Barry Shaw

Barry Shaw is the International Public Diplomacy Director of the Israel Institute for Strategic Studies.

His books, available on Amazon, include:

Ice Cream That Leaves a Bad Taste in Our Mouths.

Less than 24 hours after receiving the news that Ben & Jerry’s announced they would not allow their ice cream to be sold in Judea & Samaria, what they called “occupied Palestinian territory,” there has been a grassroots backlash against this company. Both the Israeli TV and social media channels are reporting that Israelis are boycotting B&J’s ice cream. [Barry Shaw]

Ice Cream That Leaves a Bad Taste in Our Mouths. Read More »

Barry Shaw, Business & Finance, Middle East, USA

Who was Shimon Bar Yochai?

An Israeli national disaster occurred at the Lag B’Omer festival on Mount Meron in northern Israel on April 28 when 45 people were killed and 155 were injured when thousands people gathered in the tightly packed confines of a compound surrounding the grave of a Jewish holy man. The tragic incident demands answers for why a hundred thousand mainly Haredi Jews from Israel and abroad would make their way to this isolated site at this special time. [Barry Shaw]

Who was Shimon Bar Yochai? Read More »

Barry Shaw, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East

Israel’s Leading Parties’ Economic Plans

In Israel, much of the evening news swirls around the gossip about who will sit with who in a new government coalition after the upcoming election on March 23. What has been singularly missing from the chatterbox TV news programs has been the vitally important plans of each party over the future of the Israeli economy. This brief summary will give you an idea of how each party intends to tackle the economy if it should gain power. [Barry Shaw]

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Barry Shaw, Business & Finance, Middle East

Israeli Observer Worries about Ilhan Omar

Why are American Jewish organizations silent about Congressional anti-Semitism and anti-Israel slander?

Why is it that the ZOA is the only Jewish organization in America that initiated instant condemnation of Ilhan Omar’s latest anti-Semitic drumbeat against Israel. The new set of Omar’s lies, tweeted after the US election, included the blood libel that Israel is ethnically cleansing the Palestinians, accusing the Jewish State of “leaving an entire community homeless in direct violation of international law.” [Barry Shaw]

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Barry Shaw, Middle East, USA

Erekat: a metaphor for the Palestinian Authority

Saeb Erekat has been the rumbustious voice of the Palestinian Authority for decades. While his people suffer, lingering in poverty under the misrule of the PLO-PA, Erekat lived the comfortable life, globetrotting around the world as the face of the Palestinian cause, narrated by him as a tale of victimhood and oppression. [Barry Shaw]

Erekat: a metaphor for the Palestinian Authority Read More »

Barry Shaw, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

A guide to the trials of Israel’s prime minister

The most serious case concerns Case 4000. This is the case in which Bibi is charged with a media bribery scheme with the owners of Bezek and Walla communications and media companies. In this case, the owners, Shaul Elovitch and his wife, Iris, are also co-defendants with a separate legal team. The charges claim that Walla gave Bibi favorable coverage in exchange for him making government policies favoring Elovitch’s Bezek company to the value of around 1.8 billion shekels. [Barry Shaw]

A guide to the trials of Israel’s prime minister Read More »

Barry Shaw, Middle East

Israel scours globe for coronavirus protective equipment but P.A., Hamas reject such aid

As nations scrambled to obtain desperately needed medical equipment, Israel quietly coordinated a massive 150 medical cargo flights operation, involving El Al and Israel’s fabled Mossad intelligence agency, to scour the globe for much needed drugs, ventilators, protective clothing, and test kits. Huge El Al Dreamliners were converted into cargo planes as part of Israel’s emergency measures. Israir Airlines also sent planes to the Far East including to Shenzhen for medical supplies, and to bring stranded Israelis back from Vietnam. [Barry Shaw]

Israel scours globe for coronavirus protective equipment but P.A., Hamas reject such aid Read More »

Barry Shaw, International, Middle East

Is Israel on its way to a 4th election?

Deafened under the constant drumbeat of the virus crisis has been the ongoing efforts to form a new Israeli unity government. What was perceived over a week ago as a quick solution between the Bibi-led Likud and the Gantz-led remnant of the Blue & White Party, cruelly named the Black & Blue Party by some members of the political right in Israel, has become bogged down in a tactical Game of Thrones, as the horse-trading for government ministries leads to friction and division. [Barry Shaw]

Is Israel on its way to a 4th election? Read More »

Barry Shaw, Middle East

Israel needs economic stimulus in wake of coronavirus

As the coronavirus sweep its destructive path around the world, including in Israel, leaving health and medical experts advising governments and authorities to take radical measures to “flatten the curve,” healthy populations have had their lives totally disrupted potentially to the point of personal and familial ruin. The virus and stringent government imposed steps have inflicted an unbearable economic toll on the nation. [Barry Shaw]

Israel needs economic stimulus in wake of coronavirus Read More »

Barry Shaw, Middle East

World dignitaries’ A-List converge on Jerusalem

Kings, princes, presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers will converge on Jerusalem this week for the Fifth World Holocaust Forum to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz. The race for hotel rooms has been frenetic and the prestige hotels have mainly been booked on a “first come first served” basis with a few exceptions. [Barry Shaw]

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Barry Shaw, International, Middle East, USA

EU’s Blatant Anti-Semitism

[BDS advocates] have persuaded the European Union to introduce a labeling policy on Jewish produced products and services from Judea and Samaria in Israel, frequently called “the West Bank,” and in diplomatic circles the “disputed territories.” In a unique policy, the EU is insisting that Israeli products emanating from Jewish towns, villages, and industrial areas in these areas can no longer be labeled “Made in Israel” but must be designated some other description. [Barry Shaw]

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Barry Shaw, International, Jewish History, Middle East