BULLETIN No.125

International Crisis Group Palestinians, Israel and the Quartet: Pulling Back From the Brink
Violence Erupts Between Fatah and Hamas
Security personnel of the Fatah faction went on a rampage after Hamas gunmen attacked the headquarters of the Fatah-dominated security forces.
Hearing the Palestinian silent majority
The Times It takes two The pressure is on Palestinians to be peaceful partners
IHT Abbas's gamble is doomed SHLOMO BEN-AMI There are serious flaws in Mahmoud Abbas's attempt to reconcile the solution of his domestic dilemmas with his drive to reactivate the peace process with Israel.
Fatah Officers Attack Hamas Sites in West Bank
Gunmen Shoot at Palestinian Parliament Building, Set Fire to Cabinet Headquarters
Hamas gunmen rampage through RamallahGunmen loyal to Fatah rampaged through the West Bank city of Ramallah, shooting up parliament and torching the prime minister’s office in a worsening power struggle with the ruling Hamas movement.
Ha’aretz – Haniyeh advisor says attacks on Israel do not serve Hamas
CFR Kipper: Palestinian Economic Desperation May Radicalize Population
Gaza’s Anger on High Boil
BBC Funding crisis Our Palestinian panel discusses financial and political problems
KR Israeli-Palestinian conflict threatens to explodeYedioth AhronothUnethical, impractical and immoral Yossi Beilin
'Hurting civilians inevitable'
Jerusalem Post Israel does not need Palestinian recognition By YEHUDA AVNER Menachem Begin did everything he could to take the "right to exist" off the agenda.
Daily Star Palestine's woes dictate security reform By Rami G. Khouri
Fatah or Hamas, not much of adifference to the Israelis By Danny Rubinstein
American Conservative Prophets in Their Own Land By Michael C. Desch Analyzing the smear campaign against scholars who question U.S. policy toward Israel
Guardian Blair refuses to back Olmert plan British PM refuses to endorse partial withdrawal from West Bank.
Hamas blamed for beach deaths· Israeli military says landmine exploded after shelling · Army 'trying to protect Olmert'
Honest Tony, peace broker John Hilary Rolling out the red carpet for Ehud Olmert is another low in Britain's and Blair's history of Middle East meddling.Leader: Poverty of unilateralism
Olmert's land grab Ewen MacAskill Tony Blair has resisted the Israeli prime minister's plans for a partial withdrawal from the West Bank, but said the status quo is not an option.
Ha’aretz - Think now before it's too late
Olmert: I won't divide Jerusalem or give away Temple Mount
PM drafting alternative to convergence plan Israel to propose creation of Palestinian state with provisional borders in Gaza plus 90% of W. Bank
Yedioth Ahronoth Israel-Azerbaijan strategic alliance in cards?
Jerusalem Post Report: Chances slim that IDF shell killed Gazans on beach
The Region: A disturbing poll By BARRY RUBIN Palestinians seem to agree with Hamas's refusal to accept Israel.
Daily Star Fatah and Hamas have no right to endanger their people's struggle
Do we actually need the Palestinian Authority? By Christian Berger
AEI Event A West Bank-Jordan Alliance?
Stratfor Geopolitical Diary: Palestinian Fault Lines
Foreign Policy The War over Israel’s Influence Political scientists John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt sparked a firestorm when they raised questions about the power the Israel lobby wields over U.S. foreign policy. Now, in an exclusive FP Roundtable, they face off with four distinguished experts of the Middle East over whether the influence of the Israel lobby is ordinary or extraordinary. July/August 2006

Der SPIEGEL INTERVIEW WITH SAAD AL- HARIRI "Assad is Responsible"
Syria Comment
A Dangerous June Brings Relief to Damascus
Terror in Syria
Khaddam and the Opposition
Brammertz Report is a Bust: Syrians Relieved
Ghadry's Reform Party of Syria Slams Bayanouni and Khaddam
Evening Bulletin Report: Syria Used As Training Base For Al Qaida The authoritative Middle East News Line notes that a US Defense Department report indicates that al-Qaida and other insurgency groups have used Syria
Daily Star Fourth report of the UN's official Hariri assassination probe to different investigation projects. 98. Syria is required to cooperate fully with the Commission.
Syrian Defence Minister begins Iran visit
Refugees: For Iraqis, Exodus to Syria and Jordan Continues
Analysis: Hariri slay probe progress
Report: Israeli spy network in Lebanon uncovered

Welcome to the Bazaar By WARREN CHRISTOPHER The welcome recent announcement that the U.S. is willing to join face-to-face talks with Iran rekindled memories of my own experiences as chief negotiator in the Iranian hostage crisis.
IHT Toward the grand bargain JAMES DOBBINS Nothing short of a grand bargain between Washington and Tehran should be acceptable.
Editorial Bush's approaching endgame with Iran

National Review Apologizing for Iraq By John Derbyshire
WSJ U.S. Iran Strategy Has Familiar Ring The Bush administration's approach to Iran has come to look like the U.S.'s North Korea stance. China and Russia are balking at insisting Iran halt nuclear enrichment.
Foreign Affairs What to Do in Iraq: A Roundtable Larry Diamond, James Dobbins, Chaim Kaufmann, Leslie Gelb
NYT New York Times White House Hones a Strategy for Post-Zarqawi Era
Iraq: The Sunnis Wait for Political Reciprocity Stratfor
Zarqawi Is Dead. What Now? The administration must seize this rare chance to even the score. By BRET STEPHENS
What Zarqawi's Death Means for Iraq Anthony Cordesman REPORT COMMENTARY
ASAM - Serhat Erkmen Zarkavi’nin Öldürülmesinin Etkileri ve Sonuçları
Ehsan Ahrari America’s Latest “New” Iraq Strategy
Iran, Iraq: The Arab States Make Their Voices Heard Stratfor
Blinded by Haditha
By SARAH SEWALL To learn from what happened in Haditha, Iraq, is to learn to notice not just the alleged massacres but the civilian deaths that for too much of this war have remained invisible.
Asia Times Whipping al-Qaeda into line in Iraq Al-Qaeda in Iraq has named a new leader to replace Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Or has it? Abu Hamza al-Muhajir's name does not register in any of al-Qaeda's previous statements, and terrorism experts have not heard of him. Most likely the name is a pseudonym. Sami Moubayed looks at likely candidates, and at the opportunity Osama bin Laden now has to reimpose his authority on the insurgency, which was spinning out of his control under the ruthlessly stubborn Zarqawi.
Christian Science Monitor Debate over Iraq war back in Washington The US House is set to argue the future of the Iraq war – voters' No. 1 issue.

Financial Times COMMENT: How Bush can bring hope to Tehran and Tel Aviv By Geoffrey Aronson The pieces necessary for the construction of a regional security system stretching from Tehran to Tel Aviv are moving into place, writes Geoffrey Aronson of the Foundation for Middle East Peace
Boston Globe Editorial A gathering Mideast storm
A dangerous new phase of violence is looming in the Mideast.