister, he will be left to reconcile the anti-Hezbollah rhetoric of his campaign with the Islamist group's continued power to make demands and set its own course in confronting Israel.'

BBC News, 10 Jun 09
US envoy Mitchell meets Palestinian leaders
'US Middle East envoy George Mitchell has held talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank, as part of renewed US peace efforts.'

New York Times, 09 Jun 09, by Isabel Kershner
U.S. Envoy Reassures and Presses a Wary Israel
'President Obama's Middle East envoy sought Tuesday to allay fears here of a fundamental breakdown in Israeli-American relations while alluding to abiding differences over Israeli settlement building in the West Bank and the formula for Israeli-Palestinian peace.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Jun 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Can Mitchell, now in Israel, calm settlement dispute?
'Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration is pushing back against increased US pressure to halt the growth of Jewish communities in the West Bank.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Jun 09, by Erin Cunningham
US envoy's visit could ease Gaza blockade
'For Hamas, the intervention of US special envoy George Mitchell may have come just in time. Nearly six months after Israel launched a blistering offensive to undermine the militant group, destroying thousands of homes and lives, Gazans are growing increasingly restless under Hamas rule.'

New York Times, 09 Jun 09, by Isabel Kershner
Israel's Premier Promises Major Peace Plan
'Under mounting American pressure to define his intentions regarding peace efforts, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said Sunday that he would make a major policy speech next week mapping out the government's "principles for achieving peace and security."'

Washington Post, 05 Jun 09, by Howard Schneider
Muslims Seem Won Over by President; U.S. Adversaries Unmoved
'The appreciation for the new approach from a U.S. president seemed widespread among Middle Eastern Muslims after a speech in which Obama spoke forthrightly about American missteps in the region but also argued that the United States does not fit "the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire."'

BBC News, 04 Jun 09
Barack Obama reaches out to Muslim world
'Mr Obama said: "I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect." He said "violent extremists" had bred fear and that this "cycle of suspicion and discord must end".'

NPR, 04 Jun 09
Obama Appeals For 'New Beginning' In Cairo Speech
[transcript] President Obama addresses Muslims around the world in a speech at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday. Here, his remarks as prepared for delivery. Source: Office of the White House press secretary.

New York Times, 04 Jun 09, by Jeff Zeleny and Helene Cooper
Obama Speech Seeks to Alter Muslims' View of U.S.
'President Obama arrived in Egypt on Thursday aiming to repair America's relationship with the Muslim world through a speech at Cairo University, a carefully planned address that aides said would challenge Muslim perceptions about the United States.'

New York Times, 04 Jun 09, by Jeff Zeleny and Helene Cooper
Rival Messages as Obama Lands in the Mideast
'Aiming to repair the American relationship with the Muslim world, President Obama was greeted on Wednesday with reminders of the vast gulfs his Cairo speech must bridge, as voices as disparate as Al Qaeda's and the Israeli government's competed to shape how Mr. Obama's message would be heard.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Jun 09, by Howard LaFranchi
What Obama will try to accomplish in Cairo
'His speech should aim to launch a new dialogue between two estranged communities of the world, some regional experts say.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Jun 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Obama visits Saudi Arabia, Cairo – why not Israel?
'Many Israelis see the president's decision to bypass Jerusalem as part of a broader shift in US priorities in the region.'

Asia Times, 04 Jun 09, by Kaveh L Afrasiabi
US steadfast against Hezbollah
'The United States continues to play a zero-sum game with regard to Hezbollah, even with the US-listed "terror" group poised to strengthen its position in Lebanon at the weekend's parliamentary elections. This is despite the fact that pro-Iran Hezbollah could help pave the way for a breakthrough in Washington's ties with Tehran.'

Washington Post, 03 Jun 09, by Glenn Kessler
Syria to Allow Visit of U.S. Military Leaders
'Syria has agreed to let a delegation of U.S. military commanders visit Damascus in the coming weeks, when they will discuss joint efforts to stem the insurgency in Iraq. The Obama administration's Middle East peace envoy, George J. Mitchell, is also planning a trip to Damascus this month.'

Washington Post, 03 Jun 09, by Anthony Shadid
Obama Faces a Chasm in Mideast
'Legacy of Distrust Complicates Speech : When President Obama delivers his address to the Middle East on Thursday from Cairo, he will face the legacy of names like Haditha, Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, places that have become more symbol than geography over nearly a decade of perhaps the most traumatic chapter in America's relationship with the Muslim world.'

New York Times, 03 Jun 09, by Michael Slackman
As Obama Begins Trip, Arabs Want Israeli Gesture
'President Obama started his much anticipated Middle East tour on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to press the Arab nations to offer a gesture to the Israelis to entice them to accelerate the peace process.'

New York Times, 02 Jun 09, by Alan Cowell and Helene Cooper
Obama Plays Down Divide With Israel
'President Obama on Tuesday played down a dispute with Israel over his demand for a suspension of further Jewish settlement in the West Bank but reiterated his call for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians that Israel's hawkish leaders have not accepted.'

BBC News, 02 Jun 09
Obama hopeful on Mid-East peace
'US President Barack Obama has told the BBC he believes his country can help to get serious Middle East peace negotiations back on track.'

Washington Post, 02 Jun 09, by Glenn Kessler
Israeli Minister's Visit Aims To Calm Settlements Dispute
'Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak began a round of meetings with top U.S. officials yesterday in a bid to head off an increasingly sharp dispute between the United States and Israel over the expansion of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territory.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 May 09, by Tom A. Peter
Ahead of Obama's Cairo speech, Arab leaders see window of opportunity for peace
'King Abdullah II of Jordan, embraced by the West and his Arab allies, is emerging as a facilitator for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.'

Washington Post, 01 Jun 09, by Howard Schneider
Palestinian Authority Forces Clash With Hamas
'Palestinian Authority security forces clashed with Hamas militants in the West Bank town of Qalqilyah early Sunday, leaving six dead, including three police officers, in the bloodiest confrontation between the rival Palestinian factions in two years. The fight, which drew immediate threats of reprisal from Hamas, involved members of a U.S.-trained Palestinian force that has been assuming increased authority over security in the West Bank.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Jun 09, by Erin Cunningham
UN: Israeli buffer zone eats up 30 percent of Gaza's arable land
'Looking to increase security, Israel dropped leaflets last week warning residents to stay at least 1,000 feet from the border or risk being shot.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Jun 09, by Tom A. Peter and Ilene R. Prusher
Israeli proposal: Make Jordan the official Palestinian homeland
'The controversial idea – though not new – could still undermine Netanyahu and erode Israel's relations with moderate Arab countries.'

New York Times, 27 May 09, by Robert F. Worth
Hezbollah Says It Is Talking to European Union and I.M.F.
'The discussions concerned continuing financial support to Lebanon in the event that the Shiite militant group's political alliance wins the June 7 parliamentary elections.'

BBC News, 28 May 09
Israel rejects US call over settlement work
'Israel will continue to allow some construction in West Bank settlements despite US calls for a freeze on its work, a government spokesman says.'

BBC News, 07 May 09
Arabs work for unified approach
'Arab foreign ministers are meeting in Cairo to formulate a united approach on the Middle East peace process.'

Washington Post, 06 May 09, by Greg Jaffe
Gates Assures Mideast Allies on U.S. Overtures to Iran
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates sought to reassure U.S. allies in the Middle East on Tuesday that their relationships with the United States would not be damaged by the Obama administration's efforts to open a dialogue with Iran.'

BBC News, 04 May 09, by Imogen Foulkes
UN experts discuss Gaza mission
'UN investigators are beginning a week-long meeting in Geneva, ahead of a mission to Israel and the Gaza Strip.'

BBC News, 05 May 09
US presses Israel over two states
'US Vice-President Joe Biden has said Israel must back a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians. ... Addressing the main US Israel lobby, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), Mr Biden said Israel must take concrete measures.'

New York Times, 29 Apr 09, by Taghreed El-Khodary and Isabel Kershner
Palestinian Rivals to Try Once More for an Accord
'The rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas ended a fourth round of reconciliation talks here on Tuesday without success, but agreed to convene one more time to try to reach an accord. Egypt, which has been mediating the talks, set May 15 as the new deadline for reaching an agreement ...'

Xinhua, 30 Apr 09, by Saud Abu Ramadan
Endless reconciliation dialogue makes Palestinians despair
'It has become obvious that the Palestinians, mainly who live in the poor and besieged Gaza Strip ruled by Islamic Hamas movement, have lost hope that the reconciliation dialogue between the rival factions would lead to a solution.'

Asia Times, 28 Apr 09, by Sami Moubayed
A new order emerges in Lebanon
'Calls for engagement with Hezbollah in Lebanon are increasing in Washington, Britain is opening dialogue with non-state players and the Syrians are back in the international arena. Steadily, the Middle East leftovers of the George W Bush era are being eroded, and people like Lebanese warlord Walid Jumblatt are preparing for the new alignments.'

New York Times, 22 Apr 09, by Isabel Kershner
Israeli Military Says Actions in Gaza War Did Not Violate International Law
'The Israeli military on Wednesday presented the conclusions of several internal investigations into its conduct during the war in Gaza and stated that it had operated in accordance with international law, countering widespread international criticism over its actions and continuing accusations of possible war crimes.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Apr 09, by Joshua Mitnick
Israeli army admits 'isolated' mistakes in Gaza
'Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Dan Harel said the Army will forward to Israel's military prosecutor and the attorney general the findings of an internal inquiry into accusations of illegal use of white phosphorous munitions, targeting humanitarian and civilian infrastructure.'

Asia Times, 23 Apr 09, by Sami Moubayed
Syria reaches out to 'friend' Iraq
'This week's landmark visit to Iraq by Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otari is a welcome sign of repaired relations between Damascus and Baghdad that have been icy since the United States invasion of 2003. Iraqis see the visit as an outstretched hand from the greater Arab family, while Syrians are trying to avoid being next door to another neighbor armed to the teeth and living in lawlessness.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr 09, by Nicholas Blanford
In Lebanon's wild east, Hezbollah finds itself on left foot
'After supporting an Army crackdown against lawlessness in the Bekaa Valley, the Shiite organization faces a backlash from angry clan members ahead of June elections.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr 09, by Liam Stack and Nicholas Blanford
Egypt strikes out at Iran's expanding reach
'Egyptian police have arrested 25 suspects and are hunting for another 24 in the Sinai peninsula, where officials say the Iranian-sponsored group Hezbollah was operating a covert cell.'

Xinhua, 13 Apr 09, by Amr Emam
News Analysis: Egypt-Hezbollah standoff dents Egypt-Iran relations
'The arrest of some 49 Hezbollah agents who were accused of plotting to carry out attacks against Israeli tourists at resorts in the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula portends a verbal war between Egypt and Iran in the future and a worsening of already stale diplomatic relations between the two countries, Egyptian experts said.'

New York Times, 09 Apr 09, by
With 'Annapolis,' a Warning to Israel
'Watchers of Middle East politics were quick to take note of a line in President Obama's address before the Turkish Parliament on Monday in Ankara, in which he mentioned "Annapolis."'

New York Times, 06 Apr 09, by Helene Cooper
America Seeks Bonds to Islam, Obama Insists
'President Obama formally began his outreach to the Muslim world on Monday when he spoke before Turkey's Parliament, telling legislators that the United States "is not and will never be at war with Islam."'

New York Times, 05 Apr 09, by Campbell Robertson
Palestinians Are Focus in Abbas Visit to Baghdad
'Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, visited Iraq for the first time since the American invasion in 2003, meeting with Iraqi leaders on Sunday to garner support for the Palestinian leadership and Iraq's Palestinian community.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Mar 09, by Nicholas Blanford
As Netanyahu takes Israel's helm, Syria skeptical of peace prospects
'Syrian diplomats say Damascus is serious about making peace, and hope Washington will lean on Israel's new government.'

New York Times, 01 Apr 09, by Isabel Kershner
Israeli Minister Dismisses Peace Effort
'In a blunt and belligerent speech on his first day as Israel's new foreign minister, the hawkish nationalist Avigdor Lieberman, declared Wednesday that "those who want peace should prepare for war" and that Israel was not obligated by understandings on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict reached at an American-sponsored peace conference in 2007.'

BBC News, 02 Apr 09
Livni condemns new Israel leaders
'Israel's former chief peace negotiator says the way the new government is talking shows it will not be a partner for peace with the Palestinians.'

New York Times, 31 Mar 09, by Michael Slackman and Robert F. Worth
Often Split, Arab Leaders Unite for Sudan's Chief
'Sudan's president, who has been indicted for war crimes, was embraced at the annual Arab League summit.'

New York Times, 27 Mar 09, by Michael R. Gordon and Jeffrey Gettleman
U.S. Officials Say Israel Struck in Sudan
'Israeli warplanes bombed a convoy of trucks in Sudan in January that was believed to be carrying arms to be smuggled into Gaza, according to American officials.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar 09, by Joshua Mitnick
Will Arab leaders discuss Israeli airstrike in Sudan?
'Arab League likely support Sudan's Bashir against war crimes charge, but discourage ties with Iran.'

Middle East Times, 31 Mar 09, by Richard Sale
Israel's Covert War on Iran Faces Disapproving White House
'Facing mounting U.S. opposition behind the scenes, Israel still plans to continue a covert operation to delay Iran's nuclear program by assassinating key Iranian scientists, U.S. officials said.'

Middle East Times, 02 Apr 09, by Claude Salhani
Why the Maghreb Matters: Terrorism Increases 400 Percent
'While the Middle East proper has tended to grab most of the attention in the U.S. media as well as from official Washington, it is important to point out every now and then that the Maghreb matters.'

Middle East Times, 01 Apr 09, by Sana Abdallah
New Israeli Government Dims Arab Hopes for Peace
'The Palestinians and Arabs are expressing pessimism over Middle East peace prospects under the new hawkish Israeli coalition government, led by Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu, whose agenda ignores the concept of a two-state solution.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Mar 09, by Isabel Kershner and Alan Cowell
Netanyahu promises peace effort
'Israel's prime minister-designate, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Wednesday that the coalition he is forming would be a "partner for peace," offering a pledge that seemed designed to reshape his reputation as a foe of the peace process with the Palestinians.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Mar 09, by Robert F. Worth
With counterterror program, Saudis have turned the tide
'Many Saudis had refused to recognize the country's growing reputation as an incubator of terrorism, even after the international outcry that had followed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar 09, by Nicholas Blanford
An army on snowshoes? It's not in the Alps, but Lebanon.
'... the Lebanese Army's Rangers battalion, inspired by the Swiss Army's "Patrouille des Glaciers" ski running race in the Alps, decided it was high time to test their winter skills on mountains at home that boast the Middle East's best ski slopes.'

BBC News, 26 Mar 09
Uneven marking of Camp David deal
'Israel is marking 30 years since its first peace treaty with an Arab state, although in the other signatory, Egypt, there is little public acknowledgement.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Mar 09, by Ethan Bronner
After Gaza, Israel grapples with crisis of isolation
'... in the weeks since its Gaza war, and as it prepares to inaugurate a hawkish right-wing government, [Israel] is facing its worst diplomatic crisis in two decades.'

Middle East Times, 19 Mar 09, by Sana Abdallah
Israel Cracks Down on Hamas After Talks Fail
'Israel's arrest of a dozen Palestinian Hamas politicians in the West Bank, in a renewed crackdown on the Islamist movement, is being seen as linked to the failure to negotiate the release of a captured Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Mar 09, by Isabel Kershner
Israeli right negotiating a coalition of hawks
'... agreement [between the conservative Likud party and the nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party], reached late Sunday, assigned [Yisrael Beitenu's Avigdor] Lieberman, an often indelicate and outspoken politician who arouses suspicion and some trepidation abroad, as the next foreign minister of Israel.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar 09, by Nicholas Blanford
Why Syria and Saudi Arabia are talking again
'Saudi Arabia's steps to end its bitter dispute with Syria appear to be aimed at unifying Arabs against a trio of growing concerns: Iran's spreading influence in the region, the uncertainties of a US drawdown in Iraq, and the prospect of a right-wing government in Israel.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Mar 09, by Michael Slackman
Libya frustrated with U.S. over weapons program deal
'Officials in Libya say they believe that Libya's limited payoff undermines the credibility of the United States as it presses other nations to abandon weapons programs.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Mar 09, by Howard LaFranchi
US courts Syria as linchpin to altered relations with Iran
'The Obama administration is taking the first step toward fulfilling the president's pledge to talk to America's adversaries by launching discussions with Syria, beginning this weekend. ... the big prize sought by engaging Damascus may be altered relations with Iran.'

Washington Post, 04 Mar 09, by Glenn Kessler
U.S. Sends Senior Officials to Syria To Revive Relations
'A rapprochement between the United States and Syria has the potential to reshape the Middle East if it results in Syria curtailing its ties to Iran and anti-Israeli militant groups in exchange for return of the Golan Heights, which Israel seized during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Mar 09, by Mark Landler
Iran a recurring theme in Clinton's Mideast trip
'Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was struck by the depth of fear about Iran, and the extent to which officials say it meddles in their affairs.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Mar 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Clinton travels to a hardened Israel
'On Syria, Iran, and a Palestinian state, Israel's new leadership disagrees with the Obama administration.'

Middle East Times, 04 Mar 09, by Mel Frykberg
Israel Lays Out Red Lines for U.S. Relationship with Iran
'Israel and the new U.S. administration appear to be headed on a collision course. ... Apart from expected strong disagreement over a two-state solution to the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict by premier-designate Benjamin Netanyahu, there is also disagreement on how to deal with the alleged threat that Iran's nuclear program presents to the Jewish state.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Feb 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Key prisoners at center of Israeli-Hamas negotiations
'Among the scores of Palestinian prisoners who Hamas wants freed in exchange for Israeli Sgt. Gilad Shalit is Marwan Barghouti, the most popular man in Fatah.'

The Telegraph, 16 Feb 09, by Philip Sherwell
Israel launches covert war against Iran
'Israel has launched a covert war against Iran as an alternative to direct military strikes against Tehran's nuclear programme, US intelligence sources have revealed.'

Arutz Sheva, 18 Feb 09, by Hillel Fendel
Terrorist Unrest in Judea and Samaria
'Thursday's Arab terrorism: A multi-faceted attack was thwarted near Elon Moreh, at least four Israeli vehicles were stoned by Arabs, and a firebomber targeted a bus.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Feb 09, by Nazila Fathi and David E. Sanger
Better relations with Iran might mean trouble with Israel for U.S.
'An offer by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran to take up President Barack Obama's oft-repeated invitation for direct talks between the United States and Iran signals the start of a long-delayed war-or-peace drama that may help define the Obama administration's plans to remake America's approach to diplomacy.'

Middle East Times, 12 Feb 09, by Richard Sale
Israel's Intelligence Disaster
'Palestinian intelligence agents, working for Israel in its recent "Operation Cast Lead," were exposed and many of them captured or killed in the aftermath, U.S. officials said.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Feb 09, by Isabel Kershner
Israel threatens 'disproportionate' response to rockets
'Olmert's statement came as Palestinian officials gathered in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials who are trying to broker a durable cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli government has expressed ambivalence about entering into any immediate agreement with Hamas, and its position remains unclear.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Feb 09, by Sabrina Tavernise and Ethan Bronner
Gaza war strained Israeli relationship with Turkey
'Israel's Arab allies stood behind it in the war, but Turkey, a NATO member whose mediating efforts last year brought Israel into indirect talks with Syria, protested every step of the way ...'

Voice of America, 04 Feb 09, by Robert Berger
Israel: 'Time Running Out' After Iran Satellite Launch
'Israel says Iran's satellite launch is a "technological achievement" that points to a growing nuclear threat. A statement by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned that Iran has improving missile technology capable of delivering a nuclear bomb that could hit Israel and beyond.'

Agence France Press, 04 Feb 09
Five rockets found in south Lebanon: army
'Lebanese soldiers and UN peacekeepers on Wednesday discovered five rockets in the south of the country five kilometres (three miles) from the Israeli border, the army and the UN said.'

Washington Post, 29 Jan 09, by Griff Witte
Middle East Envoy Urges 'Lasting Peace'
'Arms smuggling must halt, Mitchell says.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Jan 09, by Isabel Kershner
Gaza violence complicates U.S. envoy's mission
'A day after President Barack Obama's special Middle East envoy called for a consolidation of the fragile Gaza cease-fire, the truce came under new strain Thursday when the Israeli military said Palestinians fired a rocket into Israel at dawn and news reports said Israel launched an air strike in response.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Jan 09, by Isabel Kershner
U.S. envoy asks Israel and Hamas to tighten truce
'President Barack Obama's special Middle East envoy called Wednesday for a consolidation of the fragile Gaza truce, but Israel and Hamas seemed far apart on the issue of the reopening of the Gaza border crossings, a main Hamas demand for an lasting cease-fire.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Jan 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Crux of Gaza cease-fire: border crossings
'Israel temporarily closed its crossings into Gaza Tuesday after a soldier was killed by a roadside bomb. After the attack, Israeli forces killed one Palestinian and wounded a senior militant.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jan 09, by Kristen Chick
Palestinian attack breaches Gaza cease-fire
'Israel responds to a roadside bomb with an airstrike in Gaza.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Jan 09, by Mark Landler
Envoy kicks off Obama's Mideast diplomacy
'President Barack Obama dispatched his special envoy, George Mitchell, to the Middle East on Monday, kicking off a diplomatic initiative that Obama pledged would be vigorous and sustained but would start off primarily as a listening tour.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Jan 09, by Daniel Williams, Bloomberg News
Gaza crisis threatens outlook for Mubarak
'If negotiations fall apart, Egypt's credibility as a self-declared regional stabilizer and leader of the Arab world will be damaged.'

BBC News, 28 Jan 09, by Bethany Bell
Counting casualties of Gaza's war
'In any conflict the number of deaths - of combatants and civilians - is a highly sensitive topic.'

FOX News/AP, 22 Jan 09
Officials: U.S. Intercepts Iranian Arms-Smuggling Ship
'The search turned up ammunition that included artillery shells. But one official said that since Hamas is not known to use artillery, officials are now uncertain who the intended recipient was. They're asking Egypt to do another search when the ship arrives in port.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Jan 09, by Ethan Bronner
Israel withdraws from Gaza
'After more than three weeks of fighting, Israeli troops completed their withdrawal from Gaza early on Wednesday, the military said, but residents reported the continued sound of what they said was naval gunfire in the waters off the Mediterranean coastline here.'

Middle East Times, 22 Jan 09, by Sana Abdallah
Palestinian Split Resurfaces After Israeli Military Pullout From Gaza
'... rivals Hamas and Fatah have resumed their strife amid increasing domestic and international calls for national reconciliation.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jan 09, by Ethan Bronner
Outcry over Israel's reported use of phosphorus in Gaza
'Militaries use white phosphorus widely to obscure the battlefield, but it is also limited under an international convention that bans its use against civilians.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan 09, by Shashank Bengali, McClatchy Newspapers
After Israeli withdrawal, Hamas asserts victory in Gaza
'Hamas officials emerged from weeks in hiding on Tuesday for a defiant "victory celebration" with their supporters outside the gutted parliament building, the latest sign that Israel's three-week assault neither broke the militant Islamist group nor weakened its control of the Gaza Strip.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jan 09, by Shane Bauer
Will all Palestinian factions honor Hamas's cease-fire?
'Hamas may not be able to prevent other factions from attacking Israel, analysts say.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Jan 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Gaza fighting pauses, but is the war over?
'Hamas and Israel have not agreed to terms of a mutual cease-fire agreement, worrying many that the war will soon start up again.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Jan 09, by Ethan Bronner
Parsing gains of the war in Gaza
'... now that the battle is over – or has paused, after Hamas agreed Sunday to a one-week cease-fire with Israel – what has been accomplished is unclear. Have three weeks of overpowering war by Israel here weakened Hamas as Israel had hoped, or simply caused acute human suffering? ... Israel said its central aim was deterrence, to make Hamas lose the will to keep shooting at Israel's cities. Did it succeed?'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Jan 09, by Isabel Kershner
War on Hamas saps Palestinian leaders
'Israel hoped that the war in Gaza would not only cripple Hamas, but eventually strengthen its secular rival, the Palestinian Authority, and even allow it to claw its way back into Gaza.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jan 09, by Ilene R. Prusher
Fatah, Hamas split widens amid Gaza war
'Members of the secular Fatah movement, which controls the Palestinian Authority, are divided over how the group should respond to the ongoing Israeli offensive against Hamas.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Jan 09, by Taghreed El-Khodary and Isabel Kershner
Israel strikes UN complex in Gaza strip
'Amid reports that a United Nations building had been hit, Israeli forces shelled areas deep inside Gaza City and edged forward toward the city center Thursday, sending thousands of panicked residents fleeing from their homes, witnesses said.'

BBC News, 14 Jan 09
Israel pursues its Gaza offensive
'Fighting has intensified in the Gaza Strip between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants.'

Washington Post, 13 Jan 09, by Griff Witte
Israel's Top Leaders Weighing Their Next Steps in Gaza
'The moves came as negotiators in Cairo sought to reach a cease-fire agreement ... The talks in Egypt center on the question of how to keep Hamas from smuggling weapons across the Egypt-Gaza border. A senior Israeli official said Israel and Egypt are in basic agreement on a plan that would allow the European Union and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority to share responsibility for monitoring the border and the crossing point at Rafah.'

Washington Post, 14 Jan 09, by Craig Whitlock
Hamas May Survive Offensive, Israel Says
'The Israeli officials said their strategy was to squeeze Hamas militarily as they try to pressure the Islamist movement into a truce that would include a long-term commitment to stop firing rockets into southern Israel. Some Hamas leaders have said they are willing to cut a deal, but others have pledged to continue fighting.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Jan 09, by Robert Marquand and Nicholas Blanford
Gaza: Israel under fire for alleged white phosphorus use
'On Tuesday, the Israeli army denied using white phosphorus munitions. A Norwegian doctor claims Israel is using Gaza as a "test laboratory for new weapons," including Dense Inert Metal Explosives, or DIME.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Jan 09, by Taghreed El-Khodary and Sabrina Tavernise
Refugee surge raises concerns of a broader Gaza war
'Growing numbers of Palestinians are fleeing their homes for makeshift shelters in schools, office buildings and a park as the Israeli Army continues to press its military campaign deeper into the city of Gaza.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Jan 09, by Michael Slackman
Gaza crisis imperils 2-state plan
'With every image of the dead in Gaza inflaming people across the Arab world, Egyptian and Jordanian officials are worried that they see a fundamental tenet of the Middle East peace process slipping away: the so-called two-state solution, an independent Palestinian state coexisting with Israel. Egypt and Jordan fear that they will be pressed to absorb the Palestinian populations now living beyond their borders.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Jan 09, by Michael Slackman
Ordinary Arabs fume over Israeli invasion
'As the war in Gaza burned through its 14th day, Arab governments have felt their legitimacy challenged with an uncommon virulence. With each passing day, and each Palestinian death, the popularity of Hamas and other radical movements has ratcheted higher on the Arab street, while the standing of Arab leaders has suffered.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jan 09, by Yigal Schleifer
Alleged coup plot probe roils Turkey
'Last week's arrest of senior military officers and the discovery of several weapons caches deepens the investigation into a suspected secularist coup plan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Jan 09, by Joshua Mitnick
Can Egypt broker truce in Gaza once again?
'Hamas and Israel say they are weighing an Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire as international calls to end the conflict mount.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 Jan 09, by Steven Erlanger
Rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel's north
'Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza threatened to broaden on Thursday as at least three rockets were fired into the north of Israel from Lebanon. ... So far there has been no claim of responsibility. A spokeswoman for the militant group Hezbollah, which triggered a war with Israel in 2006 by firing rockets into northern Israel from Lebanon, said an investigation was underway.'

BBC News, 08 Jan 09, by Martin Asser
Who is behind Lebanon rockets?
'It is not that long ago that Israel was waging war in Gaza when Hezbollah militants opened up a second front with Lebanon.'

Washington Post, 08 Jan 09, by Griff Witte
Hamas Pulling Back Into Crowded Cities, Beckoning Israelis
'For army, pursuit is tempting but risky. ... Analysts say that unleashing ground forces in Gazan cities and refugee camps would almost certainly allow Hamas to launch a campaign of urban warfare featuring sniper fire, suicide attacks and car bombs.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Jan 09, by Nicholas Blanford
Deepening Israeli assault on Hamas divides Arab world
'Across the Arab world the conflict continues to tear at the rift between factions that extol resistance to Israel and the Western-friendly autocracies and monarchies that rule in the region. As anger at Israel grows, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas backers in Iran and Syria gain more currency on the street at the expense of American allies: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. And this shifting tide of support could have an impact on US policy in the Middle East for decades.'

Middle East Times, 08 Jan 09, by The Media Line News Agency
Leadership Crisis Emerging in Palestinian Authority
'A constitutional leadership crisis is looming over the Palestinian Authority as Jan. 9 – the date that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' term officially ends – draws near.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Jan 09, by Steven Erlanger
For Israel, lessons learned from 2006, but old pitfalls
'Israel is applying the military insight it gained from the 2006 war against Hezbollah, but diplomatic lessons do not seem to have been so well applied.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Jan 09, by Ethan Bronner
Israel puts clamp on foreign media
'Like all wars, this one is partly about public relations. But unlike any war in Israel's history, in this one, the government is seeking to control entirely the message and narrative for reasons both of politics and military strategy.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Jan 09, by Robert F. Worth
Hezbollah unlikely to enter Mideast conflict, analysts say
'First, Hezbollah still believes its ally Hamas will triumph. Second, it cannot risk drawing Lebanon into another devastating conflict like the one in 2006. Hezbollah is still politically vulnerable at home.'

2008 Middle East and North Africa stories
2007 Middle East and North Africa stories