By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Since predicting the future is hard, to say the least, it’s always interesting when one can clearly see a crisis looming months ahead of time. The usual pattern is for the impending problem to be ignored until the last minute, then it is suddenly discovered by journalists and policymakers with great […]
Palestinian drive in U.N. a blow to U.S. foreign policy Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– If you can’t wait for Israel to get a different government, please think again. Whether or not your hope is legitimate, the evidence is that it won’t be realized. The most up-to-date poll published in Friday’s Ha’aretz suggests that had new elections been held now, the outcome would be more or less
Poll indicates Barak would be big loser in new Israeli election Read More »
Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release)– Fatah Central Committee member and former PA foreign minister Nabil Shaath, is one of a number of senior PA figures who in recent days have frankly endorsed the “right” of Palestinians to use terrorism against Israel. In the PA-controlled mouthpiece, Al Hayat al-Jadida, Shaath falsely said, “Nineteen years of negotiations and
ZOA condemns Fatah’s continued support for violence against Israel Read More »
Middle East
{Update of story below: By Barry Rubin Well, that’s more like it! The Canadian government orders the showing of a film on Iran’s nuclear program previously cancelled due to threats. The Canadian government even sent a diplomatic note to Tehran saying that Canada is a free country and that freedom of expression is a core value
Canada stands up to Iran on showing of film on Iran’s nuclear threat Read More »
International, Middle East
By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM–Kassam missiles and mortar shells continue to fall on southern Israel. Earlier this week, there was a bombardment that caused minimal damage–the week before, three Thai workers were injured. Two days ago was the 6th yahrzeit of Ella Abukasis, a 17-year-old killed by a Kassam rocket in Sderot in 2005. In
Remembering one of Hamas’s victims on Tu B’Shevat Read More »
Middle EastTEL AVIV (WJC)–Sonia Peres, wife of Israel’s President Shimon Peres, died in Tel Aviv on Thursday morning at the age of 87. Sonia Gelman was born in Poland in 1923 and went to Palestine with her parents in 1927. There, she met her future husband at school. In 1942, she enlisted in the British Army,
Israel’s First Lady, Sonia Peres, dies at 87 Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The IDF is the central icon of Israeli culture. It stands for security and dedication to nationhood, personal sacrifice, and morality. It often makes room for handicapped individuals who do not meet its physical demands, but wish to serve in order to affiliate with the popular ethos. Individuals who evade
Tarnishing icons in Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — Following the introduction of a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlement expansion, J Street released a new policy statement: J Street shares the growing global frustration at the lack of progress toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and at the Israeli government’s continued expansion of settlements beyond the Green Line.
J Street opposes U.S. veto of U.N. resolution on Israel settlements Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Some short takes on the Middle East: 1. Undeterred by international pressures and internal opposition, the Iranian government is cutting subsidies to essential goods that have cost a lot and eaten up capital that might have been used for investment and development. Remarks: So President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seems to
Some short takes on the Middle East Read More »
Middle East, USAWASHINGTON, DC (Press Release) – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging the administration to oppose a U.N. resolution that is being drafted by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in an effort to unilaterally dictate terms to Israel, enabling the PA to
Senators ask Clinton to oppose Palestininan resolution at U.N. on negotiations Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel (Press Release)–How incredibly bad is media coverage of Israel-Palestinian issues and of the Middle East in general? Here’s an example. CNN has just run a report on how wonderfully moderate the Palestinian Authority (PA) is. They are firing imams of West Bank mosques who are spewing out incitement against
How Palestinian Authority manipulates Western news media to carry its propaganda Read More »
Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — In a recent column I put tongue in cheek and described Israel as an island of quiet in a region roiled by violence and potentially worse. Now I must take the tongue out of my cheek and ponder the implications of our own roiling. It comes not from the guns of January
Barak maneuverings seen as strengthening Avigdor Lieberman Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East