Ira Sharkansky

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Currently the most prominent discussion is whether to discuss the prospect of Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities. On one side of this argument are extremists who think the public should be involved in a detailed debate about everything: the threat, the way Israel should meet it, perhaps leaving the timing […]

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — “If you want a friend in this town, buy a dog.” That was Harry Truman’s way of saying that politics is a matter of pursuing interests, not friends. Another expression meaning about the same thing: If “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” prevails in heaven,

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Ilan Grapel is not Gilad Shalit. Grapel is an immigrant from the United States who served in the IDF, and was wounded during the Second Lebanese War of 2006.  Egyptian authorities seized him in June of this year during the protests in  Tahrir Square, and accused him of spying for Israel. Descriptions

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Amid the public news dealing with the grand issues of Muammar Qaddafi and Gilad Shalit, our personal weekend brought me to recall my various experiences with the Russians of Israel. It began at an Absorption Center outside of Jerusalem in the Summer of 1975. It was the tail end of

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — You’ve heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. You’ve seen the pictures of Muammar Qaddifi’s death. Given the comments of Barack Obama and the analysis that appeared in the New York Times, I’m not at that sure that enough American understand what they have seen. Recall George W.

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–As I am beginning this column, it is 6 AM and the radio is reporting the many details of the transfer of prisoners toward their exchange for Gilad Shalit. It is not the excitement that put me to work this early. Generally my old bones achieve the rest they need earlier than

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — A headline in today’s Ha’aretz, “From New York to Tokyo,  demonstrations in more than 900 cities and 80 countries against capitalism and  in behalf of social reform. In Tel Aviv they blocked streets.” Another item  reports that a Reuters survey in the United States found 38 percent viewing the  demonstrations

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — I told you so. A short while after finishing my column on politics (Every day you may have to eat –), Israel’s leadership proved it was up to the task. In a dramatic announcement timed for the evening news, including an on-camera announcement by the prime minister, we heard the

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–There are several ways of describing the essence of politics. All of them mean pretty much the same thing: Go along in order to get along Compromise Recognize your limits One who demands too much may end up with nothing There is no absolute justice Justifications for one or another demand are

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The New Year has begun and Yom Kippur is behind us. Two prominent issues  wait for treatment: peace with the Palestinians and a response to domestic  social protest. The Prime Minister says that he is working hard to achieve both  goals. Optimists are asking themselves if they can expect decisive

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — For some time now, Israeli news has been leading off with the latest comments from international worthies about the need for Israel and Palestinians to agree on two states etc etc. This morning an American friend sent me a link to a Time article about the distancing of young American