(March 9, 2011) By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Not everyone in the opposition movements in Arab countries are Islamists, of course, but at least outside of Tunisia, where they are also present, they are the most powerful organized force. Here’s an excerpt from the Friday, March 4 sermon of Sheik Isa Qassim, considered the […]
News Watch on the Middle East Read More »
Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release) — The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Wednesday, March 9, submitted recommendations on how the U.S. government can more effectively address the issue of bullying and cyberbullying, ahead of a White House Bullying Prevention Conference on March 10. “Bullying and harassment is a continuing problem for school districts, parents and students across the nation,”
ADL makes anti-bullying recommendations to White House Read More »
USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami released the following statement as Congressman Peter King (R, NY-03) prepares to hold a congressional hearing on Thursday on “Islamic radicalization” in the United States: “J Street strongly objects to Congressman Peter King’s provocative and anti-Muslim congressional hearing scheduled for Thursday. We urge America’s political leaders
J Street objects to King’s hearing on Islamic radicalization Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–There are those for whom the term “social science” is a contradiction in terms. There are few cases where my colleagues in political science, sociology, economics, psychology and our cousins have results at the level of the best work by physicists or chemists. “Medical science” also provokes doubt, especially when patients die
Here are 3 helpful tools for analyzing national leaders Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– The Leadership Conference, a coalition of Civil Rights organizations, reports that racial profiling by law enforcement agencies is still common in the United States, and that African-Americans, Hispanics and Muslims are the people most often targeted. The group’s report, issued Tuesday, demands reforms. Here is a link. The report was issued
Racial profiling still common in America, Leadership Conference reports Read More »
USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — A new report by the Congressional Research Service on Israel reviews major issues in Israel’s foreign policy, including its existential fear of Iran’s nuclear buildup, relations with neighborhing Arab countries, and issues in U.S.-Israel bilateral relations. Although there are few surprises, the report by analyst Casey L. Addis is
Congressional Research Service issues new report on Israel Read More »
Middle East
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — He jests at scars who never felt the wound, wrote Shakespeare, and it is an appropriate sentiment to point out that while Western observers ridicule the fear of an Islamist Egypt, a lot of Arab writers are very worried. In fact, here are three articles that display such concerns.
In Egypt doubts emerge; in the PA there’s more cynicism Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–“Build, Bibi, build!” That’s the heading of an advertisement that has appeared here. It’s issued by Likud and sponsored by its strong settlement lobby. The ad shows pictures of eight party members in the current government who have spoken in favour of settlements expansion in the West Bank. In addition, there’s also
Netanyahu may hope Arabs will provide him a face-saver on settlements Read More »
Middle EastBy Ron Pundak TEL AVIV (Press Release)–Last Wednesday I returned home and thought to myself, we’ve had an interesting day today at the Peres Center. Yes, it wasn’t necessarily the most representative of days, but it wasn’t really that different from other days. And yes, it doesn’t necessarily reflect the situation in which we live, but
Another day at the peace office Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — The astonishing events taking place in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Bahrain, even in the Palestinian territories are being watched by Israel with grave interest. So far, the imprint of these seismic outbursts and initial changes seem not to be as sectarian-driven as they are simply the yearnings of many
Israel should abolish antiquated Chief Rabbinate Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — President Barack Obama told Democratic Party contributors in Miami: “When you look at what’s happening…in the Middle East, it is a manifestation of new technologies, the winds of freedom that are blowing through countries that have not felt those winds in decades, a whole new generation that says I want
U.S. needs to focus on what IS Middle East reality, not what SHOULD BE Read More »
Middle East, USABy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — In a moment, I’ll present you with what might be the most frightening paragraph in the modern history of U.S. Middle East policy. But first, here’s one that’s among the most deplorable. It’s from a Washington Post article: “The Obama administration is preparing for the prospect that Islamist governments
Obama administration encouraging Islamist takeovers in Middle East Read More »
Middle East, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM—1714. That’s the number of days On Saturday, March 5, that Gilad Shalit, the kidnapped IDF soldier, has been in Hamas captivity and there’s no sign that his release is imminent or, for that matter, that he’s still alive. For all the precise intelligence that Israel is reported to have in
Gilad Shalit, a pawn in a deadly chess game between Israel and Hamas Read More »
Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release)–The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has called upon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the de facto freeze that has applied to Jewish construction in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem since the end of the official 10-month freeze last September. The existence of this unofficial freeze has been widely suspected
ZOA calls for end to construction freeze in Jerusalem, West Bank Read More »
Middle East