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.
Let’s examine some of the abnormal and/or misleading terms which our enemies have managed to implant in the public’s mind about the situation here: “East Jerusalem,” “West Bank,” “Palestinians.” [Steve Kramer]
How Names Influence Middle Eastern Politics and Reporting Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, Steve KramerThe United States, France, Germany, the UK, the EU, Russia, and China are about to resume “negotiating” the JCPOA, better known as the “Iran Deal,” concerning Iran’s nuclear weapons capability. Who’s missing from these meetings? Those countries most at risk from Iran’s warmongering: Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf states. Not only is Israel not invited or even consulted, but the Biden Administration has given a clear warning to Israel to desist from taking any further actions against Iran which might exacerbate tensions, such as cyber warfare, assassinations, or “accidents” which occur in Iran. Evidently, the current US government doesn’t want any impediments to its “longer, stronger” deal with Iran – as if that were possible. [Steve Kramer]
U.S. Overriding Israel’s Fears in Latest Deal Making Effort with Iran Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USAIsrael and the United States are at odds over the Israeli capital of Jerusalem. You may not remember that Congress passed – by more that a 10:1 margin – the ‘Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995’ [Steve Kramer]
OpEd: Jerusalem Must Remain Undivided Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USAA friend in the US recently asked me what I thought about Israel’s new government. My replay: It’s a government! Finally, after four elections in two years, the victory of a wide-ranging coalition government last spring meant that there was a good chance the election frenzy would end. The prerequisite for the government’s survival was to pass a budget before mid-November. If not, new elections would be scheduled and the government would be reduced to “caretaker” status only. [Steve Kramer]
At Long Last, Israel Has a Working Government Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerYes, there’s gang violence in Israel, but not nearly on the scale of American gang violence. Violent crime in Israel is predominantly found in Israeli Arab towns and in mixed Arab-Jewish cities. It’s often clan/tribal related, consisting of organized crime disputes and more personal, vengeance attacks. In addition, there’s a continuing problem with so-called honor killings, which are intra-family. (In general, Israel is a very safe place, with women not afraid to walk on city streets at night and children having few limits placed on their play time.) [Steve Kramer]
Arab vs. Arab Homicides Increasing in Israel Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer
With a number of fellow members of Hod Ve Hadar, the Masorti (Conservative in the US) synagogue that we belong to in Kfar Saba, we recently visited Mt. Gerizim, Har Bracha, and Shilo, all in the Biblical heartland of Samaria. [Steve Kramer]
Travels in Samaria Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, Steve Kramer, Travel and FoodDo you worry that Jew-hatred might affect your comfortable American life? Do you think that Jew-haters will ignore you because your “Jewishness” is unimportant for you? If not, why not? Does this worry – if you feel it – fall below your concern for abortion legislation, diversity and gender issues, climate change policies, etc.? With this in mind, it’s time to wake up to the “new” West. [Steve Kramer]
Antisemitism in the ‘New West’ Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — While the U.S. and the Europeans dawdle and vacillate at the JCPOA (Iran nuclear agreement) meetings – or non-meetings – in Vienna, Iran gets ever closer to nuclear weapons capability. This situation is very dangerous to Israel and the West. Europe and the U.S. are oblivious to this,
Iran’s Strategy Works Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USADo you believe that our universe, and all other possible universes, was created by an everlasting supreme force? Or, do you believe that our universe, and all other possible universes, was created ex nihilo, out of nothing but coincidence? Is it even relevant? [Steve Kramer]
Are U.S. Jews Losing Their Respect for Judaism? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USAWe support the Forgotten People Fund of Netanya, which has Israel’s largest Ethiopian Israeli population. Our grass roots fund, composed solely of volunteers, attempts to fill the gaps left by the city’s social services department. The ultimate mission is to help our local Ethiopian Israeli community members to better themselves. FPF depends on donations to carry on the important undertakings like assisting the community to obtain professional qualifications, such as managers, teachers, lawyers, nurses, and engineers. See the website at: http://www.fpf.org.il. [Steve Kramer]
Fund for Ethiopian Israelis Needs Replenishing Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerI believe that Western governments’ strategy of restraint and “fairness” when dealing with Iran, Russia, etcetera, are like taking a knife to a gun fight. That strategy doesn’t work with non-democratic countries, which are unconcerned with the welfare of their citizens. For them, it’s all about the mission of the ruling class. Iran, Russia, China, North Korea – none of them respect restraint or fairness. That type of soft policy only engenders a loss of respect for those countries that espouse it. [Steve Kramer]
OpEd: West Must Stand Up to Totalitarian Governments Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — Can Israel rely on any other country to support it when it’s critically endangered? First of all, Israel has never asked any other country to fight on its soil; but, Israelis hope and expect that other Western democracies would back it — on the world stage, in the
Israel Goes it Alone Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USAIran has never caused more trouble than it does today. It has successfully completed its “crescent” road eastward to the Mediterranean through Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. It’s proxy militias, most notably Hezbollah, can be stronger than national armies, as Hezbollah is in Lebanon. It is so powerful there that Hezbollah is in a standoff position with the IDF, which is generally considered one of the world’s strongest armies. This is due to Hezbollah’s arsenal of approximately 150,000 rockets (random) and missiles (targeted). Iran controls Lebanon, plays a big role in Syria, is the major power in Iraq, and is successfully confronting Saudi Arabia in Yemen. [Steve Kramer]
Might Iran Implode? Read More »
Middle East, Steve KramerTwo “important”questions being asked are, does Israel even have a right to exist and is Israel an apartheid state. Both have consequences for Jews in Israel, as well as for Jews in the Diaspora, whether they realize it or not. [Steve Kramer]
In Response to BDS and Apartheid Accusations Against Israell Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA