By Lillian Faderman SAN DIEGO — Americans have every reason to envy Israel’s enlightened policies toward their LGBT citizens. So it puzzles me deeply when I hear of LGBT groups lending their sympathy to opponents of Israel. The rights we have been fighting for and still have not fully achieved in the United States, LGBT […]
LGBT community should be natural ally for Israel Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — It is not as dramatic a phenomenon in Israel as, say, the bold, treacherous discord ongoing in the Arab world. And certainly the thousands upon thousands of Israeli youth (and many older citizens) already have the freedom of assembly that their counterparts in Syria, Libya, Egypt and
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.
Israeli demonstrations a media success, but will they change anything? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy 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
Protests impressive but are they effective? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
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
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
‘Who’s a Jew’ issue not really germane to Palestinian negotiations Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –One of the elementary lessons in civics is that government does the job of sorting through various demands and deciding priorities, or Who Gets What. The key to the ongoing exercise is politics. In a democratic regime, votes bring to office the officials who make those decisions. If enough citizens find
The summer of Israelis’ economic discontent Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy 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
U.S.’s and Israel’s focus on economic disquiet puts Palestinian issue on back burner Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
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
Western critics of Israeli democracy should look to their own houses Read More »
Lloyd Levy, Middle EastBy 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
Comparisons and contrasts between Palestinian and African-American politics Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Israelis have good reasons to complain. In that trait, they resemble the residents of 192 other member states of the United Nations, plus Palestinians and others who want into the club. Currently the problems have gone beyond the price of cottage cheese and housing, and have spread to the plight
Housing, cottage cheese, medical certification top Israelis’ current complaint list Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Dov Hartuv KIBBUTZ NAHAL OZ, Israe — Since the school bus leaving Kibbutz Nahal Oz was fired on by a rocket killing a little boy, all busses have been banned from entering the kibbutz and passengers are ferried to the main road by vans. Next week the new alternative five kilometer road will be
Bar Mitzvah near Gaza border proceeds joyously Read More »
Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release)–A new poll has found that an overwhelming 73% of Palestinian Arabs agree with the hadith [Islamic tradition ascribed to Muhammad], quoted by the terrorist group Hamas in its Charter, about the need to conduct a genocide of Jews. The hadith in question states, “The Day of Judgment will not come about
ZOA says poll shows Palestinians favor murder of Jews Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It’s mid-summer. Lots of people in Israel and other countries are on holiday. Leaders of most Arab countries are either dealing with domestic problems or worrying when the unrest will land on them. The recent humor was news that the Syrian government has joined the ranks of those recognizing Palestine
Even Israel goes through doldrums Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East