By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –We can imagine a conversation, not too far from here, among people more important than us, about an Israeli attack on Iran and the American presidential election. Among the questions likely to be debated Will the attack lead Obama and Romney to compete in what they offer to Israel, with the […]
The political calculus of an attack on Iran Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Hatred and xenophobia are two of the oldest diseases afflicting the human condition. For many people living in unenlightened societies, hatred of the Other is almost as natural as mother’s milk. Jewish history bears witness to how our adversaries have vilified us, dehumanized us, persecuted us,
Anti-Arabism as sinful as anti-Semitism Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East
By David Brin PASADENA, California — I write this from Pasadena, where I just finished a public evening (that will be podcast soon on the site of KPCC FM radio) discussing with USC Professor Paul Rosenbloom and the Planetary Society’s Mat Kaplan the future of artificial intelligence, uplifting dolphins, and good or bad types of
Whimsical Obama has quality often lacking: curiosity Read More »
USA
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Egypt has moved forces into the Sinai beyond what was agreed to in the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty. Getting them in wasn’t that difficult – Israel agrees that security in the Sinai has deteriorated. Getting them out again later may be another matter. And how the U.S. positions itself
U.S. helping Egypt re-arm in the Sinai Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –In almost 40 years of studying these issues, I’ve never seen a better case study of mass media bias and knee-jerk narrowness than an aspect of the current flap about what presidential candidate Mitt Romney said during his trip to Israel. I’m going to focus on a single point because
Media adopts Palestinian talking points as their own Read More »
Middle EastBy David Brin ENCINITAS, California –Mitt Willard Romney now informs us that he did pay taxes during the last ten years. Thus he attempts to staunch – despite his own refusal to provide proof in the form of tax returns – the assertion of critics like Democratic senator Harry Reid that Romney paid no taxes
Why shouldn’t voters see Romney’s tax returns? Read More »
USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called cavalierly for the people of Aleppo to rise up against the Assad regime. When they did — as when President Bush (41) called on the Shi’ites and Kurds of Iraq to rise up against Saddam in 1991 — the U.S. declined to support the rebels, and
Clinton signals, but doesn’t make the turn Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–“Anybody but Peres” was the slogan in the Knesset when the Members were choosing between presidential candidates Shimon Peres and Moshe Katzav in 2000. Katzav received 63 votes to Peres’ 57. Some MKs who had promised their support to Peres voted for Katzav. Seven years later, it was clear that “Anybody but
Did Peres anger Bibi, or are they play-acting? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Yaakov Lappin WASHINGTON, D.C. — Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi delivered a severe blow to the Egyptian military’s political ambitions this week, and sent clear message to Egypt and beyond: his civilian Islamist government is now in charge. Taking advantage of widespread shock in Egypt over the brutal gunning down of 15 Egyptian soldiers by
Morsi shows Egyptian military he’s in charge Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —Irony I feel, is a very high form of morality. — JEAN STAFFORD This morning I received an email about how the Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh turns to Israel when his family needs medical attention. I know of very few countries that live by the ethic
Hamas chief’s brother-in-law went to Israel for treatment Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky BERGEN, Norway — Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided to file away last month’s report by a committee headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Edmond Levy, which endorsed an Israeli view of international law that Yehuda and Samaria (the West Bank) are not “occupied territories,” insofar as they never were the possession of
Israeli policy makers preoccupied by other nations’ opinions Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Isaac Yetiv, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — Even before the presidential debates, the lines separating the worldviews of the candidates present a sharp picture of clear distinctions; and that is good for the electorate and for democracy. The incumbent, President Obama, by his words and deeds, situated himself far to the left of mainstream
Democrats desperate to change subject from economy Read More »
USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –Americans are jaded by the size and shape of the financial crisis that ripped through banking in 2008. Bernie Madoff, AIG, “too big to fail,” Goldman Sachs, subprime lending, unfathomable derivatives, and underwater mortgages make it hard to work up much steam on yet another banking story. And you could
Standard Chartered Branch, Deloite & Touche accused of conspiring with Iran Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USA
By Danny Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan– When ETTV reporter Claire Su [舒夢蘭] of Taiwan flew to Israel last June with a camera crew and producer in tow, she had no idea what to expect from her first visit to the Holy Land, but she returned to Taipei with fond memories of the people she met
Taiwan TV does a first travel documentary on Israel Read More »
Middle East