BULLETIN No. 234

Talking to Syria: An Important Test for Damascus - Andrew J. Tabler (New York Times-Washington Institute for Near East Policy)
Syria Is the Mideast Key - Claude Salhani, Washington Times
The Road to Damascus The National Interest The notion that Iran would be “isolated” even if Syria became Israel’s best friend, a member of NATO or some Turkish- (or French-) led Middle Eastern Union, ... But a closer relationship with Bashar Assad will not weaken the mullahs in Tehran.
U.S. Seeks to Woo Syria, But Price Could Be Steep - Jay Solomon and Dada Raad (Wall Street Journal)
The Syria Temptation -- And Why Obama Must Resist It BY: Bret Stephens Commentary A peace deal between Syria and Israel is all but impossible, despite the assurances of experts who should know better.
FT Israel has choice on peace, says Assad Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s president, has suggested he would sign a peace settlement with Israel even without a resolution to the Palestinian conflict, but warned that any such deal would be largely symbolic
Jerusalem Post Netanyahu will focus first on PA, not Syria, senior adviser says Gold: Idea that Netanyahu would withdraw fully from Golan is unfounded mythology; Assad: No normalization till Israel-Palestinian conflict resolved
Is Bibi interested in peace with Syria?
Assad: Site Israel bombed was built over Syrian president doesn't elaborate on type of construction, questions claim of uranium at site.
Opposition in Syria is dying with dissident By David Schenker
Syria's Journey Back From the Cold BY: Ian Black The Guardian Obama's commitment to improving relations with Syria could change the way US Midde East policy is heading.
New US-Syria talks 'constructive'
A senior US envoy in Damascus says the first high-level contact with Syria in four years has been 'very constructive'.
US: Syria Can Be a Major Mideast Force
Clinton: U.S. to push for Israel-Syria reconciliation
Senior U.S. envoys hold talks in Syria The highest-level visit in more than four years signals President Obama's new approach to the Mideast. Experts predict it will lead to restoration of full diplomatic ties with Syria.
Turkey ready to renew Israel-Syria track Jerusalem Post
US Diplomatic Overture to Syria Unlikely to Narrow Gulf of DifferencesCouncil on Foreign Relations
US officials find ‘common ground’ in Syria The United States wants to see ‘forward momentum’ on peace talks between Syria and Israel and believes Syria could help Middle East stability, a US official said after high-level talks in Damascus
Assad purges Syrian security services ahead of new bid for Beirut

Lebanon: Background and U.S. Relations
The politics of assassination Mohanad Hage Ali: Will the UN's special court bring a new era of accountability for political killings in Lebanon?
Talking to Hizbullah

U.S. warns it won't recognize PA unity gov't sans Fayyad
Can Hamas Be Deterred? - Steven Klein (Ha'aretz)
Olmert to Barak: You're negating achievements of Gaza op
World takes dim view of Lieberman in FM post Choice will almost certainly encourage U.S. to keep its distance from Netanyahu's government.
ANALYSIS / Netanyahu doesn't really want Lieberman as foreign minister
Source: Indictment will force Lieberman to quit cabinet within weeks
Hamas won't sit in Fayad-led unity gov't
Group "rejects any US interference in [Palestinian] internal affairs;" Hamas, Fatah set to begin talks.
New gov't to tackle economy, security
Yedioth Ahronoth 'Iran capable of making bomb' Following US army declaration that Tehran has enough nuclear material to create atom bomb, Military Intelligence chief tells cabinet Iranians have crossed technological threshold but have yet to change their strategy
Abbas seeks reconciliation
''The faster a Fatah-Hamas gov't is formed, the faster Gaza will be rebuilt', PA president says
Setback for Pro-Israel Hawks in US by Bernd Debusmann
A Palestinian unity government is best for Israel By Zvi Bar'el
How We Built an Ultra-Right Wing Government BY: Uri Dromi Miami Herald Whenever my American friends used to tease me about the lousy political system we have in Israel, they would point to the many parties and factions we have here, and to the difficulty of forming a coalition government.
Official: Hamas Serious in Reaching Reconciliation Deal
Netanyahu's key foreign policy staff by Steven J. Rosen
Center for Security Studies (CSS)· No. 49: The Middle East Conflict after the Gaza War
CRS U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians
Rebuilding Gaza to Raze It Again by Uri Avnery
Israel facing challenge of mending ties with Muslim world
CRS Israel and Hamas: Conflict in Gaza (2008-2009)
Can Friends of Israel Trust Obama? - Jack Kelly, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette