Publication

Near East Report - December 21, 2011

December 21, 2011

www.aipac.org/ner

Egyptians began going to the polls last month to vote for a new lower house of parliament. These elections, scheduled to continue until Jan. 10, will be a crucial indication of where Egypt is heading in coming years.
View a slideshow to learn more about the elections.

In This Issue

The Central Bank of Iran:
The “Lifeblood” of the Iranian Financial System

Parliamentary Elections in Egypt: Where the Parties Stand on Foreign Policy

Egypt after Mubarak:
An Interview with
Dr. Steven Cook

Women’s Rights in Israel

Editorial: The Stalled
Peace Process Falls on Abbas’ Shoulders


The Central Bank of Iran: The “Lifeblood” of the Iranian Financial System All 100 U.S. Senators voted on Dec. 1 to sanction the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) in an effort to deny the Islamic Republic the means to further develop its nuclear weapons capability and continue to finance global terror. Iran relies on the CBI to evade sanctions on its other banks, allowing the country to fund its various illicit activities. READ MORE

Parliamentary Elections in Egypt: Where the Parties Stand on Foreign Policy The parliamentary elections currently taking place in Egypt have raised concerns about where the country is headed in coming years. The new parliament, set to be dominated by Islamist parties, will likely push for a much more aggressive foreign policy and stake positions that are at odds with American and Israeli interests. READ MORE

Egypt after Mubarak: An Interview with Dr. Steven Cook Some ten months after the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt still faces a fair amount of uncertainty and instability. To learn more about the current situation in the land of the pharaohs, Near East Report interviewed Dr. Steven Cook, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. READ MORE

Women’s Rights in Israel The equal status of women in Israeli society is ensured in the Jewish state’s Declaration of Independence. The legal guarantee of rights and freedoms has allowed women to be fully integrated in Israeli society, where they play a key role in politics, business, scientific research, art and culture. READ MORE

E-ISSN 1947-4458
Published biweekly except when Congress is out of session by The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Funded in part by the American Israel Education Foundation, the charitable organization affiliated with AIPAC.

Editors:

Dr. Raphael Danziger
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

Jeremy Rider
Executive Editor

Dr. Avi Eilam
Managing Editor

Tzvi Kahn
Associate Editor

Analysts:

Steven Beckerman
Senior Research Analyst

Michelle Dorin
Samantha Levy
Research Analysts

I.L. Kenen
Founder, 1905–1988

Editorial: The Stalled Peace Process Falls on Abbas’ Shoulders

For decades, the United States has emphasized the need for a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. The pursuit of such an agreement has continued under President Obama. But the president’s pursuit has been met with two diametrically opposite positions: a willing Israel and a rejectionist Palestinian Authority. READ MORE