“‘From my experience, there is always skepticism in this type of scenario, when you’re announcing a conclusion based on intelligence you can’t share,' said Michael Singh, managing director at the Washington Institute, who worked in the George W. Bush White House. 'And it’s something that really bedevils policymakers...’" Read the full article here: Full Article
"'It will take some time, but this increases the probability of Likud moving Netanyahu aside and joining a unity government with Blue and White,' said Dan Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel and research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. 'Of all the possible scenarios, I think that’s now the most likely...'” Read the full article here: Full Article
"Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro, who shepherded the unsuccessful peace process advanced by then-Secretary of State John F. Kerry, said he 'discovered that Lieberman wasn’t exactly what his public image would lead you to imagine.' "‘He was not fundamentally opposed to what Kerry was trying to do,' said Shapiro, now a visiting fellow at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies. 'He is comfortable in his own skin. He doesn’t care what others think of him...’" Read the full [...]
“NPR's David Greene talks to Dennis Ross, a veteran diplomat who is now with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, about the attack. The U.S. says Iran played a key role..." Read the full transcript here: Full Transcript
"Saturday’s attack on Abqaiq, home to one of the most important petroleum processing facilities in Saudi Arabia, threatens to dramatically escalate tensions in the Persian Gulf. While the Saudis have not yet attributed blame, they are likely to do so soon — and to react accordingly. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has declared what most observers suspect: The Iranians might not have directly orchestrated the attacks but are almost certainly behind them. "If true, Iran is continuing its response to the [...]
"Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro tells Becky Anderson U.S.-Israeli leaders need to turn back to traditional bipartisanship..." Watch the full interview here: Full Interview
"Dennis Ross, who served as Bill Clinton’s Middle East envoy, interpreted Greenblatt’s departure as a sign that the Trump administration does not expect its forthcoming peace plan -- which is set to be released at some unspecified point after Israel’s Sept. 17 elections — to lead even to follow-up negotiations. "... If the plan is in fact dead on arrival, Ross said, Berkowitz will be left with something of a mop-up job, tasked with finding areas for incremental progress and trying [...]
"'The Trump administration inherited very poor prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace, which wasn’t their fault,' said Daniel Shapiro, the former US ambassador to Israel. 'But everything they have done in the field since has made it even harder to achieve a breakthrough...'” Read the full article here: Full Article
"... Some American military planners derided Barak’s tactic as 'mowing the grass' — a small-bore effort that would need to be repeated again and again — but it might have been more like a way to get the United States to move first. 'Barak would tell us, "We can’t do what you do, so we need to do it sooner,"' says Dennis Ross, who handled Iran policy at the National Security Council during Obama’s first term. 'We interpreted that as designed [...]
"From its first weeks in office, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has been intent on dislodging Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela—resorting to everything from tough talk of “military options” and indictments of senior officials to hard-hitting sanctions and multilateral diplomacy. In January, after two years of effort, Washington seemed to be close to reaching its goal. With an uncharacteristic display of careful diplomatic coordination, the United States, along with several Latin American governments and other U.S. partners, announced [...]