Israel & the Near East
Peace Treaty TroublesTuesday, September 6, 2011 by Elliot Jager | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
With Turkish-Israel relations at a nadir, ties with Jordan practically on life support, the push for UN recognition of a Palestinian state, and the security threats stemming from Iran and its proxies, it's no wonder that Jerusalem has been considering taking exceptional steps to preserve its cold peace with Cairo.
Libya and the JewsWednesday, August 31, 2011 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
There are reasons for Jews to view the fall of Muammar Qaddafi with satisfaction: A bizarre and dangerous enemy of the West and Israel is on the verge of defeat, and the Libyan people may be on the threshold of freedom. But, as in Egypt, the second Arab Spring in Libya looks like a mixed blessing.
Jews against ZionismTuesday, August 30, 2011 by Lawrence Grossman | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
It will come as a surprise to many that the current adamant Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state was once American policy. An even greater surprise is that an American rabbi and the Jewish organization he headed played a major role in the government's articulation of that policy.
Demonizing Glenn BeckFriday, August 26, 2011 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Few American public figures equal Glenn Beck in his ability to inspire loathing from his enemies and affection from his admirers. Beck was in Israel this past week for a series of public events—in effect, revival meetings. He called the tour "Restoring Courage."
Who Speaks for Israeli Arabs?Wednesday, August 24, 2011 by Elliot Jager | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Historians writing about Israel's 1948 fight for independence generally place heavy responsibility for the Palestinian Arab refugee problem on the Arab leaders who urged their people to flee Palestine temporarily until the Zionists were driven into the sea.
Get Ready for Durban IIIOn September 22, one month from today, world bodies will gather at the UN General Assembly in New York on the 10th anniversary of the UN World Conference against Racism in Durban, South Africa.
What’s Behind Israel’s Middle-Class Revolt?Wednesday, August 17, 2011 by Ran Baratz | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Amid the flood of press comments about the "middle-class" protests that have been roiling the Israeli scene over the past weeks, a particularly cheerful note was struck by the American political philosopher Michael Walzer.
Israel and the AntipodesMonday, August 15, 2011 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
During the February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, a boulder smashed into a car, killing 23-year-old Israeli Ofer Mizrahi. The death toll from that earthquake was 181, including two Israelis besides Mizrahi.
The Challenge of EilatFriday, August 12, 2011 by Elliot Jager | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
In a country where the sky is mostly blue, the southernmost city of Eilat has nonetheless laid claim—with justification—to being Israel's sun capital. Reliably good weather does not, however, solve all problems.
The New SinaiWednesday, August 10, 2011 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
The Sinai Peninsula is known for its aura of stillness. But amid the timeless mountains and endless dunes, the great crossroad between Africa and Asia is more active today, and potentially more explosive, than at any time in history.
Editors' Picks
Nesting Dolls Alina Dain Sharon, Jewish Journal. Twenty years after their Russian exodus, the lives of Jews who emigrated to the U.S., Israel, and Germany differ markedly from those who stayed in Russia.
Proxy War Jonathan Schanzer, Foreign Policy. Although Israelis have come to expect rocket attacks from Gaza, this time the perpetrators are not Hamas agents but Iranian proxies. And however the conflict develops, Tehran will come out on top.
Defending Defense Mitch Ginsburg, Times of Israel. When Amir Peretz commissioned a missile defense system five years ago, he faced blanket opposition from the IDF, who saw attack as the best form of defense. But none doubt Iron Dome now.
Mr. Popularity Susan Hattis Rolef, Jerusalem Post. Shimon Peres was widely reviled during his career in the Labor Party, much to the bemusement of political pundits. But, just as inexplicably, he has come to enjoy near-universal approval as President.
Settling a Legacy Chaim Levinson, Yair Ettinger, Haaretz. As the settler movement is divided over whether to follow Zvi Yehuda Kook's theoretical refusal to cede land or his practical compromises, the young are gradually deserting religious Zionism for Hasidism.
Disagreeing with Dagan Jonathan S. Tobin, Contentions. The public warnings by Meir Dagan against a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran have captured the headlines, but closer analysis shows that he agrees with Netanyahu more than he cares to admit.
In Fayyad's Hands Alexander Joffe, Asaf Romirowsky, National Post. Salam Fayyad is both the primary vehicle for a future Palestinian state and its most effective symbol.
Rhetorical Record Dan Senor, Wall Street Journal. Obama claims to have done more for Israel's security than any previous president, but his record, along with the discontent it has provoked within the Democratic party, tells a different story.
On the Record eJewish Philanthropy. Which organization brought the first John Deere tractor to Ukraine? What killer disease was eradicated in Ottoman Palestine by a Jewish doctor? A unique chronicle of Jewish life abroad comes to the web.
Behind the Times Josh Nathan-Kazis, Forward. Entering a crowded field of English-language publications in Israel, the founders of the Times of Israel hope that their unapologetic defense of the Jewish state will set their paper apart.