Washington Watch Articles From 2005
WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) “Conference on Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Intolerance” convened this past week in Cordoba, Spain.
ABU MAZEN IS RIGHT: FREEDOM, TOO, IS NEEDED
There was a striking exchange of contrasting views that took place during the Rose Garden event with President George W. Bush and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
WORDS AND DEEDS
Palestinians have every reason to be pleased with President Bush’s Rose Garden remarks to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas.
AS AIPAC MEETS
Despite recent controversy, the thousands of pro-Israel activists gathering at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) annual policy conference will find official Washington appearing to be as receptive as ever to the organization and its cause.
UNDERSTANDING HISTORY AND THE PATH TO PEACE MAKING
I had been speaking of the role that “losing control of their history” had played in defining the Palestinian psyche during the last century, when a somewhat aggravated Israeli in the audience challenged my assessment.
PREPARING FOR ABBAS’S VISIT
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (“Abu Mazen”) is liked, but is not known, here in the US. This situation poses some challenges and presents some opportunities which the Palestinian leader ought to address as he prepares for his upcoming American visit.
HYPOCRISY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
I briefly met Natan Sharansky about five years ago. We were sitting together at NBC TV waiting for our respective interviews. I wanted to speak with him. In fact, I had wanted to speak with him since the late 1980’s.
CONGRESS’ BAD BEHAVIOR
While the Palestinian Authority, under new leadership, is making a determined effort to reform and reorganize, entrenched anti-peace forces in the US Congress present real barriers to forward movement. Evidence of their continuing ability to define the limits of what is possible was on display this month.
HOPEFUL, BUT NOT OPTIMISTIC
I’m not a fan of the Prime Minister of Israel, but it is important to acknowledge that, whatever his intentions, the dynamic Ariel Sharon has unleashed will have a transformative impact on Israeli-Palestinian relations.