By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — While I do not claim expertise in the history or politics of Great Britain, my impression is that the Munich Agreement of 1938, involving Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Hitler (” . . . peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time.”) is an icon of shame […]
In advising Israel, ‘Economist’ learned nothing about dangers of appeasement Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –Since I have written about how easily fooled Western politicians, officials, journalists, and academics are by Middle Eastern radicals, I’m going to try to provide examples in a regular feature called Dopes of the Day. This is a good starting point. (Be sure to read this article to the end
Lebanon’s Al Akhbar pulls the wool over New York Times’ eyes Read More »
Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Should we focus on a president who is a convicted rapist, or the capacity of the judiciary to try him in isolation from a hyped media and produce what appears to be a thoroughly argued decision? It took more than an hour for the head judge to read it. The procedure has
By Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — I normally don’t watch television at 9 a.m. but I made an exception this Thursday morning, because all TV and radio stations in Israel had live broadcasts of the reading of the verdict in the case of Moshe Katzav, Israel’s immediate past president. The judge found him guilty on all
Shonda file: Ex-President Katzav convicted of rape Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — The Egyptian government so arranged the parliamentary elections that the share of seats held by the opposition declined from 20 percent for Muslim Brotherhood supporters alone to only 3 percent for all of the half-dozen opposition parties put together. In other words, the regime didn’t just steal the election–which it
Can Egypt withstand growing extremism of Islamist movements? Read More »
Middle East
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — I never know whether to laugh or cry when I read those perennial complaints that things are getting worse, the country (no matter which) is going to the dogs and ‘fings ain’t wot they used to be.’ The trouble is that change happens, it is inevitable, we are
Jewish critics of Israel need to accept the facts of life Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–The Ivory Coast is said currently to have two presidents and be in chaos. Israel has two, or perhaps even three, prime ministers and it’s in anything but chaos. If you don’t probe too deeply, things seem to be going rather well here, especially economically. The official prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu,
Which politician really speaks for Israel? Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –Some of my readers are always bothered when I say that mistakes in Western Middle East policy are caused by stupidity and ignorance—abetted by ideology—and want to argue that the shortcomings are due to deliberate sabotage or evil intentions (often against Israel). I can certainly understand why people think such
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Mahmoud Abbas has marked the Christmas season by proclaiming once again that he will permit no Israelis in his State of Palestine. In an earlier version he said that he would permit no Jews, but handlers had him revise his comments in a direction thought to be politically correct. The recognition
Abbas: Israelis won’t be welcome in Palestine state Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release)–The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is calling on United Nations member states to declare that they will not participate in the so-called “Durban III” conference, set to be held in New York in September 2011, calling the proceedings “a conference that will undermine rather than advance the fight against discrimination.” The U.N. General
ADL urges nations to boycott U.N.’s ‘Durban III’ Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel– If I had to pick one sentence to show what’s profoundly wrong with Middle East coverage in the Western mass media, this is the one I’d choose. It’s in a New York Times article entitled, “Israel: Tensions Rise Along Gaza Border” by Isabel Kershner. I’ll put the sentence in
How Hamas dupes western governments and reporters Read More »
Middle East, USABy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — What is the highest priority for Iranian foreign policy–I mean the official and public foreign policy, not spreading revolution and terrorism–today? According to the new foreign minister it’s developing strong relations with Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Ali Akbar Salehi, who by the way holds a degree from the Massachusetts
Commentary: Why Arabs may be drawn into Iran’s orbit Read More »
Middle EastTEL AVIV (Press Release)― This year, Christians living in Haifa are having trouble finding a real Christmas tree ― earlier in 2010 a devastating forest fire that killed 43 people also wiped out more than 5 million trees in the nearby Carmel Mountain range, making it harder for them to justify using “real” trees to
Haifa’s Christians have Christmas tree made from recycled water bottles Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–There has been some unpleasantness close to the border with Gaza. Rocket and mortar attacks have increased, as have Israeli retaliations. Or maybe Israeli retaliations have brought an increase in rocket and mortar attacks. Israeli officials claim the former; Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza claim the latter, perhaps in an
Rocket attack near kindergarten increases pressure for retalliation Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East