By Sarah Bernstein, PhD JERUSALEM — Patriotism has become a dirty word in many circles. It has become equated with fanaticism and extremism. To be an Israeli patriot is even worse. And because of my left-wing views, many people would be surprised to hear me describe myself as an Israeli patriot. In Israel, patriotism and Zionism […]
Proudly pro-Israel AND pro-Palestine Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The basic flaw in the Palestinian logic, joined by Barack Obama and lots of others, is the problem in turning back history. Why 1967? Why not something else, earlier or later, equally irrelevant? By this thinking, what we call the eastern part of United States could still be
In the Middle East, as elsewhere, time marches on Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–As I understand what has happened: Prior to Barack Obama’s ascendance to the presidency, the Palestinians of the West Bank and Israel were moving at their own pace to a tolerable coexistence. A technocrat as prime minister, financial aid and training by the United States and Jordan had improved Palestinian security
The Nobel Prize-winning President made matters worse Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C.)–He looked as if he belonged there. He spoke as if he was one of us. And in the ways that count, he was. Not because his English is impeccable, but because he spoke to the convergence of historical, religious, political, security, moral, and ethical views and values between the State
And ‘Congress applauded’ Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It is hard to imagine a better show than two heads of state, both fluent, and capable of pushing the buttons that bring forth waves of applause. Barack Obama and Benyamin Netanyahu know how to do it. The immediate commentary in Israel was either partisan or skeptical. Party colleagues
Mixed reviews for ‘Mr. Netanyahu Goes to Washington’ Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–President Barack Obama spoke on Monday to the America-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The White House later released the text of his speech as delivered: THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Good morning. Thank you. Thank you so much. Please, have a seat. Thank you. What a remarkable, remarkable
Obama reassures AIPAC on U.S. support for Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — We’re in the midst of a competitive talkathon. Barack has spoken twice, once to clarify things after Bibi spoke out against his first speech. Bibi has spoken to AIPAC and his bigger one will be to Congress. What came through Israel Radio’s coverage of the AIPAC speech was less intense
Israel, U.S., now negotiating in public Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Isaac Yetiv, Ph.D LA JOLLA, California — In his speech “to the Arab World,” delivered at the State Department (5-19-11), President Obama said that the boundaries between Israel and the future Palestinian state should be based “on the 1967 lines with agreed land swaps by both sides.” This shift of policy has stunned Israel
Call for ’67 boundaries wrong in so many ways Read More »
Middle East
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — There is a small detail at the end of Obama’s big Middle East speech that everyone has overlooked up until now but which shows how inept this administration is at understanding the Israel-Palestinian issue and why it continually makes Israel mistrustful. In doing his balancing act on Israeli and
A mistake in Obama’s speech betraying his bias Read More »
Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The Germans call it in zwischen zwei Welten: between two worlds. The image of participating in both, without being an intimate of either came to me as I pondered Barack Obama’s speech on the Middle East and North Africa, Bibi’s response, and the post-speech meeting between them. There will be other speeches
American-Israeli sees both points of view Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Dow Marmur TORONTO, Canada–As hard as I try, I can’t really get out of the ghetto. This means that I evaluate world events according to the criterion, “Is it good or bad for the Jews?” But the present situation in the Middle East doesn’t seem to lend itself to it. That’s why I
Is Arab ‘spring’ coiled to strike Israel? Read More »
Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –Most of the aggravated commentary about President Obama’s digression from the stirring winds of change in the Arab world into the details of Palestinian statehood have to do with the 1949 Armistice Line, or 1967 line – the western line of Palestine – and whether the President changed U.S. policy.
Obama’s ’67 formula hurts Jordan as well as Israel Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — As a child living in Israel, I used to look out onto the horizon from my grandmother’s simple porch. I vividly remember the dusty little village of Kfar-Saba, some fifteen miles east of Tel Aviv, nestled against a thick patch of orange groves and in the shadow of
Obama trying to get Mideast past visceral hatreds Read More »
Middle East
By Gary Rotto SAN DIEGO — President Obama’s speech is the most recent in a series of events that change the landscape of the Middle East. The Arab Spring, the killing of Osama bin Laden and the accord between Fatah and Hamas all have come in a matter of weeks. More changes in the Middle
Obama speech may have advanced Mideast peace; Dennis Ross can help Read More »
Middle East