Netanyahu and Obama: Name-Calling and its Discontents

by Mitchell Plitnick The obsession in politics and diplomacy with decorum–largely a relic from the past–can easily distract people from the realities of the present. Case in point, the uproar over Jeffrey Goldberg’s latest article in the Atlantic, the headline of… Continue Reading →

The US Must Do Less To Resolve the Israel-Palestine Conflict

by Mitchell Plitnick Former American diplomat Aaron David Miller is a frequent and worthwhile contributor to US foreign policy discussions in both Washington and the news media. His long career in Middle East diplomacy and strong focus on Israel have enabled him to clarify for… Continue Reading →

The Palestinian Refugee Issue is Not Going to Resolve Itself

by Mitchell Plitnick When I started getting serious about action on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the associated US foreign policy, I found it imperative to convince people that the Oslo Accords were doomed to fail. There were the obvious critiques of… Continue Reading →

Netanyahu Disappoints at the UN

by Mitchell Plitnick After Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stirred up some controversy by terming Israel’s recent bombardment of Gaza a “war of genocide” at the UN General Assembly last week, there was some speculation that the Israeli prime minister would come in breathing… Continue Reading →

Myth-Making and Obama’s UNGA Speech

by Mitchell Plitnick Once again, in his speech Wednesday at the United Nations, President Obama revealed the reduced importance of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on his agenda. He also revealed just how out of touch his entire country is with respect to reality.… Continue Reading →