Epstein Secrets

tron. People frequently discuss any U.S.-Israeli rift in terms of personal relations between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, EFTA00686719 but this is mistaken. It is uncertainty in Egypt and Syria and the emergence of Iran that have created a new strategic reality for

he only Palestinian strategy Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu fears, but it is one that he is sure Palestinians

is the only Palestinian strategy Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu fears, but it is one that he is sure Pa

. More important, Israel cannot strike Iran without U.S. permission because Israel cannot guarantee that the Iranians would not mine the Strait of Hormuz. Only the United States could hope to stop the Iranians from doing so, and the United States would need to initiate the conflict by taking out the

Destruction Niall Ferguson Article 3. Wall Street Journal (How) Should Israel Bomb Iran? Bret Stephens Article 4. The Daily Beast Israel and Netanyahu, Pipe Down the Threats of War on Iran Leslie H. Gelb Article 5. The Daily Star A Turkish model of governance for the Arabs? Mustafa Akyol Arti

o are fed up with the brutal split at the heart of their national movement. It promised to upend Israeli-Palestinian relations, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning Mr. Abbas that he could have peace with Israel or unity with Hamas, but not both. The agreement between Mr. Abbas, the leader of Fatah, and

ader goal of ending the regime. t The Daily Beast Israel and Netanyahu, Pipe Down the Threats of War on Iran Leslie H. Gelb February 6, 2012 -- Bibi, Israel, curb your over-the-top war rhetoric toward Iran. I urge this as one who cherishes Israel and values military power. But you've got to unde

ghts. There are five reasons (I am told) why Israel should not attack Iran: 1. The Iranians would retaliate with great fury, closing the Strait of Hormuz and unleashing the dogs of terror in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iraq. EFTA00687003 2. The entire region would be set ablaze by irate Muslims; the Arab S

anted to negotiate just as the freeze was about to expire. Dershowitz said he came away from his discussion with Abbas convinced that "if Abbas and Bibi Netanyahu sit down and have serious talks, they will find their positions much closer than is widely believed." In Abbas's September 27th speech be

to negotiate just as the freeze was about to expire. Dershowitz said he came away from his discussion with Abbas convinced that "if Abbas and Bibi Netanyahu sit down and have serious talks, they will find their positions much closer than is widely believed." In Abbas's September 27th speech before the UN

4. The Washington Post Obama and Romney's empty talk on Syria Richard Cohen Article 5. Spiegel Iran's Secret Plan to Contaminate the Strait of Hormuz Erich Follath Article 6. The Christian Science Monitor NATO must offer Turkey military support in Syria crisis Jorge Benitez Article 7. NYT N

ipac) in Washington Sunday, assuring the group that "I have Israel's back." And it's little wonder why. Monday he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid growing concern that a military strike will be necessary to end Iran's nuclear weapons program. He also knows that he lost a portion of the Je

caught part of a private conversation between Mr. Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Mr. Sarkozy said of Israel's premier, "I can't stand Netanyahu. He's a liar." Rather than defend Israel's back, Mr. Obama piled on: "You're tired of him; what about me? I have to deal with him every day." Dece

a move designed to cripple the Islamic Republic's ability to sell oil overseas. Iran responded by threatening to militarily shut down the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow shipping lane out of the Persian Gulf through which 20 percent of the world's oil trade passes. On January 8, three days before the att

ulf region via the Suez Canal within a week of being ordered to do so. The main naval exercise comes as President Barack Obama is scheduled to meet Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, today to discuss the Iranian crisis. Many within the Obama administration believe that Israel will launch a pre-emptiv

aeli prime minister and Ehud Barak, his defence secretary, two weeks ago in an attempt to avert military action against Iran. But just last week Mr Netanyahu signalled that time for a negotiated settlement was running out when he said: "The world tells Israel Wait, there's still time.' And I say, Wait for

pons programme. Battleships, aircraft carriers, minesweepers and submarines from 25 nations are converging on the strategically important Strait of Hormuz in an unprecedented show of force as Israel and Iran move towards the brink of war. Western leaders are convinced that Iran will retaliate to any at

question of whether a war will break out over Iran's nuclear programme has been around for so long that it is easy to become almost blasé. In 2006 Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, was already asserting dramatically: "It's 1938 and Iran is Germany." EFTA_R1_00229016 EFTA01842219 This year, howev

scussed with a calm — and even a hint of relish — that is slightly startling. So why the change in mood? There are several factors. First, while Mr Netanyahu is not liked or trusted by his counterparts in Washington, Paris and London, Israeli and Saudi concerns about the progress of Iran's nuclear progr

t would lead to a much wider conflict. US air power would be used to knock out Iranian retaliatory capacity. Any Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would be swiftly challenged by the US navy, with some token European support. While the Gulf states could never support an Israeli attack on Iran,

year it has been on hold. Yet it seems likely that a reelected Obama will try again, notwithstanding his poor relations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Romney, in contrast, has made it clear that he, like George W. Bush in his first term, will put Palestinian statehood on a back burner. To be sur

eash a new conflict in the Middle East. While Mr. Obama's national security team has been very closed-mouthed about the tense discussions with Mr. Netanyahu, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, gave voice to the concerns in London on Thursday. General Dempsey repeated the

military officials say is a demonstration of unity and a defensive step to prevent Iran from attempting to block oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. In fact, the United States and Iran have each announced what amounted to dueling defensive exercises to be conducted this fall, each intended to d

the irrelevance of the attack on the strategic issues confronting Israel. Political inertia can be seen among Israeli policymakers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to form a coalition with the centrist Kadima Party, but that fell apart over the parochial Israeli issue of whether Orthodox Jews should be d

nyahu, contemplating a possible fall strike on Iran? Kahl I think the threat should be taken very seriously. The standard counter argument is that Netanyahu and Barak are bluffing with the goal of pushing the international community to act — meaning pressuring us and the Europeans to increase sanctions

nd to launch such an attack. And it is not clear that such an attack would succeed. It is also not clear that the Iranian counter at the Strait of Hormuz wouldn't leave Israel in a difficult political situation, and above all it is not clear that Egyptian and Syrian factions would even be impressed b