Author Page: Leslie Susser

Leslie Susser

Analysis: Israel seeks to change rules of the game with Gaza assault

Published on December 29, 2008

In a news conference on the first night of the fighting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spelled out the war's aims: to create a new security reality in the south in which Israeli civilians can live without fear of rocket or terror attacks.

Analysis: New Hamas Gaza rocket attacks pose dilemma for Israel

Published on December 25, 2008

The renewal of intense Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli civilian areas has put Israelis in a somber mood during the usually festive week of Chanukah.

Analysis: Unchecked settler violence sparks fears of new intifada

Published on December 10, 2008

The violent settler response to the evacuation of the building, dubbed the House of Contention by Israeli media and called the Peace House by settlers, was symptomatic of a relatively new phenomenon: growing numbers of radical settlers who feel alienated from the state, don't accept its authority and are ready to use violence to prevent it from taking action against settler interests.

Analysis: Mumbai attacks mean new challenges for Israel

Published on December 3, 2008

The attacks on 10 sites in the Indian city, which killed nearly 200 people, could lead to a shift in the way Israel views global terrorism and the way to combat it.

Israel facing grim threat assessment for 2009

Published on November 26, 2008

Delivering a grim threat assessment for 2009, the Israeli National Security Council (NSC) said that Israel in 2009 may well find itself alone, facing Iran on the threshold of nuclear power, fighting rocket attacks on two fronts and without a Palestinian partner for a two-state solution.

ANALYSIS: Livni’s failure to build coalition could help or hurt in new elections

Published on October 27, 2008

With Israel headed for new general elections, supporters and opponents of Tzipi Livni are putting a very different gloss on her failure to form a governing coalition

Israel eyes regional peace push, prepares for U.S. talks with Iran

Published on October 22, 2008

With the governments in Washington and Jerusalem set to change, Israeli leaders are reassessing policy in two key areas: Middle East peacemaking and Iran.

Akko riots expose Israel’s Arab-Jewish tinderbox

Published on October 13, 2008

With the Jews mistrustful and the Arabs resentful, violence has the potential to set ethnic tensions aflame and shatter the uneasy coexistence that prevails.

Anger greets Olmert’s concessions on Golan, West Bank, Iran

Published on October 6, 2008

Israelis on the right and left were angered by Ehud Olmert's suggestion in an interview at the twilight of his term that Israel should cede virtually all its disputed land. Too little, too late, said the leftists. Too much, said the rightists.

Can Livni form a coalition or are elections next?

Published on September 24, 2008

Livni says she does not intend to be dragged into a long coalition-building process. If in about 10 days she believes the chances of forming a government are not high, she says she will lead a move for new elections herself.

Tzipi Livni wins Kadima contest—now the real work begins

Published on September 17, 2008

With her decisive win in the Kadima party primary, Tzipi Livni now must assemble a coalition government so she can become prime minister. Then all she'll have to do is deal with all of Israel's regional threats.

ANALYSIS: Livni leads in polls, but Israel’s political map is unclear

Published on September 8, 2008

There is a clear front-runner in the Kadima primary scheduled for Sept. 17, but it's not at all clear how Israel's political map will look once Ehud Olmert is gone

Political realities may doom Olmert’s peace push

Published on September 3, 2008

Although the Palestinians say wide gaps remain, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Olmert reportedly agreed in talks Sunday to make every effort to wrap up a full-fledged peace agreement by the end of the year. But both sides are skeptical.

Will new ‘Cold War’ play out in Middle East?

Published on August 27, 2008

With talk of a new Cold War in the offing following Russia's recent military successes in Georgia, Israel is worried Russia might reassess this policy and use the sale of new weaponry to Syria -- or the threat of it -- to strengthen Russia's hand vis-à-vis Israel's primary ally, the United States.

Israeli policy headed for radical changes in post-Olmert era

Published on August 5, 2008

Ehud Olmert's departure opens up the possibility of radical new directions in Israeli policy vis-a-vis the Palestinians, Syria and Iran

Viewing the truce from many sides

Published on June 23, 2008

Israeli strategic thinkers are deeply divided over the implications of the truce between Israel and the Gaza-based Hamas fundamentalists. But whatever their perspective, most agree that it could have a profound impact on the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations.

Cease-fire with Hamas appears imminent

Published on June 17, 2008

With a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas expected to take effect this week, the question is what impact -- if any -- such a deal will have on the wider efforts to reach accommodation with the Palestinians.

Will ‘President Obama’ be good for Israel?

Published on June 7, 2008

There are mixed feelings in Israel about the prospect of an Obama administration, with most experts saying the Jewish state has little cause for real concern

All signs point to Olmert’s ouster

Published on June 2, 2008

The media and the political establishment in Israel already have decided: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is through. Now the country could be heading for early elections.

U.S., Iran are obstacles in new Israel-Syria talks

Published on May 28, 2008

Bush’s Mideast trip fails to advance his promises

Published on May 22, 2008

He came, he spoke, he left

Probe of Olmert could derail peace process

Published on May 8, 2008

The corruption investigation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, which is threatening to bring down the Israeli government, potentially may have far-reaching consequences for Middle East peacemaking.

Livni asks Arab moderates for help with peace process

Published on April 17, 2008

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni flew to the Qatari capital of Doha in the Persian Gulf this week with an ambitious goal: changing moderate Arab attitudes toward Israel.

Rice presses, Israel eases up on Palestinians

Published on April 3, 2008

For the first time since the Annapolis peace parley last November, the United States is leaning heavily on Israel to move ahead in peacemaking with the Palestinians.

Cheney talks Iran in Israel; U.S. strike seen as remote

Published on March 27, 2008

With U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in Israel this week talking about Iran, the big question was whether President Bush would be willing to use military force in the waning days of his presidency to stop Iran's nuclear weapons program.

Israel faces grim intelligence estimate

Published on March 13, 2008

Last week's terrorist attack at a Jerusalem yeshiva and the new Israeli national intelligence assessment presented to the Cabinet on Sunday underscore the acute security problems Israel faces this year and beyond.

Israel weighs novel ideas to counter Hamas rockets

Published on March 8, 2008

With Israel still facing Hamas rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip following the end of the army's limited ground operation there, the Israeli government is considering stronger follow-up measures.

Arab League could back off ‘two-state’ solution

Published on February 28, 2008

Irked by the slow rate of progress in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, major Arab players are threatening to withdraw their offer to normalize ties with Israel once a Palestinian state is established. Underlying the Arab reassessment is a deeper problem: Arab belief in the viability of "the two-state solution" is diminishing. And the worry in Jerusalem is that this growing lack of confidence could undermine the fragile negotiating process so carefully put in place at the regional peace conference in Annapolis, Md., last November.

Threats from Hezbollah lead to new war fears

Published on February 21, 2008

In the wake of last week's assassination of arch-terrorist Imad Mughniyeh, there are fears in the region that a massive attack by Hezbollah against Israeli interests could spark a new Middle East war.

As Gaza strikes Sderot again and again, Israel weighs attack options

Published on February 14, 2008

After a Qassam rocket attack seriously injured two brothers in the Israeli border town of Sderot, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert again came under intense pressure to launch a major military strike against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Barak stays after Winograd Report, Olmert survives

Published on February 7, 2008

After the long-awaited final report of the Winograd Commission of inquiry into the Second Lebanon War was published last week, all eyes turned toward Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

Barak, the Labor Party leader, was the one man whose withdrawal of his party from the governing coalition could topple Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, whose wartime performance was the subject of much criticism in the report.

Israeli strategists weigh Gaza options

Published on January 31, 2008

The collapse of the border wall between the Gaza Strip and Egypt has done much more than break Israel's siege of the Hamas-run strip. It also has opened up new, far-reaching strategic options for Israel while exposing it to grave new dangers.

Some strategists say Israel should use the opportunity to force Gaza to look outward to Egypt, its natural Arab hinterland, and thereby reduce and eventually end Israeli responsibility for Gaza's fate. Others say such a handover of responsibility would expose Israel to worse terrorism than ever and that Israel instead should clamp down on all crossing points: between Israel and Gaza, Gaza and Egypt, and Israel and Egypt.

Bush’s Arab world tour significant for Israel

Published on January 17, 2008

With its focus on strengthening the moderate Arab coalition against Iran, President Bush's tour of the Persian Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia and Egypt could prove extremely significant for Israel.

U.S. report on Iran forces Israel to alter strategy

Published on December 13, 2007

After the shock of last week's U.S. intelligence estimate that found that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003, Israel is reshaping its Iran strategy.

Israel essentially is arguing that the U.S. assessment is dangerously misleading and that Tehran is as determined as ever to acquire nuclear weapons. The Israeli dilemma is how to prove Iran is cheating without being accused of trying to push the United States into war. That is why the official strategy is to work quietly behind the scenes.

Annapolis is over—now it’s bargaining time

Published on December 6, 2007

After the pomp and circumstance of Annapolis, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are gearing up for tough bargaining over the minutiae of a two-state settlement.

Not only will they have to agree on core issues like borders between Israel and a Palestinian state, but they'll also have to find common ground on a host of lesser concerns regulating relations between the two states, ranging from shared sewage systems to allocations on the electromagnetic spectrum.

Will Annapolis momentum spur a regional thaw?

Published on November 29, 2007

Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas may have bridged the necessary gaps to issue a joint commitment to pursue peace, but their words in Annapolis revealed the substantial distance they have yet to travel.

Prospects for results from Annapolis seem dim

Published on November 22, 2007

Days away from the Annapolis peace parley, the glaring weaknesses of both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders are raising significant questions about the long-term viability of the renewed peace process and the consequences of failure.

With Pakistan in turmoil, Israel keeps eye on nukes

Published on November 15, 2007

With the pro-U.S. regime of Pervez Musharraf in crisis following the Pakistani president's move to suspend his country's constitution and scuttle planned parliamentary elections, Israel is watching the developments with great concern.

Can Olmert and Abbas deliver at high-stakes Annapolis summit?

Published on November 8, 2007

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are well aware of the stakes; but, for domestic reasons, both are too weak to deliver a peace agreement that would spell unqualified success at Annapolis. Instead, both are looking for a formula that papers over their political difficulties and keeps the momentum going. They have therefore agreed to redefine Annapolis as a launching pad for intensive negotiations rather than a forum for the end game. For lack of choice, the United States is going along with the low-key approach. But the Americans remain keenly aware of the underlying regional issues that they were hoping the parley would help them shape.

Israel cuts power and fuel to Gaza in bid to stop rocket attacks

Published on November 1, 2007

In the face of unceasing rocket attacks on Israeli towns, cities and kibbutzim near the Gaza Strip, Israeli leaders approved the new policy to reduce fuel and electricity to the territory as the most humane way of trying to persuade Gaza's terrorist Hamas leadership to keep the peace.

Israel pushes world-wide diplomatic offensive to stop Iran

Published on October 25, 2007

In a major policy change, Israel has launched a high-profile diplomatic initiative to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions following President Bush's warning that a nuclear Iran could produce World War III.

Israel’s Arab neighbors may hold key to summit’s success

Published on October 18, 2007

As the Annapolis peace parley rapidly approaches, some of the Arab and Muslim players expected to play a key role in creating conditions for a favorable outcome are proving to be more of an obstacle than an asset.

Jerusalem status takes center stage in advance of talks

Published on October 11, 2007

With just more than a month to go before the Israeli-Palestinian peace conference is scheduled to take place, Jerusalem is shaping up to become the key issue.

Should Israel leave Hamas out of negotiations?

Published on October 4, 2007

In the run-up to the regional peace parley in November, Israeli decision makers are facing an increasingly acute dilemma: How to deal with the Hamas terrorists who control Gaza.

Olmert straddles line between hawks and doves

Published on September 27, 2007

With the planned Middle East summit in Washington less than two months away, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is caught in an ideological battle between his party's doves and hawks.

Was Israeli strike in Syria a repeat of 1981 Iraq anti-nuke mission?

Published on September 20, 2007

With Israel refusing to discuss the apparent airstrike two weeks ago against Syria, observers have begun to suggest that a major event may have taken place. The apparent bombing run might have been akin to Israel's bombing of the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak in 1981, if international media reports are to be believed.

Olmert won’t take the American approach to prop up Israeli governmental structure

Published on September 8, 2007

Under pressure from a key coalition partner, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has promised to pass legislation for a stronger and more stable government. But Israel will remain a parliamentary democracy and will not adopt the American-style presidential system some reformers have been advocating.

Hamas eyes new attacks in bid to undercut peace talks

Published on August 30, 2007

Whether the American summit actually boosts Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking will depend on the outcome of the internal Palestinian struggle.

Likud winner Bibi takes aim at extremist party rival

Published on August 23, 2007

After his overwhelming victory in the Likud's leadership primary last week, Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu might have felt well on the way to succeeding Ehud Olmert as prime minister. For months he had been leading in polls for the premiership, and was now seemingly in control of his party.