Policy Analysis

Iranian President Muhammad Khatami's international charm offensive continues at the UN Millennium Summit, where today he hosts a "Dialogue of Civilizations" and tomorrow he speaks to the General Assembly. Meanwhile, at home, Khatami faces violence rather than dialogue, raising doubts about Iran's peaceful reform. The Iranian Charm Offensive. Last week

Last week, a seemingly arcane argument produced a political crisis in Turkey that set back, at least temporarily, the government's longstanding anti-Islamist campaign. What began as a dispute over constitutional interpretation of presidential powers embittered relations between the nation's two top officials-President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit-to

Hizballah is shifting its focus from armed resistance to internal matters in anticipation of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Hizballah hopes to translate its "victory" over the IDF and South Lebanon Army into a greater share of domestic political power. Hizballah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah acknowledges the shift in priorities, stating

Today, following last weekend's deployment into southern Lebanon by United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Lebanese security forces fulfilled their commitments and deployed into Israel's former occupied zone. The lack of major incidents and the relative restraint of Hizballah since the IDF withdrew in May surprises some observers, but

In the aftermath of Camp David II and with the start of the Knesset summer recess yesterday, there appears to be a 40-90 day "window" for Israelis and the Palestinians to determine whether a diplomatic breakthrough is still possible or whether the parties will move in alternative directions. Political Standing

On July 28, 2000, The Washington Institute hosted a special symposium on the tenth anniversary of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, featuring presentations by Lt. Gen. Bernard Trainor, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations; Peter Rodman, director of national security at the Nixon Center; and Daniel Pipes, editor

Previous public opinion polls conducted in the Arab East, especially in the Levant, have revealed that "inching toward peace" with Israel has not produced definitive changes in Arab perceptions. Instead, the peace process seems to have given rise to a kind of resignation born of a pervasive sense of helplessness

With a couple of minor exceptions, there was scant criticism of U.S. policy by Arab leaders. Contrary to expectation, officials from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Palestinian Authority volunteered very few complaints. Israel's discontent with the relationship, on the other hand, was manifest and unmistakable. Israeli representatives from both ends

Achievements Although the failure of the Camp David II summit to reach a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians is certainly sad, it is important to emphasize that this two-week meeting was not a waste of time. For the first time, Israelis and Palestinians sat together in an

The seeds of failure at Camp David were planted before the summit began. Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat was not willing to make the concessions necessary for an agreement, and the reason he was unwilling was that he had not adequately prepared his public. Indeed, the collapse of the summit

Last week's headlines had the Israeli-Palestinian summit stalled over the issue of Jerusalem. But another intractable subject is as likely to prevent a deal at Camp David from bringing a lasting peace: the Palestinian "right of return." This refers to the demand that some three million Palestinians--refugees who left Israel

SHLOMO SLONIM The Myth of Consistency Since 1967, U.S. administrations have varied their policy regarding the status of East Jerusalem. Under the Johnson and Reagan administrations, East Jerusalem was not considered occupied territory, and, consequently, Israeli control of the city in its entirety was implicitly accepted. Johnson emphasized that the

When the United Nations (UN) Security Council created UNSCOM in April 1991, it intended to create an efficient, professional organization that would catalyze international cooperation in support of dismantling Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threat. The first task was to identify and supervise the elimination of "prohibited items," in

The Lockerbie trial about to be resumed in the Netherlands will soon enter one of its most important stages. In the coming sessions a critical witness, a Libyan double agent, will take the stand. The testimony of this defector is expected to confirm not just the complicity of the suspects

We may not know exactly what compromises will be made in the peace talks, but we can be fairly sure about Yasser Arafat's goal at Camp David: to move as far and as fast as possible toward an independent Palestinian state. We can also assume we know President Clinton's goals--a

Among the issues being discussed at Camp David between Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, Palestinian Authority chairman Yasir Arafat, and President Clinton is one matter that directly affects several other states in the region not represented at the talks, namely, the situation of the Palestinian refugees, especially those in Lebanon

Domestic political considerations will be an important factor in Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak's moves at Camp David. Although he would like to have one for a myriad of reasons, politically Barak does not need a deal. To the contrary, failure to reach an agreement could even bring his "big

There have been at least seven agreements between Israel and the Palestinians in the past seven years. Negotiations with intermittent spurts of violence have been a way of life. Any new agreement will not be about an end to the conflict: The original 1993 agreement specified such an end, with

The INC has so far proven its capability in undermining the viability of the existing regime, namely by seizing fourteen provinces from Saddam Husayn's grasp, infiltrating the intelligence apparatus, making and maintaining contact with the highest members of the ruling cadre and military branch, and opening offices in the region

When Mideast peace talks convene at Camp David on Tuesday, President Clinton will need to bring more to the table--from members of Congress to carrots, from senators to sticks--than he has so far brought to Arab-Israeli peacemaking. With "Camp David II," the United States begins a journey into unknown Mideast