High-level international talks over Tehrans disputed nuclear program ended inconclusively on July 19. Those talks in Geneva focused on an updated package of incentives offered by the six world powers to Tehran in order to breathe life into the deadlocked talks. Iran now faces the following alternative: It must cooperate with advanced nuclear powers offering such cooperation; or it will inevitably face all-out political isolation.

DAMASCUS -- When you leave the Middle East and arrive in any Western capital, you feel that you have ridden yourself of that political climate and reached a planet where politics is not the food and drink of the inhabitants there. That is because on this planet people are pursuing the rudiments of a better way of life and they do not even want to know of the sufferings of the people they left behind in the turbulent Middle East.

Irans lobbyists in Washington are celebrating the White House announcement that U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns will attend talks in Geneva between the EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Irans negotiator Saeed Jalili.

DUBAI, UAE -- I was recently on holiday away from my country of residence, Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, and, as customary, was bombarded with questions by both friends and acquaintances gathered around the dinner table one evening about how I could possibly bear to live in this desert and "unbearably" hot country?

Irans insistence on enriching uranium in defiance of three U.N. Security Council resolutions, combined with a bevy of antagonistic threats aimed at Israels existence has created an explosive recipe that may well precipitate a horrifying regional conflagration. For Irans own best interests, its contentious leaders would be well advised to tone down their anti-Israeli threats, which have not been taken lightly thus far, and find a diplomatic solution to Irans suspected nuclear weapons program.

While growing economic and financial sanctions have led to a reduction of trade between Iran and Europe in recent years, the volume of trade between Iran and GCC countries has steadily increased. Bilateral Iran-GCC trade has increased by five-fold from $1.71 billion in 2000 to $8.71 billion in 2007.

LONDON -- The Iranian regime raised the stakes over its nuclear standoff with the West last week as it test fired medium- and long-range missiles while a senior aide to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei threatened that Tehran would "set fire" to Israel and coalition vessels in the Gulf if attacked.

For almost his entire eight-year-long presidency George W. Bush said that the United States will not hold direct talks with Iran unless it discontinues uranium enrichment.

Last week, Prof. Marc Gopin wrote an article titled, "Leo the Healer: an untold story of Jewish/Palestinian medical partnership." The first responses have been positive and encouraging.

OSLO, Norway -- Scandinavia does reasonableness well, even when faced with unreason. The Oslo Accords of 1993 were as close as Israelis and Palestinians have come to looking each other in the eye, admitting neither side is going away, and jettisoning a bitter past for a better future.

Shebaa Farms is a sliver of land located in the border area between Israel, Lebanon and Syria. It can play an important role, much larger than its size. An agreement on that area – located some 16 square miles on the western slopes of the Hermon mountain range – can help create a much-needed momentum for peace in the region.

Theres an odd thing about Baghdad: Iran is the only regional power with an embassy, while U.S. President George W. Bushs best Arab allies – Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia – refuse to let their diplomats live there.

ISTANBUL -- Two weeks ago, the Turkish police detained an additional round of suspects for their affiliation with Ergenekon, described as a mafia-like gang of largely ultra-nationalist Turks, many of whom are linked to various state institutions. It is rumored that they are plotting to bring down the government through a bevy of methods, ranging from creating chaos to staging a military coup.

DAMASCUS -- When the French occupied Syria in 1920, they famously dissected the country, giving four major parts to the newly created state of Lebanon. The French left Syria 26 years later, and Syrian lawmakers claimed that the division was null and void, asking President Shukri al-Quwatli to officially request the area be restored to Syria.

Irans parliament convened last month for the first time since the April 2008 elections. The results of the parliamentary elections are in and all the votes have been counted. Surprisingly, or perhaps alarmingly, women now account for a mere 2.8 percent of this new conservative-dominated parliament. This is a decline from the already low 4.1 percent representation in the previous Iranian parliament.

By all accounts, the Israeli-Syrian indirect negotiations through Turkish mediation are going well, and the fact that a fourth round of talks is scheduled for the end of July suggests that both sides expect to make further progress. The reports from Damascus and Ankara, however, indicating that Syria will not enter into direct negotiations with Israel before the advent of new American administration show an obstructive apprehension on the part of the Syrian government. Indeed, Damascus should not only agree to direct negotiations with Israel – as Turkish officials strongly recommend – but time has come for it to make a bold move toward the Israelis.

JERUSALEM -- On June 9, 1967, two days after Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops reached the Western Wall, Anwar al-Khatib, the Jordanian official responsible for administering the Jerusalem district, was whisked away to the Ambassador Hotel in the eastern part of the city for a meeting with IDF General (res.) Chaim Herzog, who only minutes earlier had been appointed the military governor of the West Bank.

JERUSALEM -- Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora announced earlier this month that the upcoming prisoner swap between Lebanon and Israel constitutes a "national success" for Lebanon; a significant triumph over Israel. Many people in Israel share this view. The deal is widely considered a failure in Israels deterrence power; proof of the futility of the last war between the two countries.

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia -- The Israeli government has been practicing and perfecting the art of ethnic cleansing since 1948 right under the nose of the world and no one has the power or the guts to do anything about it.

The invitation extended to Syrian President Bashar Assad to attend the Bastille Day – July 14 – national day celebrations by French President Nicolas Sarkozy is not without controversy. Indeed, not everyone is pleased that the Syrian president will be given a place of honor on the VIP reviewing stand on the famous Champs Elysees, alongside other dignitaries, to watch the traditional military parade.

Iranian missile tests sent shock waves across the Middle East this past week, with the clerical regimes spokesmen leaving no doubt the demonstration was aimed squarely at Israel. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis representative to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Ali Shirazi, threatened to "burn" Tel Aviv while IRGC Commander Mohammed Ali-Jafaris comments took aim directly at Israels nuclear facilities at Dimona.

The recent compromise on power sharing in Lebanon spares the country further bloodshed and allows its people to return to a modicum of normalcy. However, the underlying causes of the conflict remain, and Lebanon continues to be an arena where external powers play out their rivalries. Unless and until Syria and the United States reach a grand bargain, the Lebanese will continue to pay the price.

COVENTRY, England -- Who speaks for European Muslims? It is a pressing question as far as policy makers in Europe are concerned. Even prior to Sept. 11, 2001, they were interested. After the 7/7 London bombings, finding an answer to the question has become imperative.

DOHA -- I was not born when, on June 21, 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy spoke those immortal words: "Ich bin ein Berliner" from the balcony of West Berlins city hall, the Rathaus Schönenberg.

JAKARTA -- Indonesias religious life in the post-Soeharto era has been marked by the emergence of extreme religious radicalism. The conflict between Muslims and Christians in Poso, in the province of Sulawesi Tenggara, and in the Maluku province exemplifies this phenomenon, as do the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings. The rise of radical organizations such as Defenders Front for Islam, Jihadist Paramiliter, and Indonesian Mujahedin Council, confirms the new power of the conservatives in Indonesian politics.

As concerns persist that Israel or the United States could attack Iran, the realistic outcomes of such an event must be considered. An American military attack, rather than making the world more secure, could instead provide Iran with greater incentive to harm U.S. interests and allies throughout the region. Principled negotiation, an interest-based approach to problem solving, could provide an alternative to coercive diplomacy to help resolve the current impasse.

JERUSALEM -- Can music be an instrument for peace? Thats what the Sounding Jerusalem Chamber Music Festival hopes for, as it offers some of the seasons best free live classical music in the city. The festival brings together 75 top European, Israeli and Arab musicians from over 20 concerts to mixed audiences in a wide variety of venues – churches in the Old City, historic sites in West Jerusalem and Palestinian villages.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank -- The family of an 18-year-old Palestinian civilian, who died after being shot by Israeli security guards a few weeks ago, have donated his organs to save the lives of six Israelis.

There is no shortage of opinions when it comes to the war in Iraq. The prolonged U.S. presence there has ignited a heated, national debate. Along with the pressing economic concerns, the Iraq war is front and center in the presidential campaign – with senators Barack Obama and John McCain ideologically divided on the proposed policies – mirroring much of the nation.

The world of journalism, like any other profession, can be muddled with a plethora of distractions, self-interests and agendas that certainly do not serve the cause of a free press. Outside as well as inside pressures and interests often compromise the very essence of the journalists mission.

On June 19, Israel and the Islamist political/militia group Hamas began an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire after months of dithering. The terms (not officially revealed) apparently provide that Hamas will cease launching rockets at Israel from Gaza, Israel will not attack Gaza, and Israel will increase the supplies allowed into the enclave. It is limited to Gaza, does not include the West Bank, and is supposed to last six months.

BERLIN -- Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have now been talking to each other for more than six months, since the peace process was re-launched at Annapolis in November 2007, with the stated aim of reaching agreement on a Palestinian state before this year is out. The final status issues of borders, Jerusalem and refugees are back on the agenda, and the outlines of a two-state solution are visible. There have recently been some encouraging signals: Egypt has mediated a truce between Hamas and Israel in Gaza; there are signs of inter-Palestinian dialogue; and there appears to be movement on the Israeli-Syrian track. We have to grasp the opportunity for peace.

Present and past peace negotiations between Pakistan and the Taliban in the countrys Federally Administered Tribal Areas have coincided with increased cross-border terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.

The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that recognizes the rights of Guantanamo detainees to challenge their detention in U.S. civilian courts – possibly paving the way for a permanent closure of the facility – is a serious rebuke to the controversial detention policies of the U.S. administration of President George W. Bush. However, it is also an excellent opportunity for the current administration to demonstrate its commitment to American security while simultaneously beginning to heal one of the rifts that has harmed the global standing of the United States, particularly in the Muslim world.

My Sudanese father, now in his mid-80s, grew up without access to public education. The ruling British authority hadnt yet built a public school near Argo, his hometown on the Nile River in northern Sudan, south of the border with Egypt. They did build one there later, however, and I became the first in my Bedouin tribe to receive a formal education, which eventually lead to a graduate degree in America.

"Have you ever worn a burqa before?" asked the Amnesty International representative.

TEL AVIV, Israel -- This week, the prime minister of Canada made a dramatic statement in parliament: he apologized to the indigenous peoples of his country for the injustices done to them for generations by successive Canadian governments.

AMMAN -- The horrors of World War II gave impetus to a quest for universal peace, justice and human dignity, with the United Nations at the fore. It is a disturbing commentary on our quest that as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Palestinians mark six decades of what they refer to as the Nakba, or catastrophe, with many languishing in conditions of exile, exclusion and isolation.

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – U.S. President George W. Bush will be out of office in a matter of months. "The sooner, the better," mutter those Americans who view his two terms as president of the United States as heavily laced with wars and aggression overseas, and poverty at home.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- History, language and culture might separate Iran from the rest of the Middle East. But physically and geographically, the Arab world and Iran are very close – closer than they might like to think.

DEPOK, Indonesia -- Its a very disappointing day for democracy when supporters of religious tolerance are publicly beaten. But that is precisely what happened this month in Jakarta when 200 activists of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) suddenly stormed the Monas Square where supporters of the Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Belief (AKKBB) were holding a peaceful rally.

Community organizing means different things to different people, but its basic intention is to bring people together at the local level to talk about the socioeconomic and environmental challenges they face, work through their differences, and then implement their own plan of action to meet their most critical development goals.

Ten dead and about 50 wounded in two days. This is the result of armed clashes between supporters of the ruling majority and opposition in the city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon. It is the deadliest unrest since 80 people died in rioting in early May.

For many African American Muslims, the fallout from the horrendous crime of Sept. 11, 2001 was not entirely new. The U.S. governments response was a bit of déjà vu for those, like me, who were civil rights activists in college during the 1960s and 70s. The only difference is that now we face a higher level of intensity.

It is often said in the Arab world that the road to Jerusalem goes through Washington, with the implicit assumption that only the Americans can bring the Israelis to the negotiating table. But there is a distinctly different dynamic emerging from the waning days of the U.S. presidency of George W. Bush. The road to Washington may in fact pass through Jerusalem.

On June 22 a delegation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived in Syria to inspect a facility destroyed by an Israeli airstrike last September. There are concerns that Israelis target might have been a secret nuclear reactor, and that it only remained to load it with nuclear fuel to make it work. The nuclear watchdogs experts are also expected to evaluate Syrias nuclear capability in general.

There is much evidence to suggest that one of Osama bin Ladens leading heroes is Ismail Enver, known in the West as Enver Pasha, the militant Turkish leader who lived between 1881 and 1922. The records clearly speak for themselves and as bin Laden has been protected by the Taliban, it was Enver Pasha who was defended and harbored by the Basmachis.

Theres an old adage in Urdu that when you are going through rough times, your closest friends turn against you. Well, you cant really accuse Afghan President Hamid Karzai of being a friend of Pakistan. Even though he enjoyed Pakistani hospitality for long years as a refugee in Quetta as he ran from the Russians and the Afghan jihad in 1970s and 80s, he never counted himself among Pakistans friends. Actually, the feeling is mutual. Theres no love lost for the Afghan president in Pakistan either.

Israels peace offensive of recent days may have been motivated in part by personal or domestic politics, but the driving force behind its willingness to negotiate is part and parcel of a much larger plan. As the dynamics in the Middle East shift in response to Iraq war backlash and Irans increasingly vigorous nuclear program, Israel has finally conceded that peace with Syria holds the key to rapprochement with the rest of the Arab world, including the Palestinians.

A six-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, or an "agreement on a lull" as it is phrased in Arabic, came into effect on June 19. But both sides seem pessimistic about the future. So if this agreement does not lead to peace, why is it needed?

LONDON -- Last month we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the birth of the state of Israel. We paid tribute to its numerous spectacular achievements. We congratulated those responsible. Yet the fact that Israel still lives in an area of strife and has failed to build a lasting peace in the region casts a long shadow over those celebrations.

U.S. Senator Barack Obama has positioned himself as an independent thinker unafraid to break the Washington mould. He says that, as president, he would pursue "direct diplomacy" and talk to Iran and to Cuba. There was no such challenge to Washington norms in Obamas recent speeches to the pro-Israel lobby in Washington and to a synagogue in Boca Raton, Florida. In both, he reduced the status of the Palestinians from that of a people with rights to servants of Israels security.

When U.S. forces descended on Baghdad five years ago, they seemed unstoppable. Military arrogance had reached an all-time high, and it seemed only a matter of time before the same frenzied scenario took place in Tehran, Damascus, and elsewhere.

Criticism has been leveled against the Pakistani governments efforts to hold talks with militant groups. While concerns about the Taliban regrouping remain valid, it is in Americas long-term security interest not only to support the multidimensional peace plans being formulated, but also to refrain from words and actions which could jeopardize the process. The devastating airstrikes that killed 11 Pakistani soldiers in the Mohmand Agency are the most recent case in point.

CAIRO -- U.S. Senator Barack Obama represents a phenomenon that has drawn global attention and captivated the minds of Muslims around the world as he wages a spirited campaign to become the next president of the United States. In spite of the campaigns heated debate and some controversial rhetoric regarding Islam, large segments of Muslims remain fascinated with the election and have become big fans of Obama.

Saudi Arabias call for an ongoing interfaith dialogue has raised a few eyebrows in the West.

As a professor of anthropology in the United States, I often begin my college lectures on Islamic culture by asking students to write three adjectives to describe Arabs. Most responses include the word terrorists, an association they see and hear in the media.

JERUSALEM -- The coming festival of Shavuot celebrates both the harvest of the first fruits and the receiving of the Torah on Sinai. The generally accepted site of Mount Sinai is Jebel Musa (Mount Moses) in the Sinai Peninsula, but there are other candidates. One theory places the mountain in Saudi Arabia, another in Yemen, and there is even a possible site in the Negev. But there can be no doubt that the biblical narrative places the encounter between God and Moses in a desert location.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, one of the most powerful lobby groups in the United States, just concluded its annual Washington conference. It drew a long line of administration officials and the presidential candidates to its doorsteps, all touting orthodox lines on what it means to be pro-Israel – messages carefully crafted to please the lobby.

The worlds major powers have offered a fresh package of incentives to Iran including long-term nuclear and economic cooperation in a bid to get it to abide by U.N. Security Council resolutions calling on it to suspend its uranium enrichment activities.

Accompanied by members of his cabinet, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has made his second visit to Tehran since the beginning of the year. Iran has offered Iraq strategic cooperation, including in the military sphere.

BEIRUT -- My fellow Lebanese, come pick up your Medals of Immunity since nothing seems to shake you anymore. There was a bomb, you say? We still dont have a president? Another leader just got assassinated? There are clashes in parts of Beirut? Gunshots were heard? So then, whats the safest route to go to the bar tonight?

CAIRNS, Egypt -- Over the last few years I attended a number of my Muslim colleagues marriage ceremonies at mosques. Every time I participate in this lovely occasion I get the impression that Muslim weddings have become closer, at least in form, to the wedding ceremonies of Christians.

The recent announcement that indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria are being conducted in Turkey has led many to ask whether this round of negotiations represents anything more than political games.

African American Muslim women are a rare gift in that we have a unique perspective on what it means to be Muslim in the United States.

Despite the tremendous rebuilding needs of Afghanistan, the international community re-engaged in the country with a very light footprint from the very beginning.

At a gathering last May 26 Jimmy Carter said Israel possesses 150 Nuclear weapons. Carters revelation is the first credible public acknowledgment by a former U.S, president that Israel possesses a nuclear arsenal. Israel has never admitted having nuclear weapons, nor has any U.S. official ever deviated from that Israeli line. But while the possession of nuclear weapons by Israel is a threat to its enemies, it is also a threat to its friends and allies.

Iran Opposition Offers Solution to Crisis

Many Western notions of governance may be struggling to take hold in Iraq, but one that deserves a close look is the effort to create what would amount to a unique upper legislative body: The House of Tribes.

Hezbollahs recent flexing of muscles in Lebanon may well lead to an unintended effect – the long-overdue disarming of the militant group.

CAIRO -- Amid wide international and domestic human rights denunciation, a military tribunal in Egypt has concluded its 14-month marathon session by sentencing 25 civilians of the countrys largest opposition group from three-10 years in prison.

The recent agreement in Doha to end Lebanons 18-month political stalemate begins the process of re-establishing a functioning government and addressing the legitimate concerns of the Lebanese people. It postpones the discussion about the future role of Hezbollah in Lebanese society until after the election of the president, which brings us to the genius of this agreement: it separates the concerns of the Shiite community from those of Hezbollah.

TEL AVIV/West Bank -- When you live 10 minutes away – but worlds apart – from one another, you can still learn essential things about each other, even after five years of friendship and countless hours spent together.

Caroline Glick, columnist and editor at The Jerusalem Post is normally right on the money with her comments about Middle East politics. Her column of Friday, May 23, 2008, "Column one: Assads week of triumph" was a rare exception.

After years of turmoil, and on the heels of the highly successful Lebanese National Dialogue held in Doha in mid-May, Lebanons leaders swore in a new president on Sunday under the banner of a broad-based coalition government. The government will include both Hezbollah – which led Lebanon into war with Israel in 2006 – and its allies, as well as Saad Hariris Western-leaning Future Movement; a diverse but necessary coalition to keep the country from splitting in two.

MOSCOW -- Having arrived in Moscow on May 25 for a two-day visit, Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta said that his country would like to further expand cooperation with Russia.

After a lovely evening in an old Damascene house in which the courtyard invites the sky in, the artist was bidding us goodbye when a lovely elderly woman in a pink dress, that contrasted with her white hair, came in. The artist stopped and said to us, "This is my neighbor Ros, she is a Jewish woman." She hugged the artist and said, "I love you as I love God and the Torah."

To the attention of President Bush:

Within the rubric of national sovereignty come many challenges; the use of power is paramount to how a nation defines itself.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has extended the state of emergency in the country for another two years. This is nothing extraordinary, because it has been ongoing for 26 years. It was first imposed on October 6, 1981 following the assassination of President Anwar Sadat.

The settlement reached in Doha last week between warring factions in Lebanon puts an end to an 18-month national crisis and raises hopes for a stable future for that beleaguered country. It may also make real my fathers dream for his country, and prompt a wider movement for peace in the region.

U.S. President George W. Bush had a few choice words for Canadas Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier when he saw his official companion Julie Couillard. "Well, well, well," Bush said: "Havent you been keeping good company."

JERUSALEM -- As bitter, disheartening and entangled the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is, Nadine Gordimers message is emphatic: Dont give up. It can be solved, but only by realizing one thing: Talking to your worst enemies is the only way out.

A Hamas-Israel ceasefire could be on its way, but you wouldnt know it. No press conference will be held to announce it. Instead, quiet on Gazas borders – no rockets going out, no Israeli fire going in – will serve as the declaration that the ceasefire has begun. But this quiet will come with a tension that at any moment the ceasefire could end. And once that happens, major confrontation can be expected.

JERUSALEM – U.S. President George W. Bush completed what has been announced as his final visit to the Middle East as president. In five days, he visited Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Most attention was drawn to the first and main stage of his tour – his visit to Israel, which was timed for the 60th anniversary of its independence.

JERUSALEM - Israels 60th anniversary has come and gone. So, too, has U.S. President George W. Bushs final visit to the Middle East. Amidst the celebrations and the soul-searching, no meaningful breakthrough in the deadlocked Israeli-Palestinian negotiations is visible.

Almost simultaneously, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the Syrian foreign ministry reported that Israel and Syria have resumed indirect peace talks in Istanbul under Turkish mediation.

Threatening war in the Gulf raises the price of oil. Whether Hillary Clinton wants to "obliterate Iran" or John McCain wants to "bomb, bomb Iran," the result is another bump in the price of oil.

The common Western misconception that intellectual and political Islamism is by definition an impediment to modernization is fueling tensions between the Muslim world and the United States and Europe.

After six days of consultations in Qatar under the aegis of the Arab League, Lebanese leaders finally agreed on settling the domestic political crisis. Does this mean that civil war in Lebanon has been averted? What is the importance of the Doha agreements for the Middle East?

What accords will Lebanese politicians bring from Qatar, where they were engaged in reconciliatory dialogue under the patronage of the Arab League? Both Lebanon and its neighbors are anxiously waiting for an answer to this question, because regional stability depends on it. But it is even more important to understand what happened in Lebanon in the last few weeks.

At the heart of the misunderstanding of Islam lies a common misconception that the intellectual and political trend known as Islamism is a necessary impediment to modernization. Within the Islamist dominion, al-Qaida is placed in the most contemporary of periods which itself is divided into three "generations." The three generations break down as follows:

At the heart of the misunderstanding that is fueling tensions between the Muslim world and the United States and Europe, lies a common Western misconception that the intellectual and political trend known as Islamism is a necessary impediment to modernization.

Some say that politics is warfare by other means. Lebanon has been trying to avoid such a reality, but the recent outbreak of violence seems to have confirmed its worst fears. Hopefully, as the dust settles, the shops reopen and the Beirut shoreline once again greets her mountains, Lebanons political leaders and their international patrons will take a moment to reflect on the lessons and losses of the latest fiasco.

U.S. President George W. Bush may attempt to sound visionary, talk tough, and criticize opponents as naive, but the Middle East which he visited last week is in shambles, due in no small part to policies he has pursued or failed to pursue during his two terms in office.

In the first chapter of Amos Ozs novel, "My Michael," the protagonist Hannah recalls her childhood friends, Khalil and Aziz, two Palestinians who in 1948 disappeared along with 800,000 of their people. In the last chapter she imagines her two friends coming back to blow everything up. By then Hannah has descended into madness.

DAMASCUS -- The world was surprised by pictures at the U.S. Congress of the virtual Syrian site that was bombed by Israel almost a year ago. The question that was reiterated by most media specialists is: "Why now?" No one remembered, then, the timing of renewing U.S. sanctions against Syria. But anyone who reads the executive order of U.S. President George W. Bush and his letter to Congress will discover how the presentation of these fabricated photos came handy for him.

JERUSALEM -- The "Performance-Based Road Map to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" highlights both the good intentions and the misplaced conceptions of its promulgators. Five years after its adoption, it lingers not as a tool for the achievement of a sustainable agreement but as a burdensome impediment to its realization.

Israelis are Talking to Hamas: Religion at the Cutting Edge

CAIRO -- The morning of April 15 was to be the final hearing of the military tribunal before which my father was being tried; little did I know this would be the worst day of my life.