International

U.S., Israel discuss restricting chemicals needed to make I.E.D.’s

  JERUSALEM (Press Release)—U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Janet Napolitano on Tuesday met bilaterally with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as Israeli Finance Minister Dr. Yuval Steinitz, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich, to discuss the ongoing partnership between the United States and Israel, threats from terrorism that both countries face, […]

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Middle East

Palestinians cook up another phony Israeli atrocity story

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Remember Muhammad al-Durrah? He was the boy in an iconic Palestinian video claiming that his father had not succeeded in sheltering him from the fire directed at him by Israeli soldiers in late September, 2000. Subsequent inquiries established that the video was edited in a way to hide the possibility that the

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Foreign affairs ministry strikers may be seeking to derail Lieberman

By Rabbi Dow Marmur  JERUSALEM — A strike by civil servants is unusual enough, but work stoppage by employees of a country’s ministry for foreign affairs is particularly so. Yet that’s what’s happening at present in Israel. Being, as usual, ignorant of the facts I allow myself to guess that there’s more to it than

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Middle East

Napolitano discusses anti-terrorism defenses with top officials in Israel

JERUSALEM (Press Release)—U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano on Monday traveled to Israel, meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy Dan Meridor, and Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz to discuss threats from terrorism and the ongoing security partnership between the United States and Israel. “Protecting against

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Middle East

American Friends of Tel Aviv University chooses a new CEO

NEW YORK (Press Release) — American Friends of Tel Aviv University (AFTAU) has selected Gail Reiss, a veteran development executive known for her strategic approach to donor engagement and cultivation, to lead the organization. Prior to her appointment as Chief Executive Officer,  Reiss served as Vice President of UJA-Federation of New York’s Philanthropic Leadership Group, where

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USA

Prospects for Palestinian state recede–thanks to Palestinians

  By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The Israel-Palestinian conflict is at least a century old, although it was not described clearly in its present terms before 1948, or perhaps 1967. It has had periods of sporadic violence, organized mayhem, and most recently a campaign of Palestinians and their friends to achieve politically what they could

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Anti-Semitism and anti-Islamism contrast in Europe

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — One should not generalize in describing European states. Still, the case of the Netherlands shows interesting points regarding both attitudes toward Israel and Islam. Let’s start with the Israel issue. I’ve been closely following the new Dutch government, formed after an election in which 55 percent of the voters supported

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International

Middle East fictions often invented to appease U.S. policy makers

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– If before we came to Jerusalem last month I harboured notions about the possibility of a comprehensive and early peace between Israel and the Palestinians, I abandoned them once I tried to follow events here, this time not from afar but at least geographically closer to the action. All the official

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Middle East, Travel and Food

Ha’aretz finds the gray lining in every silvery cloud

By Barry Rubin JERUSALEM–Israelis are known for being gloomy about the political situation. In fact, they generally enjoy criticizing things (themselves above all). As a result, Israel’s enemies often make the mistake of underestimating the country’s ability to endure, struggle, and prevail. A typical example came in a recent Arab newspaper article that claims the

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Barry Shaw, Middle East

In advising Israel, ‘Economist’ learned nothing about dangers of appeasement

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — While I do not claim expertise in the history or politics of Great Britain, my impression is that the Munich Agreement of 1938, involving Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Hitler (” . . . peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time.”) is an icon of shame

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Lebanon’s Al Akhbar pulls the wool over New York Times’ eyes

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –Since I have written about how easily fooled Western politicians, officials, journalists, and academics are by Middle Eastern radicals, I’m going to try to provide examples in a regular feature called Dopes of the Day. This is a good starting point. (Be sure to read this article to the end

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Middle East, USA

Israel’s attention divided between Katzav rape conviction and Avi Cohen organ transplant controversy

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Should we focus on a president who is a convicted rapist, or the capacity of the judiciary to try him in isolation from a hyped media and produce what appears to be a thoroughly argued decision? It took more than an hour for the head judge to read it. The procedure has

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East