Israel

By Teymoor Nabili in Middle East on April 23rd, 2012
EPA photo

"if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought."
George Orwell.

"we create our own reality of sorts. [...] We are history's actors because we have the courage to do what's necessary."
Adviser to G.W. Bush, quoted by journalist Ron Suskind

Recently, Israel's minister of intelligence and atomic energy made an unexpected admission.

By Teymoor Nabili in Middle East on April 13th, 2012
Dan Meridor, Israel's deputy prime minister [EPA]

Was it a momentary lapse of concentration or an honest admission?

Last week, in an interview with Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor in Jerusalem, I heard something I have not heard before.

Let's start with the background.

By Marwan Bishara in Imperium on February 16th, 2012

By Marwan Bishara in Imperium on December 29th, 2011
In an interview Newt Gingrich said the Palestinians were 'invented people' and had a chance to go to many places [EPA]

The film "Mission Impossible 4" opened in US theatre in recent weeks, starring BMW, Apple and Tom Cruise. A two-hour-long commercial on steroids.

If you are unfamiliar with it, Paid Product Placement (PPP) is a big thing in the movie industry.

This is how it works: Hollywood places in its movies certain watches, cars, or a laptop brands; preferably worn by George Clooney, driven by Angelina Jolie, or placed in front of Meg Ryan. In "The Transformers", for example, GM’s Cameros lead with Megan Fox.

PPP is indirect marketing that targets oblivious movie viewers, gender notwithstanding, Catherine Banning or Will Smith could be drinking Pepsi.

The spirit and soul of a movie are sometimes compromised when its script and shooting are shaped by commercial, rather than artistic, considerations.

By Teymoor Nabili in Middle East on October 18th, 2011
AP photo

"A leader stands alone"

Benjamin Netanyahu was presenting himself as a solitary, heroic figure.

"I considered, and I decided."

Speaking on the release of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli prime minister implied the prisoner swap deal had been entirely of his own making, and that his tough stance had prevailed.

"Talks took place in Cairo ... we stood our ground. When the majority of our demands were accepted, I had to make a decision."

It made for a great narrative, and an effective presentation, but was it true? Did Hamas finally give in to Netanyahu's demands?

Gershon Baskin provided some interesting perspective when he spoke to us on Tuesday.

By Marwan Bishara in Imperium on September 22nd, 2011
Barack Obama has become even more pro-Israel than George W Bush, analyst argues [GALLO/GETTY]

Obama is the "the first Jewish President". That's the title of New York magazine's lead article, written by John Heilemann and quoting a major Obama fundraiser.

Listening to Obama speak at the United Nations on Wednesday many would nod in agreement, not less in Palestine and the Arab world. 

The US president has embraced the rejectionist Israeli position on the question of international recognition of an independent Palestinian state.

But that's not a Jewish position. It's a radical Zionist position. Many Jews, including US and Israeli Jews, do not embrace such extremist views.

But the fact that Obama surpassed his predecessor George W Bush, the most radical supporter of Israel among all US Presidents, has left everyone in Israel dumbstruck. The latest Zionist US president sounded like Israel's own founding fathers.

Never have they heard a US president read straight from the papers of the Israeli government.

By Marwan Bishara in Imperium on June 27th, 2011
The reasons fo the Mavi Marmara's absence from the current aid flotilla headed to Gaza might be political [Reuters]

On the one-year anniversary of the violent Israeli raid on an aid flotilla that left nine people dead, another international aid convoy is being sent to the Gaza Strip, where an Israeli-enforced blockade has created a humanitarian crisis.

Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, comments on three crucial issues surrounding the convoy and Israel's vow to prevent it from reaching the Palestinians.

What is the flotilla trying to accomplish considering Egypt's recent partial lifting of the Gaza siege?

Any medical and humanitarian aid will save lives in the impoverished and overpopulated Gaza Strip, home to over a million refugees.

Tags: Gaza, Israel
By Sherine Tadros in Middle East on May 28th, 2011
Photo by Reuters

The image of Palestinians crossing Rafah on Saturday was heart warming. Not only did it signal the release of Gazans from their mental and physical prison, but also Egyptians from a moral responsibility they have evaded for four years.

Israel’s response has been much like a disappointed parent - shaking its head at Egyptian officials and warning of what’s to come from their foolishness.

Israel is worried. Not so much about the opening of Rafah but because in so doing Egypt did what they promised they wouldn’t and Israel feared they would - they went back on a previous agreement. For years, Israel handled former president Hosni Mubarak, now it has to handle 80 million Egyptians.

The Gaza end game

Tags: Gaza, Israel
By Marwan Bishara in Imperium on April 21st, 2011
Israel's resolute occupation of Palestinians in not just historic Palestine, but in the West Bank and Gaza Strip specifically, c

As the conventional wisdom goes – especially in the West – Israel is the "only democracy" in the Middle East. And that is so, particularly for its Jewish citizens.

By Nisreen El-Shamayleh in Middle East on March 3rd, 2011
Photo by GALLO/GETTY

The Jordanian people’s demand for a constitutional monarchy is no longer a taboo subject.

Protests in the country inspired by uprisings elsewhere in the Arab world have emboldened the masses to publicly speak about the formerly unmentionable issue of the monarchy’s role.

The demand, echoed clearly by the influential Muslim Brotherhood and repeated by other groups, requires a return to the 1952 constitution.

The constitution had a provision for parliamentary form of government, democratic elections, and political parties were influential, while the Jordanian Hashemite monarch had less executive power than he has today.

Following the influx of refugees from the Palestinian territories in 1948 and 1967, that ideal constitution saw extensive changes and transformations from the 1950s onwards.

The changes handed the monarch sweeping powers to appoint prime ministers and cabinets and dissolve parliament.

After suspension of parliam

Tags: Israel, Jordan

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