By Morton A. Klein NEW YORK — Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas, which controls Gaza, have initialed a unity agreement, which they are likely to formally sign in a matter of days. This means that Fatah, which calls in its Constitution for the destruction of Israel (Article 12) and the use of […]
Israel should make no concessions to Palestinian ‘unity’ government Read More »
Middle East
By Bruce Kesler ENCINITAS, California –The appointment at my alma mater, Brooklyn College, of an adjunct, Kristofer Petersen, to teach Middle East politics in the Political Science department was defended as academic freedom. This was despite his involvement in touting Gazans as virtual lambs and Israel as a beast, and his heavily slanted reading list.
Not an academic, but an ‘acridemic’ persists in attacking Israel Read More »
Middle East
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Remember when we were told that the Muslim Brotherhood was moderate and weak? Why it was so benign that the Brotherhood had even promised only to contest one-third of the seats. And a revolutionary Islamist, antisemitic and genocide-oriented, anti-American, anti-Western, and anti-Christian organization would never lie to us, right?
Muslim Brotherhood makes bid for power in Egypt Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — These are days that cause me to ponder the nature of government. On the one hand, we see the fragility of strong regimes on our borders and not so far away. What may have begun with the rejection of a small business license in Tunisia has spread to where the
Is U.S. power, prestige, resurging with bin-Laden killing? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USA
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO–God bless the courageous American servicemen and women who masterminded, directed, and fulfilled the special operation in Pakistan that put an end to one of the most sinister human beings who ever lived. We are thankful that our soldiers departed the scene without shedding any of their own blood. We
Fitting that Osama bin Laden died on Yom HaShoah Read More »
USA
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –I’ve always pleaded with visitors to Israel not to believe that, after a brief visit or an orchestrated “mission,” they really understand the situation here. Instead, I’ve urged them to be settling for being confused even after – or because of – all they’ve seen and heard, but if possible
No instant experts in Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The variety of days set aside to remember the Holocaust is part of its story. The Holocaust was not the only case of genocide in history, and perhaps not the most thorough in the sense that something like two-thirds of the Jews were not killed, and the remnant has gone on to
Israelis, worldwide Jewry commemorate Holocaust in a variety of ways Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –The Obama administration no longer considers Syria a potential peace partner for Israel because of its repression against its own people. This is according to media background interviews with government officials. But wait a minute! What do we know about that regime now that we didn’t know–I should say, should
U.S. belatedly realizes Syria is not a peace partner Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Finally. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) formally acknowledged that the target destroyed in the Syrian desert in 2007 was a covertly built nuclear reactor. Director General Yukiya Amano publicly accepted U.S. intelligence information that identified it as a nearly completed nuclear reactor that would have been able to
Iran and Syria’s nuclear deception verified Read More »
International, Shoshana BryenBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It looks like they lost the farm. The reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas surprised Mahmoud Abbas as well as Israelis. Fatah’s leadership had signed a draft agreement in 2009, and Hamas’ signing on this week came out of the blue. Or, on the basis of a post hoc analysis,
Hamas-Fatah reconciliation counterproductive to Palestinian cause Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
To my readers: This is a long article, I know. I tried to divide it in two but decided that it would detract from its power to shock and to call for action. It is the result of a long and painful research, and the facts clamored to be put together. Please read it at your
A country so generous, it’s bankrupt Read More »
USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hamas and Fatah have reportedly smoothed over their differences to present a united front in pursuit of a declaration of Palestinian independence from the UN General Assembly in September. [Side note: most countries declare independence, a la Thomas Jefferson or David Ben Gurion. The Palestinians prefer that someone do
What Abbas and Haniyah may have told each other Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Suddenly, after years of persistent failure, Fatah and Hamas–which means the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas–have signed a detailed reconciliation agreement. Why now? It’s preparation for the UN and the claim that the PA is sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinians. In exchange for being able to claim it
Hamas-Fatah deal augurs death of Israeli-Palestinian peace process Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The media pundits around the world and the diplomats in Israel and elsewhere who tried to tell Prime Minister Netanyahu what to say to Congress when he addresses both houses next month have labored in vain. In the end it’s Fatah and Hamas who’ll craft Bibi’s speech and their input
Time for Kadima to join coalition government in Israel? Read More »
Middle East