By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –Most of the twenty-or-so political parties in Israel wouldn’t pass the post in elections. To have a chance of at least their leaders to get elected, they come together in joint lists. The reason why they’re separate to start with seems to have more to do with ego than with
And the Israeli political parties are at the gate Read More »
Middle East(c) By Edwin Black WASHINGTON, D.C. —Jerusalem Post editor Yaakov Katz probably had no way of knowing that this would be a perfect time to release his briskly-selling Shadow Strike—Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power (St. Martin’s Press). Or did he? The world’s attention is once again and inevitably riveted to the
‘Shadow Strike’: Reason for pause for anti- Iran hawks Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Edwin Black, International, Middle East, USABy Oliver B. Pollak ALBANY, California — Several years ago I attended the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival. Two years ago I attended the Berlin and Beyond German Film Festival in San Francisco. This year we attended the 39th annual San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. The crowd was lined up around the block to
‘Abe:’ A future chef comes of age Read More »
Middle East, Oliver Pollak, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Rabbi Dow Mamur JERUSALEM — Israel is “blessed” with some twenty political parties each aspiring to be represented in the Knesset. But the law that requires a party to have a minimum number of votes in elections in order to qualify would exclude many of them. That’s why before each election the small parties,
Israel’s PM maker: Avigdor Lieberman Read More »
Middle EastBy Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — Their messages were aimed at different people, but both screeds were just as historically shameful. In a 10-day period, our president and a congresswoman from Detroit uttered some of the most disgraceful words ever to emanate from Washington. Even Republican leaders pounced on President Trump for proclaiming in
Words from Trump, Tlaib shame America Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — Just a week after writing critically about an article by a well-known journalist in an influential publication, I again feel the necessity to respond to the utter nonsense that these prominent “experts” espouse to their large readerships. Both Dana Milbank and Peter Beinart are Jewish. What “liberal” attitudes
Washington Post columnist Milbank misreads Omar Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA
By Anya Karaman FES, Morocco — At a juvenile detention center in Fes, it feels like summer camp all year round. There, “maximum security” is an open, white building complex; “delinquents” are watering plants and planting seeds; and the only guard in sight, if you’re lucky, is a wild peacock patrolling the grounds. For
Juvenile detainees learn new skills in Morocco Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy H. Applebaum SAN DIEGO — “What’s in a name? Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Modern day propagandists understand the power of names. They would like to re-name Israel, “Palestine,” and Judea and Samaria, “the occupied territories.” But facts are facts. The city of Hebron is in the
What’s in a name? Plenty in Arab- Israeli context! Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –The promise implied in the return to politics of Ehud Barak – former chief of staff, prime minister and minister of defense – isn’t likely to materialize. The disclosure about his association with American tycoon Geoffrey Epstein has compromised him, even though there’s no suggestion that he was in any
Egos, maneuvers, muddy Israel’s coalition building Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –We’re getting closer to August 1, when the parties will have to finalize their candidates for the September 17th election. Currently, the leader of the Labor Party has aligned himself toward the right with Orli Levy-Abekakis, the attractive daughter of Likudnik David Levy. Amir Peretz has provided her with the second
Israel’s election maneuvers take focus off other issues Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — What appears to be an oil tanker war brewing in the Red Sea and beyond, including the downing of an Iranian drone by a U.S. Navy ship, is more evidence that Iran is showing the strain of American-led sanctions and reluctant European acknowledgment that appeasing the Islamic Republic is
The ‘good times’ for ambitious Iran are over Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USABy Shoshana Bryen inFOCUS Quarterly WASHINGTON, D.C. —One of the few points of unbounded bipartisan agreement in Washington has for decades been that U.S.-Israel security cooperation is right, good, mutually beneficial and worth every nickel spent on it. It is well–grounded in facts and acknowledged benefits to both sides. Today, however, support for Israel is
How U.S. benefits with Israel as its strategic partner Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USABy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel –I write articles like this one because popular columnists such as Peter Beinart have the reach and the power to misinform many readers. In a recent article on the traditionally leftist and Jewish Forward site, Beinart has again revealed himself as one who gets it all backwards. His pedigree
The Forward’s Peter Beinart’s backwards thinking Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Barry Shaw NETANYA, Israel — The new radical force in American politics has come to be represented by what is called “The Squad, ”four new and radical Democratic congresswomen who have used their gender and their ethnicity as a battering ram to force themselves and their radical policies to the center of their party.
Campus radicals churning out radical U.S. politicians Read More »
Barry Shaw, Middle East, USA