BULLETIN No.113

Jerusalem Post Analysis: The Hamas-Fatah war The question is no longer when civil war will break out, but when will it end.
Haaretz A Hamas-Fatah civil war - bad for Israel
UPI Interview: The Hamas-Fatah feud
Heritage Foundation Prime Minister Olmert’s Washington Marathon by James Phillips
New Republic The Israel of Ehud Olmert is a country no longer haunted by historyby Gadi Taub
Washington Institute Mr. Olmert Goes to Washington: Prospects for U.S.-Israel Relations
Guardian Israel must halt the crisis among the Palestinians - for its own sake Jonathan Freedland: If Israelis won't deal with Hamas, they could end up facing a more radical alternative: Islamic Jihad or even al-Qaida.
Editorial To hurt or help Hamas
No one wins if the Palestinian Authority collapses.
Analysis: Olmert's tough question
Israeli General: Sanctions Won't Topple Hamas Military Chief Also Tells Panel He Doubts Palestinian Infighting Will Spark Civil War
President Praises Mideast Border Plans Bush says Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's offer to unilaterally remove most Israeli settlements from the West Bank is "bold.
Brookings Dual Dilemmas: U.S. Policy Options for the Israeli-Palestinian Predicament
Ha’aretz – Haniyeh: Retreat to 1967 borders will bring peace In exclusive interview, Palestinian PM tells Haaretz Hamas ready to maintain long-term cease-fire with Israel
Olmert Visits Bush as PA Chaos Spreads
CSIS Israeli Prime Minister Olmert Visits Washington Jon Alterman LISTEN READ THE TRANSCRIPT
A 'get acquainted' visit for Israel's new leader Olmert's first US trip as prime minister comes as Israel pursues a unilateral Palestinian approach.
West Bank Pullout Gets a Nod From Bush
President Bush insisted that Israel's new prime minister first exhaust all possibilities for a negotiated solution.
Paying for Israel's makeover By Gershom Gorenberg U.S. funds for a controversial settlement pullback could help advance a peace agreement.
U.S. Uneasy About Israel's Plans for West Bank Withdrawal Without Negotiation Could Pose Problems for Bush Administration, as Well as Arab Neighbors
Debka DEBKAfile reports: Bush is expected to offer the mighty BIG-BLU bunker buster bomb to Israel and Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia More...
IHT A national unity government for Palestine MARWAN BISHARA Unless Fatah and Hamas work together to build a national unity government, civil strife will devastate Palestine
Daily Star The path of diplomacy is the only way to reach Palestinian statehood
COMMENT: Why Israel cannot always rely on America's helping hand By Tony Judt By the age of 58 a country – like a man – should have achieved a certain maturity. But the state of Israel remains curiously immature

Arrested development The detention of prominent dissidents has dealt a blow to hopes of political change in Syria, writes Rory McCarthy.
Washington Times Syrian subversion by proxy
Former Political Enemies Join in Exile to Push for Change in Syrian Leadership
UPI Analysis: Syria looks east for new energy partners
Lebanon’s Power Politics
Hezbollah says it won't rush to Iran's defense if U.S. attacks
Hezbollah at the crossroads As the US-Iran rift deepens, the Lebanese party is back in the spotlight. Its future lies in meeting its people's goals, argues Abigail Fielding-Smith

OpenDemocracy Doing it for themselves Change in Iran is bubbling up from within. An attack by the United States would set reform back a generation, argues Nasrin Alavi
Daily Star The U.S. must offer Iran more incentives By Joseph S. Nye
Weekly Standard Who's Really Afraid of Iran? The Gulf states are, not that they will say so publicly. by Lee Smith
UPI Analysis: Springtime for Ahmadinejad
Newsweek Michael Hirsch on "The Real Libya Model."
Avoiding War With Iran by Rep. Ron Paul
Washington Post Iran Requests Direct Talks on Program Follow-up to Ahmadinejad's letter to Bush erases taboo against contact with Washington that has long defined Tehran's foreign policy.

Washington's New Watchword for Iraq: Containment As Iraq’s weak new government takes shape, the Bush administration’s best hope is for a non-bloodbath
Weekly Standard A Plan for Victory in Iraq Defeat the insurgents militarily--here's how.by Frederick W. Kagan
New York Times Editorial Hold the Applause in Iraq If broadly acceptable and competent ministers can be agreed on, there is still a chance that the new Iraqi government can start turning around the mess it inherited.
Washington Post Iraqi PM Outlines Security Role Nouri al-Maliki sets a goal of having state control of most provinces by the end of the year.
Asia Times Iraq's cabinet falls short Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has cobbled together a cabinet that is much better than many people expected because it includes everybody: disgruntled Sunnis, ambitious Shi'ites, hardline Kurds, and women. But he has delayed filling the three most important security portfolios. Having promised to use "maximum force" to resolve Iraq's problems, this will be his true test.
Guardian Iraq pull-out to be speeded up Handover to local forces will begin in July, Blair says in Baghdad.
Exclusive: Bush, Blair to announce 'phased' Iraq withdrawal plan...
BBC Iraq withdrawals The best and worst-case scenarios for a foreign troop pull-out
New York Times Armed Groups Propel Iraq Toward Chaos By DEXTER FILKINS There are 145,000 government police officers and commandos in Iraq and thousands more armed guards and militia gunmen. Part 1 Part 2

How many enemies do we Kurds have? By Tavgar Bulbas
Most Arabs missed the message in Saddam's downfall By Shibley Telhami
USIP What Do Islamists Really Want? USIPeace Briefing
'Regime change' rival A new plan to stop nuclear programs - without toppling leaders - is under debate in Congress, the White House.
Washington Post The Architect of a New War on the West Writings Lay Out Post-9/11 Strategy of Isolated Cells Joined in Jihad