Word: arabize
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...familiar Middle Eastern dance: the collision between a grand geostrategic scheme and implacable tribal realities. The novelty is that the grand scheme has been proposed by the Saudis, not imposed by outsiders, and it is appealing to the Administration: it holds the prospect of an alliance of moderate Arab states, and Israel, against the growing influence of Iran. "The world is eager for this process," another member of Olmert's Cabinet told me. "But we have moved with the Palestinians from a resolvable political process to an unresolvable religious conflict," a reference to Hamas' refusal, on Islamic grounds, to acknowledge...
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas flew to the Arab Summit in Riyadh today leaving behind angry Palestinian comrades in his wake. Abbas wimped out on them, they say. Before U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived last Saturday in the Middle East, Abbas was coached by Fatah's governing Central Committee on how to talk tough with the Americans - not a specialty for Abbas, who is convivial but evasive...
...Arab summit in Riyadh, Abbas is backing a revived Saudi initiative that offers Israel peace with all Arab nations if it returns to its pre-1967 war borders and allows thousands of Palestinian refugees to return home. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he is open to some aspects of the plan, but not the "right of return" for Palestinians since they would swamp the Jewish state. The Saudis urged Israel to accept, or else. Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said, "If Israel refuses, that means it doesn't want peace. Then [the conflict] goes back into the hands...
...Iran justified its capture of the 15 Brits by claiming they had been in Iranian territorial waters - a claim hotly disputed by Britain. Although boundaries are somewhat contested in the Shatt al-Arab waterway, and British officials had initially said the Iranian action may simply have been based on a misunderstanding, the British position hardened over the weekend, with Prime Minister Tony Blair denouncing the Iranian action as "unjustified and wrong," and warning that Britain viewed it in a serious light. On Monday Iraq backed London's claim that the incident had occurred inside Iraqi waters, which Britain patrols under...
...Ultimately, Rice believes the Arab states are crucial to pushing Hamas toward the center. And thus Egypt is her first stop. She arrived in Aswan on Saturday afternoon, and she is meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and other Arab leaders over the rest of the weekend and into Monday. Soon after touching down, she went behind closed doors to talk with Arab foreign ministers and intelligence chiefs. Rice will urge Arab leaders, who are scheduled to hold a summit in Riyadh on Wednesday, March 28, to revive a 2002 proposal by the Arab League to recognize Israel in exchange...