What we are witnessing is another step — perhaps crucial — in the shifting strategic balance of power in the Middle East: The cause of the Palestinians is gradually passing out of the hands of Mubarak and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

Despite decades of close U.S. involvement in Middle East affairs, most Americans know little about the cultures of the region. Andrea Rugh, however, is an exception. In her new book, "Simple Gestures," the anthropologist explains the cultural differences and similarities she encountered...

The EU's refusal to accept Turkey as a member swiftly has partly caused Ankara's foreign policy shift and the deterioration in its relations with Israel, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.

Over the past year, the Obama administration has been reaching out and listening to Muslim communities around the world, focusing on a “new beginning” based on mutual interest and respect that President Obama called for in his June 4, 2009, speech at Cairo University in Egypt.

Russia is seeking to recover its lost influence in the Middle East - and elsewhere. This time it's coming not with weapons, but with ballet and blinis, through a new federal agency

The Israeli government is hoping YouTube and Twitter can help restore its reputation after a botched raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla killed nine people. Don't get your hopes up, Bibi. There's only so much a technological tactic can do after such a big strategic blunder.

With a new aid vessel already en route to challenge the four-year economic siege of the Hamas-controlled territory — and activists promising a new flotilla — the U.S. faces a growing challenge in balancing its support for Israel with other important diplomatic relationships in the region.

My interest has stemmed from a curiosity about how you can engage in discussions about international affairs that preach beyond the choir and involve non-traditional stakeholders in non-traditional diplomacy.