Israeli officials this week expressed broad hopes that relaunching negotiations will enable a final status agreement that would see the creation of a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Jewish state. Tzipi Livni, Jerusalem’s chief negotiator, acknowledged skepticism toward the talks and explained why it might be overcome: “There is a lot...

Iranian state media reported this week on statements made by Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi in which the powerful Iranian official – Naqdi is the commander of the Basij paramilitary force – explained the sources of regional instability and how to solve them. A lot, it turns out, hangs on the Jewish...

Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip have evaluated renewed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), and are declaring themselves displeased: Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Shallah said the PA had relinquished many of its initial preconditions to the negotiations in order to revive the way of the Oslo Accords,...

President Barack Obama on Monday extended a freeze on the assets of individuals who are linked to activities that undermine Lebanese stability. The extension lasts for one more year. The president’s reasoning was candid: In a letter addressed to the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the...

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has been criticized in the past for declaring that a future Palestinian state would be cleansed of all Israelis. According to reports, including from Reuters, those criticisms have not taken hold: “In a final resolution, we would not see the presence of a single...

Members of Israel’s governing coalition sought this weekend and into Monday to dampen criticism of a Cabinet decision to release 104 jailed Palestinian terrorists – almost all convicted of murdering Israeli civilians – as a gesture toward Palestinian diplomats, who have been demanding the concession as a condition for returning...