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
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–An unimportant election? Yes, insofar as it is apparent from recent polls that the real work will come later. The leaders of the two large parties, neither of which may reach a quarter of the total Knesset, and nine smaller parties will make claims to the President. Then he’ll have a week […]
Polls indicate election will not be conclusive Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The latest news for those dreaming of a Palestinian state is the refusal of the United List, a group of four largely Arab parties, to sign an agreement with Meretz to provide to one of them the excess votes left over to each after the parceling out via Israel’s system of Proportional
In the West, ‘anti- Semitism’ a word now avoided Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — I am not a great fan of looking far ahead of where we are. There are too many possibilities capable of foiling the most carefully plotted scenarios. A small country is especially vulnerable to who knows how many outside occurences, including the unexpected. That is doubly so in the chaotic
With no party dominant, expect a messy coalition Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–This column is not so much about the speech, as what it reflects and suggests. Netanyahu spoke for about 30 minutes net of interruptions for applause. The major points, beyond describing the likely agreement as dangerous for leaving Iran with an easy road to nuclear weapons, were its lacking of provisions to
Netanyahu speech taught some Mideast realities Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Bibi remains the leading choice to be prime minister, even though Likud has been losing ground. Buji is below Bibi in polls asking preferences for Prime Minister, but Labor/Zionist Union has moved one or two seats ahead. However, its obvious partners are still below the obvious partners of Likud. Washington
Israel’s election picture on the day before the speech Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — For a political scientist committed to the view that democratic politics is the essence of civilization, an election campaign can be a difficult test. The one we are experiencing, like some others I’ve seen, brings out the worst in those aspiring to national leadership. It’s not like an academic seminar
Netanyahu dominates election coverage Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM– The concept of failed states has been around for a while, and has recently been morphed into the notion of fragile states. Perhaps the change is an expression of what is deemed politically correct in the halls of organizations that worry about such things, and claim to provide ranked lists of
Finland above U.S., Israel in Fund for Peace ratings Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM– There are many–some of them well placed, and some of them Jews–who feel that on the short list of the most worthy causes is to create a Palestinian state and to downsize Israel, perhaps down to the size of nothing. Against them are several instances that question such grand aims, either
No one ever should expect Israel to simply roll over Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There is a near balance in the run-up to the Israeli election. Likud and Labor have been trading places one or two Knesset seats in the lead, and often tied in the various media polls, all of them with samples on the border of being unreliable. Labor is still going
Polls showing Israeli election neck and neck Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Barack Obama is not a Muslim, but, he shows signs of a Wannabe. He emphasizes his middle name and his father’s origins when talking to Muslim audiences. That’s not a sin, but an effort to establish identity. He’d be a lousy politician if he didn’t play that game. However, he
Not saying ‘Islam’ complicates the terror problem Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The State Comptroller (government auditor) has finally issued his long delayed report. The results do not add to the reputation of the Prime Minister, his spouse, or Israeli media. We’re being inundated with an over abundance of small details about the larger picture we’ve know for years. The Netanyahus have
Netanyahu household expenses officially questioned Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — We’re into another round of charges that the Israeli right worked to squash a deal that had been possible with the Palestinians. The last big campaign was the Geneva Initiative, still somewhat alive, and perhaps associated with the latest effort. This one appears in a headline of the Internet newspaper The
Did Netanyahu spike a Peres- Abbas deal? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastJERUSALEM–What follows is more a lesson in politics than a campaign for Bibi. If it also contributes to Bibi’s campaign, that is not its principal purpose. First, let’s leave aside the candidates’ personalities, and the character of their wives, children, and parents. We’re not selecting a friend, or a person to enjoy an evening with
Why those who don’t like Netanyahu may vote for him Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It took Barack Obama less than six months between his inauguration and a policy initiative that sought to put the Middle East on the path to democracy, equality, and religious tolerance. Those were the themes of his Cairo speech, and you all know where we are now. After dealing with
Obama’s sorry record in foreign relations Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA