By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Some bad things are heading in our direction. The organizers of some 20 ships are planning to sail toward Gaza in May. They will bring back the Mavi Marmara in its second attempt to get through the Israeli Navy. A campaign is building to have the United Nations General Assembly […]
Blockades, independence votes, and Goldstone Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
Lawrence puts his hand in the flame of a match after lighting a cigarette. POTTER: Ow! It damn well hurts. LAWRENCE: Certainly, it hurts! POTTER: Well, what’s the trick then? LAWRENCE: The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts. –“Lawrence of Arabia,” the film. By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –Engaging in Middle East
How The Bizarre World of Middle East Studies Messes Up U.S. Foreign Policy Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –“If I knew then what I know now…” So goes Goldstone’s lament in The Washington Post. Openly blaming Israel for his lack of understanding that the IDF is a moral military force and the Government of Israel a civilized government (1), Goldstone insists that, “The purpose of the Goldstone Report
Goldstone mea culpa: too little too late? Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Binyamin Netanyahu has been prominent since his service as Ambassador to the United Nations in the 1980s. I’ve compared him to Barack Obama on account of his fluency. He might also be compared to Richard Nixon (Tricky Dick) due to his reputation as a slippery politician, and his capacity to
Israel debates whether Netanyahu family lives too high Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –As of today, one can say that the revolution in Syria must be taken seriously. Not only were the demonstrations large but also they had spread to additional parts of the country and involved different religious and ethnic communities. Of course, there is a big difference between Egypt and Syria.
Syrian Revolution Takes Off. Where is American Support? Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The recent resumption of rocket attacks from Gaza deep into the Negev was bound to get a forceful Israeli response, including targeted killings. The first of these has just cost the lives of three Hamas terrorists. Hamas acknowledges that they were members but denies that they were planning an
Former Mossad chief favors Israel talks with Hamas Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Now that the New York Times tells us that the Muslim Brotherhood is really strong, organized, widely supported by the army, and capable of taking over Egypt–all the things I wrote at the time and the mass media denied–the Washington Post confirms every point I made during the revolution
U.S. media catching up on Egypt’s drift toward Islamism Read More »
Middle East, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — One of the many surprises that awaited me when I came to serve as a rabbi in Canada was that at Kol Nidre, the holiest night of the Jewish calendar, I was expected to dispense investment advice to the worshipping congregation. It was called the Israel Bonds Appeal. The
Is it time to abolish Israel Bonds? Read More »
Middle East
By Bruce Kesler ENCINITAS, California — The New York Times reports that the Palestinian Center for Human Rights “took the unusual step this week of condemning the building and storage of anti-Israel rockets in densely populated areas, a practice that has led to injuries and deaths of civilians.” “Unusual” isn’t quite the word for it. The
Condemning Gaza rocket storage not the same as condemning attacks on Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Nowadays, Western officials and journalists seem to think that if you are a Middle East dictator and people start demonstrating you might give up, pack your bags, let your Swiss banker know to get the money ready, and make a run for it. That’s an illusion. The question is really: Who are the people
Assad, with Army support, suppresses demonstrations; Egypt leans toward Iran Read More »
International, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Binyamin “Bibi” Netanyahu isn’t the only prime minister who avoids the media out of fear of exposing his unpopular policies; Canadians, for example, are also familiar with the phenomenon. It was, therefore, surprising that Wednesday, March 30, he offered himself to a half-hour live interview “in the hot seat” by a
Netanyahu attacked on his finances and leadership Read More »
Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –American core principles as articulated by President Obama are indeed a prescription for intervention everywhere – despite his firm denial. “America cannot use our military wherever repression occurs…. we must always measure our interests against the need for action.” But, he said, “We had a unique ability to stop that
Obama Doctrine: a prescription for intervention everywhere Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — I find myself once again confused and conflicted, this time about Syria. On the one hand, as a liberal I’d like to see the end of yet another dictator in the region. One the other, as a Zionist I’m worried that what will come after Assad may be much
Could a new ruler in Syria be worse for Israel? Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — At the moment in history when people are not just rebelling in the Middle East but when the opposition movements in Iran and Syria are at a high point, the fact that the U.S. government is standing by and not only doing nothing but virtually saying nothing. No, it
U.S. should denounce Syria’s Asad Read More »
International, Middle East, USA