International

Israeli demonstrations a media success, but will they change anything?

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –There is no doubting the success of those who organized demonstrations in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and elsewhere in behalf of social justice. Activists and their friends in the media are reporting that more than 300,000 participated. Police estimates are 200,000. Whatever the accuracy of one or another, the pictures were impressive. […]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Protests impressive but are they effective?

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Israel’s summer of discontent is maturing. Last week we reached the peak of romantic anticipation of upheaval from below. Young reporters on the popular news and commentary programs were ecstatic in reporting the daily expansion of tents, marches, and proclamations. Older commentators expressed their own sense of the injustices involved in high prices

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Norway’s ambassador justifies terror against Israelis while condeming domestic Norwegian terror

  By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — It should be hard to pick on Norwegians and their government this week, but it is impossible to overlook Svein Sevje, Norway’s ambassador to Israel. Trying to “outline the similarity and the difference in the two cases” (mass murder of Norwegians by a Norwegian and mass murder of

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen

‘Who’s a Jew’ issue not really germane to Palestinian negotiations

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — A friend sent me a link to a New York Times Op-Ed piece entitled “Israel’s Identity Crisis.” The points were Who is a Jew? and Why is Netanyahu confounding the peace process by insisting that Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish State?  It is not difficult to understand why the New York Times would

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

U.S.’s and Israel’s focus on economic disquiet puts Palestinian issue on back burner

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM  — One might say that this is a hell of a way to run a government, and then argue whether the reference is to Israel or the United States.   Here the quarrel is whether the problem is housing, medicine or the government. There it is the the stubbornness of Republicans

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Ideologies of the lunatics may differ, but they are willing to kill for them

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –The horror of mass murder in Oslo last week begs nothing as much as distance. All the first comments were wrong. Knowledgeable people – “experts” – were sure it was Muslims and wondered why Norway was a target since Norway is certainly hospitable to Muslims and hostile – sometimes virulently

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International, Shoshana Bryen

Western critics of Israeli democracy should look to their own houses

By Lloyd Levy LONDON –Much heat has been generated  in some circles in the Jewish Diaspora in recent weeks, by the Israeli Knesset passing  laws to fight back against attempts to undermine the State.  For example, Israeli citizens who allegedly incite boycotts of their own country’s products , or who work hand in glove with

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Lloyd Levy, Middle East

Comparisons and contrasts between Palestinian and African-American politics

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It is instructive to compare the experiences of African-Americans and Palestinians. We can find differences, similarities, and lessons for one and the other in their histories, social statistics, cultures, and politics. While some may see Israeli paternalism in what follows, my intentions are the admirable ones of seeking insights that

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Defense budget must be based on threat assessment

  By Shoshana Bryen   WASHINGTON, D.C —  The Constitution obliges our government to provide for the common defense.  Determining against whom, under what circumstances, with what capabilities and under whose direction is the prerogative of the President, the Commander in Chief.   The military services carry out the directives of the President, so the priorities of

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Shoshana Bryen, USA

NJDC mourns passing of Hyman Bookbinder

WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release)- The National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) remembers one of our key  founders, Hyman Bookbinder, who passed away Thursday following a storied career in  Jewish communal service. He was the inaugural recipient of  NJDC’s Hubert H. Humphrey Humanitarian Award, NJDC’s highest honor — which was later bestowed to President Bill Clinton and

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USA