By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –When one crazed or ideologically obsessed gunman named Jared Loughner starts shooting in Arizona, people condemn him and start bemoaning the state of their society. How about a place with ten million people like that who are treated as heroes? America this week is awash in a huge and passionate debate […]
SDEROT, Israel — In this city close to the Gaza Strip — and surrounded by the kibbutzim and moshav of Sha’ar Hanegev, the partnership region to the Jewish Federation of San Diego County– tensions are running high in anticipation of more rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip. This video was provided by Israel News Video
Video report: Southern Israel tense over firing of rockets from Gaza Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Yossi Sarid is a former leader of the left-wing Meretz party. When he was in government he was Israel’s minister of education. Today he’s one of the sharpest and wittiest columnists in Ha’aretz. Meir Kahane was an American Orthodox rabbi who came to Israel to spread fascism. He was assassinated
Sarid: Meir Kahane breathes through Avigdor Lieberman’s mouth Read More »
Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release)–The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) supports the Israeli government’s formation of a Knesset committee to investigate the funding of Israeli groups that condemn the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and assist foreign campaigns seeking to delegitimize and demonize Israel. The parliamentary committee will be charged with determining if the groups in question
ZOA applauds formation of Knesset investigative committee Read More »
Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami released the following statement in response to the demolition of the Shepherd’s Hotel in East Jerusalem, aimed at clearing land for the construction of new Jewish housing in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood: “The demolition of the Shepherd’s Hotel in East Jerusalem is a deeply provocative action,
J Street condemns demolition of Shepherd Hotel in East Jerusalem Read More »
Middle EastJERUSALEM (Press Release)– Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Government of Israel approved $100 million in funding for Taglit-Birthright Israel over the next three years, speaking Thursday (Jan. 6) to three thousand young adults at the winter Mega Event in Jerusalem. The goal of the funding increase is to enable Taglit-Birthright Israel to bring
Israel to spend $100 million over three years for Birthright/Taglit Read More »
Middle East
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –A new tactic in the war against Israel is “delegitimization,” the effort to say that Israel is different from, and less than, other countries. It is, for example, the only member of the United Nations that has to insist upon its “right to exist.” And what other countries do as
U.N. envoy puts onus on Israel, not Hamas, in rocket attacks from Gaza Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the collateral killing of Judge John Roll and several others has generated a great deal of commentary. Much of it deals with the capacity of incendiary political rhetoric to trigger violence from those who are on the fringes of sanity or utterly unhinged. Israelis are
Israelis focus on Giffords’ Jewishness, compare Tucson rampage to Rabin assassination Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–The following statement was issued by the State Department for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “We are very concerned about the initiation of demolition of the Shepherd’s Hotel in East Jerusalem. This disturbing development undermines peace efforts to achieve the two state-solution. In particular, this move contradicts the logic of a reasonable
Clinton criticizes Israel for Shepherd Hotel demolition Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Amazing. The New York Times has a long piece about how Turkey is becoming an important factor in Iraq. Fair enough. But it includes the following paragraph: “A surprising feature of Turkey’s success is the image it has managed to project in Iraq. On the road from Erbil to
Turkish action series ‘Valley of the Wolves’ is anti-American, anti-Semitic Read More »
Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Sorting out claim and reality is often at the center of the puzzle that an observer of politics must ponder. The puzzle may be especially severe when contending parties or governments are dealing with sensitive issues touched by religion and nationalism. Welcome to this tiny portion of the Middle East. In case
Is anyone–on either side–serious about the peace process? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The same day as the Knesset decided to investigate left-leaning NGOs, an important conference took place in Jerusalem on democracy in Israel. Its formal purpose was to honour Yaron Ezrahi, like many of his colleagues and students who participated, a distinguished Israeli political scientist with an international reputation and
Is Israel forfeiting its right to call itself a democracy? Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — PART ONE: Using animals as intelligence agents As the proud owner of three cats (or vice-versa as it often seems), I have not yet deployed them for intelligence use. However, to read various Middle Eastern newspapers, you would think that Israel is the world leader in having animal espionage
Some light-hearted tips for Arab propagandists Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO –In Gaza, a group of young people who really “get it” have expressed their guttural frustration with life as they know it—caught, ensnared, and deprived of hope by the labyrinth of political interest from all sides that have wiped out their youth. These brave and freedom-starved youngsters have as
Gaza youth speak out against Israel … and Hamas Read More »
Middle East