Explainer: US Law & Abbas’ Post-UNSC Moves

by Lara Friedman As anybody who follows Israeli-Palestinian issues knows, on December 31, 2014, after the UN Security Council rejected a Jordanian-backed resolution that would have imposed terms of reference and a timeline for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Palestinian President Abbas… Continue Reading

New Optimism Over Iran Talks Tempered by Threat of Incoming Congress

by Derek Davison The new year may have brought with it some signs of progress toward a comprehensive deal between world powers and Iran, lending credence to one of Graham Fuller’s 2015 predictions for the Middle East. However, any movement toward a… Continue Reading

Abbas Moves Toward ICC After UN Failure

by Mitchell Plitnick The Palestinian Authority (PA) has now moved a step closer to making good on its threat to go to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and bring charges against Israel. There is little doubt that this was a… Continue Reading

US Fight Against Islamic State: Long Haul Ahead

by Wayne White As 2014 draws to a close, there is no shortage of alternative suggestions about how to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS or IS). Most of them involve US escalation, driven by exaggerated notions of IS capabilities. Retaking… Continue Reading

Lindsey Graham Says Congress Will “Follow [Bibi’s] Lead”

by Jim Lobe Lindsey Graham, who is not a stupid person, can be so embarrassing. Speaking at a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem Saturday, Graham said the following in response to Bibi’s call for “more… Continue Reading