By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Yasir Arafat is still dead. True, he was once alive. I sat across from him in his Gaza office, for example. And he even had a copy of my history of the PLO on his bookshelf so he must have been of sound mind at the time. It’s not […]
Arafat allegations one more attempt to dehumanize Israel Read More »
Middle East
By Isaac Yetiv , Ph. D. LA JOLLA, California — In June 2012 , the U.S. Supreme Court voted five to four to uphold the Obama Healthcare law , declaring it “constitutional.” It found that the “penalty” for not buying insurance ( which would have made the law “unconstitutional” ) is, in reality, a “tax” (which makes
Obama care decision hands Republicans major campaign issue Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Lots of politics, brought about by the high intensity squabbles over what to do about the ultra-Orthodox (Haredim), and to some extent the Arabs. Animosity toward the Haredim and a somewhat different concern about Arabs is always present, along with whatever else is happening. Feelings about the Haredim peaked some
Compulsory service for Arabs, haredi continues to simmer Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Zachary Fisher WASHINGTON, D.C. — According to a report released Wednesday by Human Rights Watch, Jordan recently turned away Syrians of Palestinian heritage seeking refuge in the Hashemite Kingdom, while threatening to deport Syrian Palestinians who arrived within the past year. Meanwhile, Jordan has laudably admitted 140,000 Syrian refugees into its country and given
Jordan bars Syrian refugees of Palestinian descent Read More »
Middle East
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — It was at dinner in the garden of a well-known analyst of Iran. He’d spent years writing prolifically and astutely about the regime, its progress on nuclear technology, dissidents, U.S. policy, Israeli policy, and the machinations of the P5+1. “What’s the latest on your blog?” we asked. “Italian food,” he replied. “There’s
A time to columnize, and a time to realize Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USA
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Living alongside Isaweea is an adventure that provides insights into larger issues about Israel and the Middle East. We’ve been here for 20 years, and have never visited the neighborhood 200 meters to the east. Arab friends have urged us to stay away, for our own good. Twice
Tensions between Jewish and Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Carol Davis LOS ANGELES—If there is one show you must see this year, make it War Horse, the 2011 Tony Award winner for Best Play and then some. It is now playing at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles on its national tour for a limited engagement through July 29th. Don’t see it because
Spellbinding ‘War Horse’ at Ahmanson Read More »
Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Since the end of the Second World War, Germany has come a long way in rehabilitating its past legacy of Nazism. Germany has proven itself as a good friend of Israel and the Jewish people. Germany has emerged as one of the most successful democratic countries
Germany’s circumcision decision smacks of Nazism Read More »
International, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — I had occasion to host the just deceased-Yitzhak Shamir, the diminutive and fiery former prime minister of Israel, along with the foreign minister at the time, the late Abba Eban. It was 1983, Shamir was in office, and the two rivals were both featured speakers at the International
Yitzhak Shamir, z”l, took his politics personally Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–There are some general lessons about politics in the current maneuverings of Israeli politicians around the issues of drafting ultra-Orthodox and Arabs. In Hebrew, the terms rhyme — חרדים וערבים– Haredim and Aravim. The issues differ more than they overlap. Lesson #1 is the distance between politics and policy, or between politics
Integrating ultra-Orthodox and Arabs into the Israeli mainstream Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By David Bedein JERUSALEM–Covering the 1988 elections on special contract for the New York Times,Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, all three bureau chiefs would ask at the end of each day for a report of what Shamir said each day on the campaign trail. There was never much to report, because Shamir’s messages were
Yitzhak Shamir, 96, was man of few words Read More »
Middle EastBy Isaac Yetiv, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California– The first free elections in the history of Egypt have produced a parliament dominated by a majority of radical Islamists , and a president who emerged from the ranks of the fundamentalist Islamist “Muslim Brotherhood” movement. It is said that “Revolutions are started by intellectuals, carried out by fanatics, and
Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has a friend in Obama Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — There is a remarkable amount of interest in China about Israel and Jews, as I discovered during a trip to China sponsored by SIGNAL, the Sino-Israel Global Network and Academic Leadership. The most obvious reason is that the Chinese–one important official called it the “little superpower–perceive that Israel in
The growing friendship between China and Israel Read More »
International, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Among the things that keep me in touch with my former homeland are the family members and friends who respond to my columns. The friends include people I’ve never met in person. Some have trekked to French Hill in order to shake my hand and share in some goodies, face to
America the fascinating Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USA