Last Question of the Week: Cast Lead and War Crimes

The Goldstone Report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council determines that Israel committed war crimes in Gaza during operation Cast Lead in late 2008/early 2009. Based on what you have read so far, and your understanding of what war crimes are, do you agree with that statement? Is there more than one way to view Israel's operation in the Gaza Strip?

Question of the week: the failure of the peace process

The 1990s brought with them much hope for a new order in the Middle East that would be achieved through peace between Israel and its neighbors. But in the second half of the decade the peace process slowed down (under Netanyahu's government), and then was reignited during the short tenure of Ehud Barak as prime minister, only to collapse into another violent struggle between Israel and the Palestinians, known as the second intifada. Our question this week is therefore:


Did Arafat make a good or poor decision in launching the second intifada in the second half of 2000? Could there have been a better outcome for the Palestinians had he not done so?

Question of the week: the first intifada and its long term achievements

We have already begun to discuss the first Palestinian Intifada (1987-1992) in class. Our question this week is therefore:


Did the first Palestinian Intifada succeed in achieving its goals? If so, why hasn't an independent Palestinian state emerged so far?


note: if you are a registered student in this course, your answer must somehow reflect the weekly readings to get credit.

Question of the week: Hizballah - a success story?

This week we read portions of statements by/interviews with Hasan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Hizballah. We also discussed in class how from a paramilitary group, Hizballah has emerged as a popular political movement (that still maintains a military wing). One has to ask, then:


Is Hizballah a success story in Lebanon? And if so, how can its success by explained?