David Singer

Sarkozy Succumbs To Mediterranean Mismatch

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy has had to eat humble pie after his ground-breaking plan to establish the 43 member Mediterranean Union failed to reach an agreed final communiqué because of the opposition to its wording by the Palestinian Authority (PA) - the only non-state member present.

The Pope, Palestine and Papal Politics

Pope Benedict XVI's appointment of Archbishop Fouad Twal as the new Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem to succeed recently retired Archbishop Michael Sabbah - after 21 years in that position – signals a significant change of course by the Vatican in its relationship with the Jewish State.

Jerusalem’s Judgment Day

President Bush's Road Map to create a new Arab state between Jordan and Israel is in terminal tatters following the bloody events in Jerusalem on 2 July 2008 when an east Jerusalem Arab commandeered a bulldozer and went on a rampage through Jerusalem's busy streets trying to kill as many people as he could before being killed himself.

Palestinian Parentage Generates Jordanian Jitters

Jordan's King Abdullah was very edgy this week as he sought to terminate any discussion of the role Jordan will have to ultimately play in ending the standoff caused by the pending demise of President Bush's Roadmap to create a new Arab state between Israel and Jordan.

Petulance and Pandemonium in Petra

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa must have had a brain explosion during a lunch time speech delivered by Israel's President Shimon Peres to Nobel Laureates attending a conference in Petra to discuss the global food crisis.

Bush’s Vision Requires A West Bank Subdivision

Subdivision of the West Bank between Jewish and Arab claimants has always been an essential ingredient of President Bush's 2002 vision to create a new Arab State between Israel and Jordan.

Bush’s Vision Requires A West Bank Subdivision

Subdivision of the West Bank between Jewish and Arab claimants has always been an essential ingredient of President Bush's 2002 vision to create a new Arab State between Israel and Jordan.

Obama Torpedoes The Palestinian State

Presidential Nominee Barack Obama took only 14 words to effectively 'put paid to' the idea that a third Palestinian State - in addition to Israel and Jordan - will be created during his term as President if he wins the forthcoming election in November.

Abbas Loses The Plot

PLO Chairman and President of the Palestinian Authority - Mahmoud Abbas - was clearly not happy with the remarks made by President Bush on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of Israel's reconstitution as an independent Jewish state within its biblical homeland 2000 years after it had last flourished there.

President Bush, Condoleezza Rice and Forgotten Letters

President Bush and Condoleezza Rice have a lot on their minds as they grapple with a multitude of the world's current conflicts which - no doubt - have caused overloading of their respective memory banks

Abbas Tears Up The Road Map

President Bush's Road Map was publicly shredded by PLO Chairman and Palestinian Authority President - Mahmoud Abbas - in Ramallah this week. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was there when it happened.

Lunchtime - and Crunch Time - in Amman

Jordan's King Abdullah and Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert certainly had a lot to talk about when Mr Olmert made a surprise visit to Amman yesterday for a two hour working lunch with the King.

The Abdullah-Abbas Circus Comes To Washington

King Abdullah - the sovereign ruler of 77% of former Palestine (now called Jordan) - and Mahmoud Abbas - the touted President of another proposed Arab State in 1-6% of former Palestine (now called the West Bank and Gaza) - were both in Washington this week for talks with President Bush.

The Smarter Jimmy Carter Charter

Ex-President Jimmy Carter has hogged the media spotlight this week over his intended - and subsequent - meetings with Hamas head honcho Khaled Meshaal and other Hamas leaders - thereby incurring the wrath of Israel, the United States, the European Union and the Palestinian Authority.

“Palestine” after Bush - Vision or Mirage?

14 April 2008 marks the fourth anniversary of the date when the signposts pointing the direction towards realizing President Bush's vision for a Palestinian State were emblazoned on the diplomatic horizon.

Condoleezza’s Contortions Can’t Create"Palestine”

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has expressed her amazement at the scope of the concessions Israel has agreed to make to the Palestinian Authority in a 35 page booklet given to her by Israel's Defence Minister - Ehud Barak - during her latest visit to Israel this week.

Paris, Palestine and Pledges

Tony Blair has found that it doesn't take too much to wipe the smile off one's face when trying to resolve the competing Arab and Jewish claims to the territory once called Palestine - known today as Israel, Jordan, the West Bank and Gaza.

Ending The Ping Pong Game In Gaza

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon seems unable to comprehend that Israel is at war with Hamas - declared a hostile entity by Israel and a proscribed terrorist organisation by America and the European Union.

Power Plays in Palestine

Jordan's decision to begin supplying electricity to Jericho last Monday - coupled with Egypt's intention to do exactly the same in Gaza - sends a clear message that perhaps the lights are at last being turned on for the first time in 40 years - possibly heralding the beginning of the end to the gloom and darkness that has marked the long running Arab-Jewish conflict over the territory once called Palestine.

Is this Holmes another Sherlock?

Sir John (just call me "John") Holmes - the Under-Secretary -General for Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator - is on a five day visit to Gaza and Israel.