Conflict Blotter

To mark Condi’s seventh trip to the region this year, I’m going to jot down some thoughts on the nascent peace process and the Annapolis confererence slated for late November or December. First, people still aren’t taking this very seriously by and large, despite Condi’s warnings to journalists on Monday. Palestinians, Israelis, journalists, etc, tend […]

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If we connect a few dots that have emerged over the past week or so, it would appear that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has begun quietly making the necessary political preparations that will allow him to make substantive concessions to the Palestinians on Jerusalem and outposts.
On October 1, the government moved the West Bank […]

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I wonder if the Lebanese or the Syrians for that matter know they’ve sent buddy bears to Israel, where they’re on display in Midan Safra in front of the Jerusalem municipality.

The Lebanese buddy bear

The Syrians have sent a buddy bear also.

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Anyone noticed that dozens of trees have suddenly died along Zahra Street in East Jerusalem in the past few weeks? They’re invasive Ailanthus trees, or “ghetto palms” as the species has been dubbed elsewhere. The trees have been deliberately poisoned by Evyatar Cohen, head of the National Parks Authority Jerusalem District. Unfortunately, he’s poisoned all […]

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