Steve Kramer[/caption]
Steve Kramer grew up in Atlantic City, graduated from Johns Hopkins in 1967, adopted the hippie lifestyle until 1973, then joined the family business for 15 years. Steve moved to Israel from Margate, NJ in 1991 with his family. He has written more than 1100 articles about Israel and Jews since making Aliyah. Steve and his wife Michal live in Kfar Saba.
By Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — Emeritus Professor Moshe Sharon of the Hebrew University famously lectured on negotiations in the Middle East. He wrote: “To achieve their goal, the Arabs took to the battlefield and to bazaar diplomacy. The most important rule in the bazaar is that if the vendor knows that you desire […]
Rules of the bazaar inform Iran’s bargaining Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — Many Israelis and others are worried that Prime Minister Netanyahu has created a crisis in relations with the American president, and by extension, with the United States. But disagreements between Israel and its chief ally have been common ever since Israel declared its independence in 1948. It can
Netanyahu – Obama feud will blow over Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — We recently enjoyed the new exhibit at the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem, across from the Israel Museum. Entitled “By the Rivers of Babylon,” the exhibit displays: “original artifacts dating to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian Exile [586 BCE], including clay tablets [over 100 cuneiform tablets that
Tales of ancient Jewish exiles Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — Barack Obama burst upon the American political scene in 2004, when he gave the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention, just four months after unexpectedly being elected the junior senator from Illinois. Less than five years later, in his first inaugural speech, President Obama intoned, “We will
Obama’s likely legacy? Iranian hegemony Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — Amos Oz, the famous Israeli writer of worldwide acclaim, is also involved with film. While he occasionally defends Israel, Oz always remains true to his left wing ideology and ends up undercutting Israel’s reputation and status. Censored Voices, the new version of Oz’s previously unreleased documentary on the
Amos Oz provides more fodder for Israel haters Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — The New York Times editorialized that the recently scheduled, third speech by Prime Minister Netanyahu to Congress will harm US-Israel ties. The Times of Israel quoted a White House spokesman that “Netanyahu spat in our face.” What’s the furor about? After all, Netanyahu is not the first foreign statesman
Why Mr. Netanyahu goes to Washington Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — On the day that we watched scenes from the funeral in Jerusalem of four French Jews who were murdered at a kosher market in Paris for being Jewish, I received my copy of the Johns Hopkins Magazine, an excellent publication from my alma mater. As I leafed through it,
Anti- Semitism makes a comeback in the West Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — What’s a factoid? According to one definition, it’s a questionable or spurious (unverified, false, or fabricated) statement presented as a fact, but without supporting evidence. (Wikipedia) Factoids are what passes for knowledge among Westerners who vilify Israel and describe it as apartheid, neo-Nazi, warmongering, and more. Advocates for
Setting straight the factoid crowd Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel –What is Palestinianism? According to journalist Ben Cohen, anti-Semitism has become less a political phenomenon, and more a social movement, with what he calls “Palestinianism” as its key ideology: “Palestinian Arabs have assumed the status of iconic, transcendental victims, as the Jews did for a brief period after World
Analyzing Europe’s Middle East bias Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — Speaking at the Washington-based Brookings Institution’s Saban Forum on December 7, Secretary of State John Kerry intoned that because the 1-state solution is “not viable” to preserve Israel’s status as a Jewish, democratic state, there is only the 2-state solution. This is the mantra that the United States
Alternatives to the 2-State solution Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — France, which fancies itself an exemplar of European statesmanship and strategic thinking, has told Israel that France’s unilateral recognition of Palestine’s statehood is what’s best for Israel’s development and security. But the practical result of France and other European states coddling the Palestinian Arabs is that the Arabs
France, other EU states, hinder Mideast peace Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — Israel’s cabinet is embroiled over the proposed nationality bill that would raise the Jewish, democratic ethos, mentioned in Israel’s Declaration of Independence, into a Basic Law, which is Israel’s version of a constitution. Not only are many Israelis, and especially Arabs, fearful that their status will be downgraded, others
The importance of Israel being ‘Jewish’ Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — Once again, the Obama administration has become disturbed about Jews building homes, neglecting to pressure Palestinian leaders to stop incitement against Jews and terror attacks on Israelis. The offense: permits were approved to construct less than 100 homes in a Jewish area of Jerusalem which happens to be beyond the
Issue not land, it’s Islamist hatred of Jews Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel –Before our very eyes, the U.S. is shifting alliances in the Middle East. For decades, American foreign policy in the region was anchored by relationships with Israel, Egypt, the UAE (United Arab Emirates), and Saudi Arabia. That has changed under the Obama administration. Since the president’s first foreign speech
Under Obama, U.S. has pivoted to Iran Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA