—Voices from the Sensible Center—

Interpreting the Middle East for North Americans—
Interpreting North America for the Middle East

The U.S. and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process

7 U.S. Apathy Over Israel's Obstruction of Peace Process Ignites Hostility, Frays U.S. Alliances—Rachelle Marshall

8 The Real Significance of the Attempted Israeli Assassination of Khaled Meshal in Jordan—Dr. Israel Shahak

9 Female Palestinian Prisoner Uses Hunger Strike to Protest and Publicize Israeli Injustices—Maureen Meehan

10 As Dust Settles From Iraq Crisis of 1997, Winner May Be Iraqi People and Loser Binyamin Netanyahu—Richard H. Curtiss

11 Netanyahu and Saddam: U.S. Diplomacy's Problem Children Have More in Common Than Supporters Admit—Eugene Bird

13 Israel's "False Information Affair" Sheds New Light on Troubled Israeli and U.S. Relations With Syria—Victor Ostrovsky

19 Marking Balfour Declaration's 80th Anniversary, Edward Said Calls for Arab-Jewish Reconciliation and Reconsideration of Binational State—Laurie King-Irani

20 The MENA Summit Conference in Doha: Two Views:
The Party's Over for Israeli Economic Integration Into the Middle East—Colin MacKinnon

A Win for Egypt, Saudis and UAE, Qatar Breaks Even, U.S. and Israel Lose—Richard H. Curtiss

25 Mixed Signals in U.S.-Israel and U.S-GCC Relationships—Shawn L. Twing

26 Mossad's Use of Canadian Passports: Two Reports:
Canadian Press Calls for Inquiry Into Allegations Regarding Mossad Use of
Passports—Faisal Kutty

Mossad's Use of Canadian Passports Quickly Forgiven—John Dirlik

28 Netanyahu's "Overweening Pride" May Squander Breathtaking Gains by Israel and Its U.S. Supporters—Richard H. Curtiss

30 Commission Report Leaks Make Strong Case for Complicity of Shabak Officers in Rabin Assassination—Victor Ostrovsky

51 "Pro-Israel Lobbies" in U.S. Urging Agenda Inimical to Israel, Whose Future Lies in a Peaceful Solution—Neve Gordon

Special Reports

6 "Messages" Sent by Islamic Summit in Tehran Have Profound Implications for the U.S. in the Middle East—Richard H. Curtiss

23 Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani: Foreign Minister of Qatar—Andrew I. Killgore

24 Congress Keeps Pressure on Iran—Shirl McArthur

32 Arab Intellectuals at Abu Dhabi Conference on Future of the Arab World See Strength in Unity—Habeeb Salloum

34 RAWI (Radius of Arab-American Writers) Provides Creative Matrix for Writers Across America—Abdeen Jabara

35 A Government Survives in Pakistan, While a Government Falls in India—M.M. Ali

37 Lebanese Fast Forward Back to the Good Old Days, With Disco Dancing, Fast Foods and Bungee Jumping—Marilyn Raschka

44 Despite Inflation and Secular-Religious Gulf, Caretaker Yilmaz Government Reducing Turkish Tensions—James M. Dorsey

45 Central Asia: Between Kyrgystan and Uzbekistan: The Politics of Water—Gordon Feller

46 With Municipal Elections Scheduled in 1998, Lebanon May See Political and Social Turbulence—Carole Dagher

47 Egyptian Government Continues to Blame West for Ills After Luxor Massacre—James J. Napoli

50 The Time Has Come to Establish a Coordinating Council of American Islamic Organizations—Abdurahman Alamoudi

62 In Memoriam: Ambassador Parker T. Hart (1910-1997)—Andrew I. Killgore

63 In Memoriam: William Thomas Mallison Jr. (1917-1997)—Richard H. Curtiss

Departments

3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

15 CONGRESS WATCH: Lebanon Travel Fight Continues; Mideast Peace Facilitation Act Renewed—Shirl McArthur

31 UNITED NATIONS REPORT: In U.S. Lexicon, U.N. Security Council Resolutions Are Binding on the Arabs But Not on Israel—Ian Williams

38 ISSUES IN THE NEWS—Compiled by Shawn L. Twing

49 CANADIAN CHRONICLE: Muslims Outraged Over Cartoon Depicting Them as Mad Dogs—Faisal Kutty

53 QUATSCH WATCH: How Many "Defensive Wars" Has Israel Fought?—Richard H. Curtiss

55 MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: The Palestinian National Covenant—Richard H. Curtiss

57 OTHER PEOPLE'S MAIL

65 LOBBY WATCH: National Capital Insiders Vote AIPAC, Israel's American Lobby, Second Most Powerful Interest Group in Washington—Nathan Jones

66 PEOPLE WATCH: Arafat Reported "Close to Despair"—Lucille Barnes

68 PUBLIC OPINION: Moderation Not Dead—Ella Bancroft

70 DEMOGRAPHICS: Honey, I Shrunk the Community—R. Clemente Holder

71 NORTHEAST NEWS: In Major Speech, Dr. Edward Said Urges Reform in Arab World—David P. Johnson Jr.

74 CALIFORNIA CHRONICLE: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Toes Likud Line at L.A. Press Conference, World Affairs Council Speech—Pat & Samir Twair

78 ARAB-AMERICAN ACTIVISM: Al Hewar Center Panel Examines U.S. and Arab World—Donna Bourne

80 WAGING PEACE: Hanan Ashrawi Visit to Atlanta Features Speeches, Meetings with Jimmy Carter, Ted Turner—Rita Fairchild

83 DIPLOMATIC DOINGS: Andrew Killgore Speaks at Youngstown U.N. Day Observance—Ruth E. Steele

83 HUMAN RIGHTS: Women in Lebanon: Partners in Forging the Future—Delinda Hanley

85 MUSLIM-AMERICAN ACTIVISM: AMA Raises Political Consciousness and $100,000 at St. Louis Convention—Richard H. Curtiss

120 CHRISTIANITY AND THE MIDDLE EAST: Bethlehem's New Interreligious Academy to Add Momentum to 2000 A.D. Celebrations—Rev. L. Humphrey Walz

123 MAHJABEEN'S MUSINGS: A Muslim Traveler Along the American Way: The Immorality of Political Apathy Among America's Fortunate Muslims—Mahjabeen Islam -Husain

125 NORTHWEST NEWS: World Vision Jerusalem Director Tom Getman Speaks in Seattle—Elaine Kelley

129 THE MIDDLE EAST ON THE INTERNET: Middle East News on the Internet—Shawn L. Twing

131 THE MIDEAST IN MID-AMERICA: Iranian Film Festival in Chicago Celebrates Eighth Anniversary of Socially Conscious Art—Raeshma Razvi

132 EDUCATION: New Books for Young People—Betsy Barlow

146 FACTS FOR YOUR FILES: October, November 1997 Chronology of U.S.-Middle East Relations—Compiled by Janet McMahon

153 PUBLISHERS' PAGE

154 EDITOR'S ESSAYS