By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Wars begin with a bang. They may not end with sudden quiet. Sudden quiet is most unlikely when one of the sides is not the disciplined army of a state, but a collection of organizations and gangs, competing with one another, with members intense to show their heroic loyalty to a cause. […]
A quieter Gaza was best practical result for Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Israel is currently in the verbally explosive situation of a political campaign that began hours, or perhaps minutes, after the end of a week-long military operation. Politicians, media personalities, and just released reservists are all over the map in their expressions. It is not difficult to chart them according to
Noise of war replaced by cacaphony of politics Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastPoll: Half of Israelis say operation ended too soon since Palestinians violated ceasefire (JNS.org) Israel ended Operation Pillar of Defense too soon, 49 percent of Israeli respondents said in a poll released by the Maagar Mohot research institute on Friday. Those respondents believed Israel should have continued the operation for as long as rockets were
JNS news briefs: November 23, 2012 Read More »
International
By Bruce Kesler ENCINITAS, California — There are apparently sharp differences among commentators on the Gaza ceasefire. Regardless, the Gaza thanksgiving lesson is that Israel and its supporters have far more to be thankful for, and hopeful for, than does Israel’s enemies. On the one hand are those who say that Israel accomplished its
Gaza outcome worthy of Thanksgiving Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALELM — Who won? It’s too early to be certain. Recent hours have been without attacks on Israel or Israel attacking. Beyond caution about the violence, it is also not easy to ponder the variety of commentary, much of it hyperbolic. With all the reservations that are appropriate, the following points are worthy
As with most compromises, ceasefire brought no clear victors Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBibi: Terror groups ‘assumed wrong’ that Israel would not retaliate (JNS.org) Just before the cease-fire agreement that ended eight days of intense fighting between Israel and Hamas went into effect, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a press conference Wednesday, “The government decided to launch [Operation Pillar of Defense] in light of terror attacks from
JNS news briefs: November 22, 2012 Read More »
International
By Isaac Yetiv , Ph. D. LA JOLLA, California — In what I consider the best novel in Sub-Saharan African literature in French, L’Aventure ambigue, (The Ambiguous Adventure), the Senegalese author, Cheikh Hamidou Kane, opposes two political factions in a royal setting: the Elders against the Grande Royale, the powerful female Regent. The question in dispute:
What were key factors in Obama’s victory? Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Strenghten Hamas and come close to destroying it. That, as best as a close outsider can determine, is what Israel is trying to accomplish with its bombardments and its negotiations. The problems in analysis and accomplishment should be clear. I’m making these guesses in Jerusalem, within site of the barrier
Destroying Hamas, yet keeping it in power Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastU.S. blocks UN statement ignoring Hamas rockets as cause of conflict (JNS.org) The U.S. has blocked the release of a United Nations statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza because the statement failed to acknowledge that Hamas started that conflict by bombarding Israel with rockets. Erin Pelton, spokeswoman for the U.S. mission to the UN,
JNS news briefs: November 21, 2012 Read More »
InternationalBy Bill Smearcheck, JINSA Policy Associate The performance of the revolutionary Iron Dome system in the ongoing defense of Israel from Hamas rocket attacks, dubbed Operation Pillar of Defense, has been so extraordinary as to be considered by all but the most hardline critics to have proven the efficacy of missile defense. By November
Iron Dome proving itself in Israel-Gaza warfare Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –We’re somewhere in the middle of the intermediate level of warfare routines well known to Israelis. We have been through Stage one: occasional violence directed at random against Israeli targets, civilians or soldiers Stage two: increased incidence of that violence Stage three: Break in the Israeli tolerance of inconvenience and occasional
What are the stages of a Mideast war? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastObama sends Clinton to Middle East amid Israel-Gaza conflict (JNS.org) U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is heading to the Middle East to foster negotiations to end the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza. Clinton was set to depart Tuesday from Cambodia, where she was on an official Southeast Asia visit with President Barack Obama, according to
JNS news briefs: November 20, 2012 Read More »
International
By Lloyd Levy LONDON –Gaza- again ! As the latest Gaza campaign unfolds, it is worth underlining some points that are not going to be mentioned in the anti Israel press in UK. If Gaza is so “isolated” as some would have us believe , how is it that they can get thousands
Answering fallacious arguments of Gaza crisis Read More »
Lloyd Levy, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Listening to Israeli radio and television provides an advanced education in the military and political possibilities being considered in the midst of an operation. Invasion on the ground, more air strikes, increasing probability of civilian casualties as the IAF goes beyond the easy targets and into the neighborhoods where munitions are stored
No real peace–or ceasefire–likely with fragmented Palestinians Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East