Alain Gresh of Le Monde Diplomatique on Talk Nation Radio

April 7, 2009

Produced by Dori Smith
TRT: 29: 33

Alain Gresh is a veteran journalist and editor at Le Monde Diplomatique. We spoke with him about Mideast policy, Israel's hard line policies toward the Palestinians, Israli policy re settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the war in Gaza, his February story Gaza war changes Middle East equation at Israel's expense, the Obama Administration, Iraq, Iran, and more.

Topics include:
Israel's December and January assault on Gaza.
Israeli plans not yet clear, except plans for new settlements.
The Olmert administration and the Netanyahu administration.
Policies that follow an old line of reasoning amongst Israeli hard liners, that Arabs only understand force.
Iran policy, and Alain Gresh says Netanyahu will try to get Obama to support an attack on Iran but he does not anticipate one happening for this month anyway.

Then some updates on stories that broke that were on related topics such as a piece in the diplomatic section of Haaretz Newspaper by Aluf Benn, see Obama team readying for confrontation with Netanyahu.

According to Benn, US officials are working to inform members of Congress about US policy on a two state solution. They are ostensibly trying to preempt Netanyahu's appeals he writes.

And US Envoy George Mitchell arrives in Israel.
Plus CNN news anchor Wolf Blitzer interrupts Vice President Joe Biden as Biden claims outcome of Israeli and Palestinian conflict vital to US.

Later Blitzer switches the topic to a possible Israeli attack on Iran. Does Biden 'fear' Israel will attack Iran's 'nuclear program,' asks Blitzer.

V.P. Joe Biden replies: "I don't believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu would do that. I think he would be ill-advised to do that. And so my level of concern is no different than it was a year ago."

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