By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — An uptick in loud concern about illegal immigration is currently riling Israeli media and politics. By “loud concern” I mean shouting on a prime time discussion program set off when moderators do not accept as appropriate the answers to questions they have asked, against the background of anti-immigrant riots in

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — In the great mystery of What will Israel do? there is another item that may help to resolve the problem. Ha’aretz is the paper of Israel’s intellectual establishment. And befitting that status, it is left of center, and generally critical of government policy. The posture of its editors affects their

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Two committees are competing for Israel’s media space. Both are dealing with items that have been near the top of the agenda for some time. And consistent with their long play without solution, the clear tendency of commentary about both is pessimistic. One is dealing with Iran’s nuclear program. Without trying to