June 13, 2006

Greetings,

Below please find the link to the seventh Middle East Brief: “United States’ Policy Toward Hamas: An Initial Assesment” by Jeremy Pressman.

This Brief analyzes the United States’ policy to isolate Hamas since its election to the Palestinian Parliament. Dr. Pressman provides a thorough review of the strategies and effects of this U.S. policy to date and offers a timely analysis of the risks and alternatives for U.S. policy makers.

A PDF of this Brief can be viewed on the Crown Center website: www.brandeis.edu/centers/crown .

The Crown Center Website now offers a forum for readers to comment and discuss the Middle East Briefs. Please review and submit a comment at www.brandeis.edu/centers/crown/publications/index-new.html

Past Briefs in this series include:

Banu Eligur, “Turkish-American Relations Since the 2003 Iraqi War: A Troubled Partnership,” May 2006, Middle East Brief 6.

Chen Kane, “Nuclear Decision-Making in Iran: A Rare Glimpse,” May 2006, Middle East Brief 5.

Naghmeh Sohrabi, “Conservatives, Neoconservatives and Reformists: Iran after the Election of Mahmud Ahmadinejad,” April 2006, Middle East Brief 4.

Dror Zeevi, “What Do Palestinians Really Want? The Social Implications of the Hamas Victory,” March 2006, Middle East Brief 3.

Abdel Monem Said Aly, “Prelude to Change: Egyptian Democratization, 2005,” January 2006, Middle East Brief 2.

Shai Feldman and Khalil Shikaki, “Palestinian and Israeli Policy Options: Implications for U.S. Diplomacy,” December 2005, Middle East Brief 1.

Please feel free to contact us at anytime at: crowncenter@brandeis.edu.

Sincerely,

Prof. Shai Feldman