Ira Sharkansky

Ira Sharansky

Ira Sharkansky is professor emeritus of political science and public administration at Hebrew University.

His books, which are available on Amazon, include:

*Alternative federal solutions to the problem of the administered territories
*Ambiguity, Coping, and Governance: Israeli Experiences in Politics, Religion, and Policymaking
*Ancient and Modern Israel: An Exploration of Political Parallels
*Coping with Terror: An Israeli Perspective
* Governing Israel: Chosen People, Promised Land and Prophetic Tradition
*Governing Jerusalem: Again on the World’s Agenda
* Israel and its Bible: A Political Analysis
* Maligned States: policy accomplishments, problems and opportunities
* Policy Analysis in Political Science
* Policy and Politics in American Governments
* Policy Making in Israel: Routines for Simple Problems and Coping with the Complex
* Politics and Planning in the Holy City
* Politics and Policymaking in Search of Simplicity
* Public Administration: Agencies, Policies, and Politics
* Public Administration Policy Making in Government Agencies
* Public Administration (2nd Edition): Policy Making in Government Agencies
* Regionalism in American Politics
* Rituals of Conflict: Religion, Politics, and Public Policy in Israel
* Spending in the American States
* The Policy Predicament: Making and Implementing Public Policy
* The Political Economy of Israel
* The Politics of Religion and the Religion of Politics
*The Politics of Taxing and Spending
* The Routines of Politics
* The United States: A Study of a Developing Country
* The United States Revisited: A Study of a Still Developing Country
* Urban Politics and Public Policy [Robert Lineberry]
* What Makes Israel Tick: How Domestic Policy-Makers Cope with Restraints
* Wither the State: Politics and Public Enterprise in Three Countries

For all its holy history, Jerusalem a city like many others

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–For those who doubt that Israel is a normal country, the arrest of a messiah with who knows how many wives and children should establish its credentials. The most complete report I have seen in English appears in the Times of London. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6988614.ece This puts us firmly in the league with the

For all its holy history, Jerusalem a city like many others Read More »

Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Parallels between terrorist incidents against U.S., Israel

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–A New York Times article about “al Qaeda” terrorism directed against the United States could have been written about Palestinian terror against Israel. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/us/13intel.html?hp Rather than central planning and coordination by skilled Islamic evil-doers, the most recent spurt of events were largely the work of individual enthusiasts, inspired by extremist preachers or

Parallels between terrorist incidents against U.S., Israel Read More »

Ira Sharkansky, USA

U.S. health care bill–like most medicines–may have some side effects

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Do no harm is a standard traditionally taught to medical students that modern physicians must violate. It will be violated as well by whatever health measure comes out of the Congress and White House.   I know of no modern medication that is free from harm, or side effects. Some are serious,

U.S. health care bill–like most medicines–may have some side effects Read More »

Ira Sharkansky, USA

Is Israel overly preoccupied with Iran's nuclear goals?

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–An American friend, who some time ago showed his disappointment with Israel, has sent another note that includes: “I scan three Israeli newspapers every day (well, actually, their web sites, in English). It’s less like visiting a foreign country than like visiting a foreign planet. The obsession with Iran’s supposed nuclear weapons

Is Israel overly preoccupied with Iran's nuclear goals? Read More »

Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Winning battle for public opinion not the same as winning the real battle

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–“How many troops has the Pope?” If you are old enough to remember that question, you know that the answer is somewhere between “None,” and “Not too many.” The modern equivalent is, “How many troops has world public opinion?” Same answer, to the great sorrow of the Palestinians. Israel has not responded

Winning battle for public opinion not the same as winning the real battle Read More »

Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Middle East inertia the product of Palestinian intransigence, U.S. naivete

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–An American friend shows his concern for Palestinians with several  questions that deserve answers: 1. Why is there not much support, or any, for a Palestinian State composed only of territory on the West Bank? Wouldn’t it be better to take that incremental step and deal with Gaza (Hamas) later? 2. The

Middle East inertia the product of Palestinian intransigence, U.S. naivete Read More »

Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Settlers demonstrate power of a religiously driven minority

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Israel’s limited, 10-month settlement freeze is not working like a well oiled Swiss watch, assuming that metaphor still has validity in the digital age. Settlers have massed to demonstrate against what they call the abominable anti-Jewish doctrines of the prime minister many of them had supported, and they are sending their teen

Settlers demonstrate power of a religiously driven minority Read More »

Ira Sharkansky, Middle East