Jan 6th, 2009 · French President Nicolas Sarkozy is on a ceasefire mission to the Middle East. While his country no longer holds the European Union presidency, Sarkozy says it is France's duty to look for all paths to peace. Critics say Sarkozy is on a power trip after his six-month stint as diplomatic head of Europe. They accuse him of muddying EU efforts to broker a ceasefire.
Jan 2nd, 2009 · Robert Malley, director of the International Crisis Group's Middle East program, and Martin Indyk, director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, discuss the possible challenges faced by the incoming Obama administration in the Middle East.
Jan 1st, 2009 · The conflict in Gaza presents a challenge for the incoming Obama administration, which already was facing a packed Middle East agenda. Leslie Gelb tells Steve Inskeep that the question now is whether the situation in Gaza will make it harder for President-elect Barack Obama to keep his campaign promises of active peacemaking between the Israelis and Palestinians. Gelb is a former state and defense department official and president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Jan 1st, 2009 · Oil producers are about to reduce output, and tensions are growing in the Middle East. Such developments usually tend to drive up oil prices, but the global economic recession is becoming so severe that energy consumption keeps falling. Oil prices are down more than 70 percent since last July.
Dec 31st, 2008 · Three Middle East experts discuss how the current conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza might end. Dore Gold, former Israeli ambassador to the U.N., Ambassador Edward Djerejian, director of the James Baker Institute of Public Policy at Rice University, and Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said professor of modern Arab Studies at Columbia University, offer their insight.
Dec 31st, 2008 · The year comes to an explosive end in the Middle East. Israel is now in its fifth day of air attacks on Gaza, rejecting a recent ceasefire proposal. The conflict is among the deadliest in recent history. Radio hosts Ray Hanani and Thom Hartmann describe how the fighting has their listeners speaking out.
Dec 23rd, 2008 · The Middle East will likely be a major foreign policy priority for Barack Obama. His election has generated high expectations — some say too high — that he can restore the image of the U.S. in the Arab world and that changes in Mideast policy are imminent.
Dec 5th, 2008 · There is cautious hope in the Middle East that the Obama administration will rejuvenate efforts toward a long-elusive peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians. Tony Blair, special envoy to the region, says he believes Obama will bring progress.