Middle East

Israelis Hustle to Leave Gaza in Time for Obama

By Larry Derfner - Mideast Watch - January 20, 2009

The cease-fire has been holding, but Hamas warns it could fall apart next week. more >>

Venezuela's Chávez: the New Hero in the Arab World

By Larry Derfner - Mideast Watch - January 16, 2009

Portraits of Chávez are being displayed around the Middle East after he blasted the "holocaust" in Gaza. more >>

'Post' and 'Times' a World Apart in Reporting on U.S. Policy Toward Israel, Iran

By John Aloysius Farrell - John A. Farrell - January 16, 2009

Opposite takes on Hillary Clinton speech suggest journalists might have missed a nuance on the Mideast. more >>

Bin Laden Allegedly Calls for Jihad Over Gaza

By Larry Derfner - Mideast Watch - January 15, 2009

As bin Laden castigates Arab leaders for failing to defend Palestinians, Iran says Hamas is winning. more >>

Israel Sends Reserves Into Gaza Amid Escalation Fears

By Larry Derfner - Mideast Watch - January 13, 2009

Israel's leaders are divided, but some in the military favor an incursion into the dense urban centers. more >>

Hamas Rejects Cease-Fire With Israel in Gaza

By Larry Derfner - Mideast Watch - January 12, 2009

The Palestinian militant group turned down a truce proposal amid relentless Israeli fire. more >>

Bush, Obama, U.S. Media Assailed Over Reaction to Gaza War

By Larry Derfner - Mideast Watch - January 9, 2009

The Arab press depicts Israel's attacks on Gaza as Bush's last hurrah. more >>

Lebanese Officials Deny Responsibility for Rockets Hitting Israel

By Larry Derfner - Mideast Watch - January 8, 2009

As the war in Gaza drags on, Lebanon says it knew nothing about a rocket barrage into Israel. more >>

Hosni Mubarak, Condoleezza Rice, and Others Ratchet Up Diplomacy in the Face of Israel's Fighting in Gaza

Opinion - January 8, 2009

Hosni Mubarak, Condoleezza Rice, and a host of international diplomats want you to think so. more >>

Israel Widens Offensive in Gaza as Hamas Rocket Attacks Continue

By Amanda Ruggeri - Nation & World - January 6, 2009

Both sides are defying international pressure for a cease-fire. more >>

Jordan Threatens to Reconsider Ties With Israel

By Larry Derfner - Mideast Watch - January 6, 2009

Turkey, too, pulls back in the wake of Israel's Gaza offensive against Hamas. more >>

As Israel Presses Forward in Gaza, Some Israelis Support a Cease-Fire

By Larry Derfner - Mideast Watch - January 5, 2009

Israeli government is determined to cripple Hamas and to stop its rocket attacks. more >>

Israel Must Learn the Limits of Bombing and Violence in Palestine

By Steven A. Cook - Opinion - January 5, 2009

Israel's massive retaliation will fail, writes Steven A. Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations. more >>

20 Years Later, the Lockerbie Terror Attack Is Not as Solved as We Think

By Nathan Thrall - Opinion - January 2, 2009

The book should not be closed on the Lockerbie attack, Nathan Thrall writes. more >>

Assault on Gaza: Israeli Offensive Persists - US News and World Report

Nation & World - December 30, 2008

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Why the Gaza War Between Israel and Hamas Broke Out Now

By Larry Derfner - Nation & World - December 30, 2008

Two key factors: A six-month cease-fire ended and Israel faces a pivotal election in February. more >>

Palestinians Training Kids to be Suicide Bombers

By Harold Evans - Opinion - December 19, 2008

Teaching children murder and a warped, dangerous history. more >>

In the Troubled Middle East, Obama Will Confront Multiple Crises

By Thomas Omestad - Nation & World - December 19, 2008

The list of challenges is long: Iran, the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, Syria, and a damaged U.S. brand. more >>

Is the Shoe Insult a Muslim Thing, an Arab Thing, Both, or Neither?

By Dan Gilgoff - God & Country - December 16, 2008

Last weekend's incident has me thinking about the origins of the insult. more >>

The Rise of Islamic Banking in a Time of Economic Crisis

By Thomas K. Grose - Nation & World - December 10, 2008

How some financial institutions avoid trouble by following the strict rules of the Koran. more >>

Israel’s Likud Party Turns Ultra-Hawkish

Nation & World - December 10, 2008

Right-wing party leader Netanyahu finds himself outflanked by hardliners. more >>

World's Best Colleges: Top Asian and Middle Eastern Universities

Education - November 20, 2008

These are the top Asian and Middle Eastern universities in 2008. more >>

CIA Director says al Qaeda Much Weaker in Southeast Asia

By Alex Kingsbury - Nation & World - November 13, 2008

The terrorist network is on the run in Indonesia, but is getting stronger in Middle East and Africa. more >>

In Israel, Some Anxieties About Obama

By Larry Derfner - Nation & World - November 7, 2008

How will the United States Shift on Iran, Palestinians, Mideast Peace? more >>

The Coming Middle East Crisis

By Mortimer Zuckerman - Opinion - October 24, 2008

The region has gone from bad to worse to horrible. more >>