Nonetheless, such violence had not emerged out of nothing, but had a direct and identifiable origin the stranglehold of Israeli occupation and its cumulative effects.

The phrase most often heard in Austria among voters of the right wing parties is fresh air. People say they voted for Haider and Strache to break the stranglehold of the ruling parties.

Europe undoubtedly needs Russian gas, but fears that this gives Russia a monopolistic stranglehold over Europe are exaggerated. Russia s share of total EU gas imports is just above 40 today, compared to 80 in 1980.

That s the question Europe is asking about Russia, and Russia about a newly aggressive Europe. President Vladimir Putin s choice of Dmitri Medvedev, Chairman of Gazprom, the gas company with an emerging stranglehold on European energy supplies, only throws this question into an even starker light.

That s the question Europe is asking about Russia, and Russia about a newly aggressive Europe. President Vladimir Putin s choice of Dmitri Medvedev, Chairman of Gazprom, the gas company with an emerging stranglehold on European energy supplies, only throws this question into an even starker light.

Moving beyond economics, America s reduction in net energy imports which have already fallen by one half since 2007 means that its foreign policy will be less constrained by events in the Middle East. In Europe, the new technology could similarly break Russia s politically troublesome stranglehold on natural gas supplies.

This holds promise of progress, but despite the brief fanfare and positive statements at the peace conference last November in Annapolis, Maryland, a retrogression has occurred in the process. Nine thousand new Israeli settlement housing units have been announced in Palestine, the number of roadblocks within the West bank has increased, and the stranglehold on Gaza has been tightened.

This holds promise of progress, but despite the brief fanfare and positive statements at the peace conference last November in Annapolis, Maryland, a retrogression has occurred in the process. Nine thousand new Israeli settlement housing units have been announced in Palestine, the number of roadblocks within the West bank has increased, and the stranglehold on Gaza has been tightened.

The two of you also went against conventional Israeli thinking by breaking away from your Likud party, greatly weakening the ideological stranglehold that Likud s far right central committee held on Israeli politics. The realization that withdrawal from populated areas, and thus an end to holding another people under permanent occupation, was necessary to preserve the Jewish nature of Israel clearly brought the two of you to the center of Israeli thinking.