Israel Matzav: Arab countries won't deliver 'normalization' gestures

Arab countries won't deliver 'normalization' gestures

The Jerusalem Post reports on Wednesday that the Netanyahu government expects that US Middle East envoy George Mitchell will have 'normalization gestures' in hand from the Arab countries by the time he returns to Israel in August.

The assessments in Jerusalem are that negotiations with the Palestinians would begin only after the US and Israel agreed on some kind of settlement construction freeze, and this freeze would be declared when the US had commitments for some normalization gestures from the Arab world.

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Israel Matzav: Arab countries won't deliver 'normalization' gestures

Israel Matzav: Arabs feel the love from Obama except for... the 'Palestinians'?

Arabs feel the love from Obama except for... the 'Palestinians'?

President Obama's bowing to Arab leaders has had an effect on the Arab countries' perception of the US, according to a Gallup poll released on Monday. While the poll shows that the US is still perceived negatively in all Arab countries, there has been marked improvement in how negative that perception is. There are two places, however, where things have gotten worse. One is in Lebanon, where Hezbullah has already rejected President Obama's efforts to resolve the 'Palestinian problem.' The other - surprisingly - is among the 'Palestinians.'

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Israel Matzav: Arabs feel the love from Obama except for... the 'Palestinians'?

Israel Matzav: 'Democracy' in the Arab world

'Democracy' in the Arab world

A Brookings Institution poll ought to give pause to those who believe that 'democratic elections' in the Arab and Muslim world are a panacea for the region's problems.

Who’s the most popular ruler across the Arab world? It isn’t Mubarak, who enjoys skyrocketing sympathy that is erasing hatreds and clashes at this time, in the wake of the tragic death of his eldest grandson. It also isn’t Lebanon’s president, with everyone tense in the face of the large-scale terror attack feared ahead of the Lebanese parliamentary elections. It is certainly not Gaddafi either, the most veteran ruler, who enjoys cheers that are orchestrated from above through threats and bribes.

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Israel Matzav: 'Democracy' in the Arab world

Israel Matzav: Arabs to Obama: 'We like the Saudi plan just fine as it is'

Arabs to Obama: 'We like the Saudi plan just fine as it is'

On Wednesday, I blogged a report from al-Quds al-Arabi that claimed that Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia would be making some changes to the 'Saudi plan' to vitiate the existence of the Jewish state to make it more palatable to the potential victims. This was to be done in response to an entreaty from the Obama administration.

But the two entities that the Americans would like to have sign treaties with Israel - Syria and the 'Palestinian Authority' - said later on Wednesday and Thursday that they are just peachy keen on the 'Saudi plan' as it is, and that they are not willing to see any changes to it. Here is the Syrian reaction.

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Israel Matzav: Arabs to Obama: 'We like the Saudi plan just fine as it is'

Israel Matzav: Arab countries as nervous as Israel over Iran

Arab countries as nervous as Israel over Iran

Dennnis Ross, President Obama's special envoy to Iran (pictured), will be heading to the Middle East this week to assure America's Arab allies that unlike Israel, India, Poland, Georgia and Colombia, their interests will not be sold down the river by the Obama administration. America's Arab allies have a lot about which to be concerned.

Some Arab officials said they have seen little evidence that Iran is moderating activities that they view as destabilizing to many Mideast governments. Morocco severed diplomatic ties with Tehran last month, alleging Iranian diplomats were seeking to convert Moroccan citizens to Shiism, Iran's predominant religion. Egypt this month arrested 50 members of Iranian-backed Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia and political party, for allegedly seeking to undermine President Hosni Mubarak's government while transferring arms to the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

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Israel Matzav: Arab countries as nervous as Israel over Iran