Story and photos by Yoni Peres SHA’AR HANEGEV, Israel — In an emotional series of ceremonies for San Diegans and residents of Israeli villages situated close to the Gaza border, the Yitzchak Shavit Educational Complex was dedicated on Tuesday, June 26. One of the center’s component buildings, a school for the arts, was dedicated
Viterbis dedicate Sha’ar Hanegev center for arts Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The biggest news hereabouts is the victory of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt’s presidential election. Not so long ago, we saw pictures of the same party’s members clawing at their cages in court rooms while being tried and found guilty for one or another variety of rebellion. The Islamists’ victory
Brotherhood must prove it can lead a democracy Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Evelyn Gordon WASHINGTON, D.C. — On May 31, Israel delivered 91 bodies to the Palestinian Authority. The PA gave them full military funerals, complete with coffins draped in Palestinian flags and a 21-gun salute. While PA President Mahmoud Abbas didn’t speak, he laid wreaths on the coffins and presided over the ceremony. The
Ending Arabs’ anti-U.S., anti-Israel incitement Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Here are the questions on Syria: what is the American obligation? What is the American interest? What is the American capability? There is no obligation. Where there is a treaty, the United States has an obligation to spend American blood and treasure. The seriousness of the commitment is why
No up-side for U.S. to become involved in Syria Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –Muhammad al-Mursi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, has become president of Egypt. But what does it mean to be president of Egypt? That’s the current question. Let me divide the discussion into two parts: What does this tell about “us” and what does this tell about Egypt and its future? First,
Al Mursi’s anti-Westernism ignored by lockstep left-wingers in U.S. Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansksy JERUSALEM — The blaze that spread through the forest on Mt Carmel in December, 2010 was distinctive among the fires that occur frequently in the dry brush and forests of Israel after the long hot summer. It spread into several villages and destroyed homes, and caused 44 deaths. Most were prison guard
Finger-pointing after the Carmel Fire’s 44 deaths Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort CARLSBAD, California — In the late 1970’s I sat in my classroom in the local Jewish day school watching as Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat warmly shook hands with President Jimmy Carter smiling broadly behind them. I was overjoyed. Peace was at hand, finally! When I noticed the long faces around
Arabs don’t want peace; land bribes won’t change that Read More »
Middle East, Yeruchem Eilfort-RabbiBy Michael Goldblatt and Daniel Mandel NEW YORK — When Barack Obama entered the White House, he promised to make Israeli/Palestinian peace-making his priority from “day one.” And, indeed, in his own way he did. He pressured Israel into freezing Jewish construction in the West Bank for 10 months in a bid to entice Palestinians
P.A.’s real agenda is elimination of Israel, not peace Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –The slaughter of innocents in Syria bothers Israelis no less than it bothers others. Perhaps it bothers Israelis more, insofar as it is happening next door. Syria’s capital is less than 200 miles from Israel’s capital, and less than 50 miles from the Israeli border. What happens there has spilled over
Israel is ambivalent about the best outcome in Syria Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Illegal immigrants from Africa remain on Israel’s front burner. Minister of Interior Eli Yishai has made a high profile effort to arrest several hundred from South Sudan, and send them on free flights home, each with 1,000 Euros to get started in their old/new country. 123 have already left. Weekly
Israel arrests, repatriates some Africans Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Yaakov Lappin WASHINGTON, D.C. — Recent developments on Israel’s southern borders have illustrated the direct relationship between the changes sweeping Arab lands and mounting threats to Israel’s national security. This past weekend, as Egyptians went to the polls, terrorists operating in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula fired two Grad rockets into southern Israel. The projectiles
Islamists stir the pot in Sinai Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –Awell-organized, well-equipped group of terrorists has attacked Israel from Egyptian territory Monday morning, possibly the second such Egyptian-assisted assault in a week. An armed squad of two men—said to be Hamas, though this is not confirmed—crossed the border after travelling 30 miles from the Gaza Strip through Egyptian territory. They
Terror incident near Israel-Egypt border Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Israeli media has put on one of its circuses of prolonged discussions following the publication of the State Comptroller’s Report on the incident invovling the Turkish ship Marmara carrying protesters toward Gaza in May, 2010. The essence of this report is that Prime Minister Netanyahu did not carry out all of
Comptroller’s report reignites Marmura debate Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — The Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court has just invalidated the parliamentary election there. The parliament, 75 percent of whose members were Islamists, is being dissolved. The military junta has taken over total authority. The presidential election is still scheduled to proceed. In short, everything is confused and everything is a
A military coup in Egypt Read More »
Middle East