Policy Analysis

Executive Summary Israel's proposal for Palestinian elections stems from a realization that the status quo is not tenable and a fear that the intifada could escalate to a more violent pattern of confrontation. Despite continued controversy over its details, the elections proposal indicates several new elements in Israel's position: recognition

The PLO's steps toward recognizing Israel, rejecting terrorism, and advocating a two-state solution are not a public relations ploy. But, by the same token, the PLO has not been transformed overnight. As a result, U.S. policy toward the PLO should be geared toward pressuring and maneuvering the organization into completing

The unrestricted use of chemical weapons during the last stages of the Iran-Iraq war shocked the international community. In a belated response, the world’s industrialized countries, led by the United States, have initiated a campaign to halt the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons. International efforts have concentrated on stopping

Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze's recent trip to the Middle East demonstrates conclusively that the Soviet Union plans to be a major player in the region's diplomacy. The United States needs to find out whether Moscow intends to be a peacemaker as well. To do so, Washington must begin to seize

What a difference a decade makes. The last time a Soviet foreign minister traveled to the Middle East, his sole objective was to undermine the Arab-Israeli peace process. Now, ten years later, Moscow's chief diplomat is helping to assemble a regional coalition in favor of a negotiated settlement. Back in

For more than a decade, U.S. policymakers have sought, at least indirectly, to supplement their efforts to promote political reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians with economic support to improve the socio-economic conditions in the West Bank and Gaza. U.S. efforts have been premised on the assumption that economic progress

Executive Summary The proliferation of chemical and biological weapons in the Middle East is an accomplished fact. It is too late to prevent the spread of either type of weapon. This poses a potential threat to the United States and to its allies in the region. Fortunately, there are operational

Faced with pressure from the uprising leadership in the territories, by gains of rival Islamic and leftist groups and by Jordan's disengagement from the West Bank, Yasser Arafat is seeking approval for a Palestinian declaration of independence at the Algiers PNC meeting. But will the PLO actually achieve independence from

"Activist Islam" has emerged as a critical new force in the Palestinian uprising and a new wild card in the intra-Palestinian debate over the political direction the ten-month old revolt should take. The recent publication of the Islamic Resistance Movement's covenant, which brooks no compromise with Israel, is but the

Keynote address by George Shultz. With Madeleine Albright, Itamar Rabinovich, Oleg Derkovsky, Hirsh Goodman, and others.

Decision time is approaching in the Middle East. In Israel and Lebanon, within the Palestinian community and in the gulf, choices will be made that will have a profound impact on the politics of the region and on the chances of settling conflicts peacefully. These decisions must be based on

Surface-to-surface missiles (SSMs) have begun to assume a central role in the military forces of the Middle East. Not only do 10 countries in the region possess them, but five countries are trying to develop their own independent missile capabilities. In the early 1988 "War of the Cities," Iran and

President Reagan was motivated by a concern for Israel's security. He believed that we should commit ourselves to Israel's defense. He understood Israel's deep-seated and justified fear of attack and wanted to contribute to relieving it. Until Israel felt secure, he believed it unlikely that Israel would be willing to

The violent uprising in the West Bank and Gaza has destroyed a status quo which had been tolerable, if not entirely comfortable, for several years. Mounting casualties injected fresh urgency into the search for a new peace process to replace one that has been stalled by differences over procedures and

As the Moscow summit approaches, and as the prospects for his Arab- Israeli peace initiative grow increasingly dim, the time has come for Secretary of State George Shultz to seize the diplomatic high road and publicly challenge the Soviet Union to put up or shut up on the question of

Among the most important facets of Egypt under Mubarak has been the creating of a new dynamic between army and politics. Though the military has been the backbone of Egypt’s government since the revolution, it rarely receives the analytical attention due such a powerful player in Egypt. In this Policy

Keynote addresses by Walter Mondale, Lawrence Eagleburger, and Richard Murphy. With William Kirby, Daniel Kurtzer, Aaron David Miller, and others.

Vice President Mondale Much has changed over the past year -- in both the Middle East and in Washington. In the region, calm was shattered by the rocks of the Palestinian uprising and suddenly, the U.S. government understood the costs of leaving the peace process on the back burner. The

Over the past eight years, relations between the United States and Israel have benefitted from the addition of a new and vital strategic dimension. American defense and foreign policy officials have begun to appreciate the potential for Israel’s contribution to U.S. and Western interests in the Middle East as evidenced

When the next president enters office, he will be confronted by a Middle East in transformation. The Iraq-Iran war is ending; the Arab-Israeli conflict is reverting to its inter-communal roots; and the arms race is escalating to a new, more dangerous level. As the region adjusts to these new realities