American politicians are always calling Israel the one true democracy in the Middle East. Compared to most of other nations in the region (with the exception of Turkey), Israel certainly boasts the strongest democratic institutions, the freest society, and by far the most accountable government. Yet under the leadership of...

Israelis and Palestinians may be as far apart from each other as they have ever been, certainly when it comes to the never-ending saga that is the Two-State Solution. Yet as the Palestinian Authority heads to New York this week to confront the Israeli government at the United Nations with...

This is how it always seems to work in the Middle East. Are the people rising up against you? Are they demanding greater rights, economic equality, social justice? Don't worry. All you need to do is point the finger at an external enemy -- some outside force that threatens your...

It was inevitable that the release of the Obama administration's new counter-radicalization strategy document, "Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Violent Extremism," would garner heavy criticism from the usual quarters. At this point, the White House couldn't release a Christmas card without setting off a virulent national debate.

Some...

Reports this week that the Obama administration is suspending some $800 million in military aid to Pakistan confirms what everyone already knows: the relationship between the two erstwhile allies in the war on terror is teetering on the verge of collapse. Indeed, there are powerful voices in both countries calling...

Peace Is Still Possible

It is difficult now to remember how emotionally overwhelmed I was by a sudden wave of acute optimism when I watched President Obama reach out to the Muslim, Arab and Palestinian peoples in a historic speech at Cairo University in June 2009.

Nevertheless, I am not...