By Dov Hartuv KIBBUTZ NAHAL OZ, Israel — This coming week will be one of emotional extremes. It was purposely decided that The Day of Remembrance and Independence Day would be celebrated “back to back”. In the early days of the State there wasn’t a family that was not somehow involved with the losses of
Emotions run high on days of Remembrance and Independence Read More »
Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, commented on the signing of an agreement between Fatah, Hamas, and other Palestinian groups. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: “Let’s face reality: assistance to the Palestinian Authority will end up benefiting Hamas. Any nation that continues to fund the PA will
U.S. House Foreign Affairs chair: Cut off aid to Palestinian authority Read More »
Middle East
DOROTHY: “I thought you said she was dead.” GLINDA: “That was her sister–the Wicked Witch of the East. This is the Wicked Witch of the West. And she’s worse than the other one was.” –“The Wizard of Oz” By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — It’s astounding that Hamas, Fatah al-Aqsa Brigades, and the Egyptian Muslim
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yes, we’re glad he’s gone. But the war of the 21st Century remains a war against terrorists and the states that harbor and support them. The demise of no single man solves the problem of terrorism or of intolerant and radical Islamic fundamentalism. Most of the credit goes to
Palestinian split on Bin Laden instructive Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Usama bin Laden is dead. But revolutionary Islamism is very much alive and stronger than ever. Thinking that bin Laden is the main problem and his death is the solution is very dangerous indeed and might well intensify the policies that have been leading toward the victory of his
Revolutionary Islamism still strong following Bin Laden’s demise Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Morton A. Klein NEW YORK — Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas, which controls Gaza, have initialed a unity agreement, which they are likely to formally sign in a matter of days. This means that Fatah, which calls in its Constitution for the destruction of Israel (Article 12) and the use of
Israel should make no concessions to Palestinian ‘unity’ government Read More »
Middle East
By Bruce Kesler ENCINITAS, California –The appointment at my alma mater, Brooklyn College, of an adjunct, Kristofer Petersen, to teach Middle East politics in the Political Science department was defended as academic freedom. This was despite his involvement in touting Gazans as virtual lambs and Israel as a beast, and his heavily slanted reading list.
Not an academic, but an ‘acridemic’ persists in attacking Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Remember when we were told that the Muslim Brotherhood was moderate and weak? Why it was so benign that the Brotherhood had even promised only to contest one-third of the seats. And a revolutionary Islamist, antisemitic and genocide-oriented, anti-American, anti-Western, and anti-Christian organization would never lie to us, right?
Muslim Brotherhood makes bid for power in Egypt Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –I’ve always pleaded with visitors to Israel not to believe that, after a brief visit or an orchestrated “mission,” they really understand the situation here. Instead, I’ve urged them to be settling for being confused even after – or because of – all they’ve seen and heard, but if possible
No instant experts in Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The variety of days set aside to remember the Holocaust is part of its story. The Holocaust was not the only case of genocide in history, and perhaps not the most thorough in the sense that something like two-thirds of the Jews were not killed, and the remnant has gone on to
Israelis, worldwide Jewry commemorate Holocaust in a variety of ways Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –The Obama administration no longer considers Syria a potential peace partner for Israel because of its repression against its own people. This is according to media background interviews with government officials. But wait a minute! What do we know about that regime now that we didn’t know–I should say, should
U.S. belatedly realizes Syria is not a peace partner Read More »
Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It looks like they lost the farm. The reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas surprised Mahmoud Abbas as well as Israelis. Fatah’s leadership had signed a draft agreement in 2009, and Hamas’ signing on this week came out of the blue. Or, on the basis of a post hoc analysis,
Hamas-Fatah reconciliation counterproductive to Palestinian cause Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hamas and Fatah have reportedly smoothed over their differences to present a united front in pursuit of a declaration of Palestinian independence from the UN General Assembly in September. [Side note: most countries declare independence, a la Thomas Jefferson or David Ben Gurion. The Palestinians prefer that someone do
What Abbas and Haniyah may have told each other Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Suddenly, after years of persistent failure, Fatah and Hamas–which means the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas–have signed a detailed reconciliation agreement. Why now? It’s preparation for the UN and the claim that the PA is sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinians. In exchange for being able to claim it
Hamas-Fatah deal augurs death of Israeli-Palestinian peace process Read More »
Middle East