By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Remember Muhammad al-Durrah? He was the boy in an iconic Palestinian video claiming that his father had not succeeded in sheltering him from the fire directed at him by Israeli soldiers in late September, 2000. Subsequent inquiries established that the video was edited in a way to hide the possibility that the […]
Palestinians cook up another phony Israeli atrocity story Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East(Column No. 1, January 3, 2011) By Donald H. Harrison COUNTER MIDDLE EAST RALLIES–The Middle East conflict is coming to Balboa Park. Palestinian and leftist organizations are planning a rally making Israel out to be the bad guys and the Hamas government in Gaza the good guys this coming Sunday. But the intended media blitz
A bissel this, a bissel that–Jewish news and chatter in San Diego Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego Calendar, San Diego County, VideosBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The Israel-Palestinian conflict is at least a century old, although it was not described clearly in its present terms before 1948, or perhaps 1967. It has had periods of sporadic violence, organized mayhem, and most recently a campaign of Palestinians and their friends to achieve politically what they could
Prospects for Palestinian state recede–thanks to Palestinians Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastThe Yankles directed by David R. Brooks, DZB Productions, color, 115 minutes. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Do you have a child or grandchild who has a favorite bedtime story? Even though he or she knows how the story turns out, the child likes to hear it again and again. Repetition does not diminish the
San Diego Jewish Film Festival: “The Yankles” is a baseball comedy Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Barry Rubin JERUSALEM–Israelis are known for being gloomy about the political situation. In fact, they generally enjoy criticizing things (themselves above all). As a result, Israel’s enemies often make the mistake of underestimating the country’s ability to endure, struggle, and prevail. A typical example came in a recent Arab newspaper article that claims the
Ha’aretz finds the gray lining in every silvery cloud Read More »
Barry Shaw, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — While I do not claim expertise in the history or politics of Great Britain, my impression is that the Munich Agreement of 1938, involving Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Hitler (” . . . peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time.”) is an icon of shame
In advising Israel, ‘Economist’ learned nothing about dangers of appeasement Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Five men arrested in Denmark and Sweden this week had been plotting to attack the offices of Jyllands-Posten, the Danish newspaper at the center of the 2005 Muhammad cartoons. The would-be terrorists were, according to experts, very professional and very precise. They had no grandiose plan to hit national
How long will Islamists harbor dreams of revenge? Read More »
Shoshana Bryen
The Stairway to Heaven by Therese Zrihen-Dvir, Geffen Publishing House, 2010, ISBN 978-965-229-474-6, 139 pages including afterword. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This historical work of fiction is a story of hope. Notwithstanding the book’s title, it is not about the celestial kind of hope; it is about human kind’s ability to pick
Book offers hope in midst of Middle East tragedy Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Should we focus on a president who is a convicted rapist, or the capacity of the judiciary to try him in isolation from a hyped media and produce what appears to be a thoroughly argued decision? It took more than an hour for the head judge to read it. The procedure has
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There is more evidence that Israel is not a perfect society. The headline on page 2 of Ha’aretz reports that 44 percent of the country’s Jews agree with the rabbis who urge them not to rent or sell apartments to Arabs. According to details in the story, however, 48 percent
Israeli Jews tell opinions about marrying, renting to Arabs Read More »
Ira Sharkansky
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — I never know whether to laugh or cry when I read those perennial complaints that things are getting worse, the country (no matter which) is going to the dogs and ‘fings ain’t wot they used to be.’ The trouble is that change happens, it is inevitable, we are
Jewish critics of Israel need to accept the facts of life Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East
By Cynthia Citron SYDNEY, Australia–Who would have guessed that the elegant Cate Blanchett had a flair for physical comedy reminiscent of Chevy Chase in his pratfalling prime? As Yelena in Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya at the Sydney Theatre, she jumps, she pirouettes, she kicks up her heels, she falls backwards, legs in the air, into
Nimble Cate Blanchett highlight of Australian production of ‘Uncle Vanya’ Read More »
Cynthia CitronBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Mahmoud Abbas has marked the Christmas season by proclaiming once again that he will permit no Israelis in his State of Palestine. In an earlier version he said that he would permit no Jews, but handlers had him revise his comments in a direction thought to be politically correct. The recognition
Abbas: Israelis won’t be welcome in Palestine state Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
We Were Europeans: A Personal History of a Turbulent Century by Werner M. Loval, Gefen Publishing House, 2010, ISBN 9789652295224, 520 pages including index, no price listed. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Although he is not a household name, Werner M. Loval has led a life that has brought him into contact with
A man of two centuries, four continents tells his Jewish story Read More »
Donald H. Harrison