By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– The weekly Israeli TV program, “Meet the Press” was devoted today to an extended interview with the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority in which Abu Mazen spoke persuasively about making peace with Israel. Recently, Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly expressed similar sentiments. So why is the peace process deadlocked? To start […]
Abbas talks peace on Israeli TV Read More »
Middle East
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel00For a comprehensive statement of current U.S. Middle East policy you can’t do better than the testimony of Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William J. Burns at the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on March 17, 2011. It’s horrifying. Here’s my summary of the key point: The United States will
U.S. Middle East policy undermines friends, strengthens enemies Read More »
Barry Shaw, Middle East, USABy Miriam Maya and Doug White LAS VEGAS, Nevada–San Diego’s delegation of 49 young adults at the first annual TribeFest, hosted by The Jewish Federations of North America, was like no other. Our first indication of such was how we chose to identify ourselves. Imagine a large banquet hall in a cavernous hotel convention center with
TribeFest helped to build future San Diego Jewish community Read More »
USANEW YORK (Press Release)—The Israel Action Network (IAN), an initiative launched by The Jewish Federations of North America, in partnership with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) to combat the assault on the legitimacy of the State of Israel, announced Friday the hiring of Geri D. Palast as Managing Director. Palast brings extensive experience organizing
Geri Palast to head Israel Action Network Read More »
Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – J Street welcomed a congressional letter on Friday to President Obama, led by Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Anna Eshoo (CA-14) and signed by 116 members of Congress, in support of the Administration’s efforts to maintain current levels of foreign aid to Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The letter is signed by nearly
J Street praises congressional letter seeking continued aid to Israel, P.A. Read More »
Middle East
By Shoshana Bryen WASHNGTON, D.C. — It appears that members of the American-trained Palestinian Security Force on the West Bank abetted the Itamar terrorists, prompting outrage over the fact that American military personnel are training Palestinian Security Forces in the first place. The outrage looks through the back end of the microscope – minimizing and
Itamar murders question validity of arming and training Palestinian police Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Despite dramatic events in this region that directly affect Israel, the situation in Japan continues to dominate the media here. Journalists and experts repeatedly point to the implications for this country: oil will be even more expensive; the stock exchange will report further losses; the economy will suffer; the danger of
Settlements are Israel’s leaky reactors Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Who’d possibly have thought it? Answer: Anybody who understands the Middle East. You see, the Obama Administration rushed to get rid of the Mubarak government in the belief that this action would make Egyptians see that they are simply wonderful people. This would assure that Egypt and America remained good
Uh-Oh! Egyptian revolutionaries ungrateful to Obama Administration Read More »
Middle East, USABy Rabbi Shmully Hecht NEW HAVEN, Connecticut –Following is an open letter to the Fogel letter of Itamar, Israel Dear Tamar, Roi, and Yishai, We have never met but I write to you with tears in my eyes, and a sad and heavy heart that is shared by our people, Am Yisroel. Like your parents, I too long to settle
Open letter to the Fogel family Read More »
Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Where is the connection between the vicious murder of two parents and three of their five children in Itamar last weekend and the Peter King hearing? Some time after 9-11, someone in America coined the term “Sudden Jihad Syndrome” to account for people – Muslims – who “went berserk”
On preventing terrorism–on land and at sea Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — People ask me what the United States should be doing toward the upheavals in the Middle East. Here’s a short, quick list of themes: 1. Understanding that there are some people who want real democracy and others who don’t, U.S. policy should be focused on battling the latter, especially
Some Mideast tips for U.S. policymakers Read More »
Middle East, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–“Mourning for the victims has barely begun, but the government has already managed to discredit their memory.” So writes Bernard Avishai, the Canadian born Israeli political commentator and consultant who spends much time in the United States. He’s referring to the ways in which the Government of Israel has exploited the
Ending ‘occupation’ won’t end hatred, terror Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — I just don’t get it. The more degrees from famous universities U.S. leaders have, the less they seem to know, especially about history. Consider this in light of their inability to understand that not only al-Qaida but also Syria, Hamas, Hizballah, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the AKP government in
U.S. policy makers should apply Cold War lessons to Middle East Read More »
International, Middle East, USA