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–Responses are all over the map to Barack Obama’s highly touted speech on the Middle East and North Africa. Take your pick: from indifference to despair, excitement and anger. There was enough in it for everyone. The mention of 1967 borders brought one of Benyamin Netanyahu’s instant responses, described as “icy” by […]
Obama’s speech sounded like it was written by committee Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–On Nakba Day, thousands of Palestinians from Syria and Lebanon, as well as Gaza, marched toward Israel. On the border between the Golan Heights and Syria, the IDF was expecting the focus to be somewhere else, and by the time a handful of soldiers came to confront the marchers, some 150 of
‘Nakba’ border incidents have both sides preparing for more Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Some years ago, Ehud Barak said that if he had been born a Palestinian, he would probably have become a freedom fighter. It was a rare hint of personal warmth in a man described by colleagues as one of the coldest fishes in Israeli politics. Barak’s military career featured a
Israeli centrists buffeted by Israeli rightists and Palestinians Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Why the fascination with this little corner of the world? Israelis and Palestinians are not engaged in the bloodiest of conflicts. Neither of us can claim to be the most threatened or oppressed. Yet Israelis are at the focus of supervision, criticism, and the threat of sanctions, while the Palestinians are coddled.
Does ego drive Obama’s Middle East policies? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The word is that Barack Obama is about to lay on the table an updated plan for Israel and Palestine. According to one of Israel’s most widely read newspapers, the President will deliver a “speech of greater closeness” to Muslims.Will this be another learning experience for the American president at
Obama may further tip toward Palestinians in upcoming Mideast plan Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–During a week when Israel is celebrating its 63rd birthday, it is appropriate to take another look at its accomplishments and the receptions given them. Israel is among the most successful of the 100 or so countries that came on the scene as the result of World War II and the collapse of
World, U.S. judiciary, hold Jews to different standards Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu returned from visits with British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarcozy, and claimed victory for his diplomatic mission. He said that both heads of governments had assured him that Hamas must recognize Israel before Palestine becomes a state. Reports from France and Britain are different.
Netanyahu lobbies Europeans to maintain status quo on Palestine Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — I find much of the literature on political culture to be persuasive, and I have worked in enough American states and other countries to experience variations myself. People differ in their values and behaviors, and often think that their way is the best or even the only way of dealing with
American pep rallies celebrating Bin-Laden’s death were unseemly Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — I do not claim expertise on Islam, but when I hear President Barack Obama assert, once again when reporting on the killing of Osama bin Laden, that America’s quarrel is not with Islam, I feel myself hearing that the sun will rise in the west. The claim that Al Qaeda,
U.S. not at war with Islam? How about with some of its branches? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — These are days that cause me to ponder the nature of government. On the one hand, we see the fragility of strong regimes on our borders and not so far away. What may have begun with the rejection of a small business license in Tunisia has spread to where the
Is U.S. power, prestige, resurging with bin-Laden killing? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The variety of days set aside to remember the Holocaust is part of its story. The Holocaust was not the only case of genocide in history, and perhaps not the most thorough in the sense that something like two-thirds of the Jews were not killed, and the remnant has gone on to
Israelis, worldwide Jewry commemorate Holocaust in a variety of ways Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It looks like they lost the farm. The reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas surprised Mahmoud Abbas as well as Israelis. Fatah’s leadership had signed a draft agreement in 2009, and Hamas’ signing on this week came out of the blue. Or, on the basis of a post hoc analysis,
Hamas-Fatah reconciliation counterproductive to Palestinian cause Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The commotion, fighting, and death roiling through Arab countries is likely to produce several kinds of consequences. At the most extreme, it cannot be pleasant to be a Libyan or Syrian, wondering who will suffer from immediate attack or subsequent persecution. Who knows what kind of government will follow the upsets in
Arab turmoil reflected in Israeli debate Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — No one should claim that Barack Obama is a foreign policy sophisticate. His Nobel Peace Prize will keep historians busy speculating for generations. We might forgive his pledges to close Guantanamo and focus the American commitment in Afghanistan as electoral fluff, but Guantanamo is still active as his campaign for
Obama may have Nobel Prize but in foreign policy he needs help Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USA