In The News

After the Arab Spring – Part II

Daniel Bethlehem September 23, 2011
Statehood for Palestine in name only won’t ensure peace, equal footing with Israel and policies that serve the people living within those borders. A three-part series explores the aftermath of the Arab Spring including the motivations behind the Palestinian quest for statehood and consequences. “A balance of dignity between the parties is a necessary step towards a more durable accommodation,”...

After the Arab Spring – Part I

Gustav Ranis September 21, 2011
The Palestinian-Israeli pressure cooker of complex mix of interests and injustices has long threatened to explode – an issue ready-made for extremists of all stripes to needle leaders in Israel, the Palestine Authority or the United States. Since the Arab Spring swept old regimes from power, notably in Egypt, Muslims everywhere are emboldened to demand democratic institutions and full...

How a Palestinian State Could Reward Israel

Suhail Khalilieh September 14, 2011
Palestine is poised to request that the UN General Assembly endorse its bid for statehood at the meeting beginning 20 September. Despite Israeli opposition, about 60 percent of UN members have expressed approval for the bid. The US is attempting to negotiate a delay and has threatened to veto the bid. With statehood, Palestine would become party to many international agreements overseen by the...

Fall of Gaddafi: Policy Challenge for China and Russia

James M. Dorsey September 7, 2011
As rebels organize to govern Libya, global powers pay their respects to new rulers of a nation ranking ninth in the world with oil reserves. NATO supported overthrowing the Gaddafi regime, while Russia, China, India, Brazil and South Africa abstained from voting on Resolution 1973, approved in March, authorizing UN member states to protect Libya’s civilians. Now abstainers are scrambling to win...

Torture in Bahrain Aided by Nokia Siemens

Vernon Silver, Ben Elgin August 31, 2011
Torture victims in Bahrain report that interrogators confronted them with detailed transcripts of mobile phone conversations. Surveillance equipment in Bahrain was sold by Siemens AG and maintained by Nokia Siemens Networks and Trovicor, according to company employees who requested anonymity. “The use of the system for interrogation in Bahrain illustrates how Western-produced surveillance...

After Gaddafi, Let's Hope for the Best in Libya

Brian Whitaker August 23, 2011
After six months of fighting, Libyan rebels rallied for an enthusiastic entry into Tripoli. The images were reminiscent of early victories in Tunisia, Egypt and also Iraq, as rebels and other Libyans gathered in Green Square, destroying symbols of the previous regime. A few holdouts from the Gaddafi regime resist, and the task of rebuilding is daunting, but the Guardian’s Brian Whitaker suggests...

The Kremlin's Short-Term Gains Are Russia's Long-Term Losses

Yuri Mamchur August 5, 2011
Stability throughout the Middle East should matter more to Russia than the United States, argues writer Yuri Mamchur. But while the US cheered democratic aspirations and greater freedoms promised by the Arab Spring, Russia remained mute. “The dearth of official Russian involvement in the Arab Spring demonstrates the country’s fading influence in the world, at least the type of influence needed to...