Tag Archives: Israel

Should this plan become, like so many of its predecessors, a political football on both sides of the ocean, the people who make their homes and live their lives on politicians’ playing fields will lose.

Given the history of the region and the damage recently inflicted by President Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a one-state solution will never bring peace to the region.

South Africa can look to the arid Israeli model for its water solutions.

Israel and Saudi Arabia are burying the hatchet. For at least 10 reasons, that's not such a good idea.

Whatever options Hamas and Israel choose will not resolve the underlying conflict. But allowing Gazans to export goods, tax themselves and freely exit and enter the territory would at least offer Israelis and Palestinians the possibility of less bloodshed, while other possibilities, including unblocking the diplomatic impasse, are explored.

If the Iran nuclear deal eventually leads to a withdrawal of sanctions, the results will be increased Iranian supplies, forcing prices lower by some $10 per barrel. That could go a long way in changing the political structure of the Middle East, reducing West's dependency on its traditional allies in the region. Washington wants Iran positioned as a competitor to Russia for EU and Asian energy markets, and as a bulwark against Russian and Chinese expansion.

The US has little ability to curtail, let alone stop, Israel's expansion into the West Bank. It will complain and threaten certain actions to the UN or the International Criminal Court (ICC). All of these will be to no avail, certainly not during the remainder of President Barack Obama's term, says one analyst.

The only silver lining to the Israeli prime minister's surprisingly strong reelection victory is that Washington and Brussels might finally get fed up with him.

India seems to have got the balancing act right in furthering bilateral relations with both Iran and Israel simultaneously. Both the countries hold a lot of strategic importance for India, economically and geopolitically, and with both nations willing to do business it is up to India to take these relations even further.

Congress's embrace of Israel may result in the scuttling of the nuclear negotiations and worsening relations with Iran that could result in widening turmoil, war and terrorism throughout the Middle East, including the strategic Persian Gulf, especially Afghanistan, in addition to Central Asia.