By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel–I have been asked by some very brave Iranian bloggers to answer their questions, which they translate into Persian here and here and make available within Iran. I am told there is a good response from their readers. Here are two of my responses. Question: Why doesn’t Israel and Israelis protest […]
What some Iranian bloggers want to know about Israel Read More »
Middle EastSHIKMIM, Israel (WJC) – Former prime minister Ariel Sharon, who has been in a coma for nearly five years, has been brought to his farm in the Negev for the first time since his massive strokes in January 2006. A large police force was involved in the drive down to Sharon’s Shikmim (Sycamore) Ranch. The 82-year-old was
Homecoming for comatose Ariel Sharon Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–There was a seven-hour meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Secretary of State Clinton. It closed with mutual declarations of commitment to a peace process, fuzzy definitions of what was agreed, and no assignment of blame for the impasse to one side or another. The New York Times reported that
Only a bland statement emerges from 7-hour Netanyahu-Clinton meeting Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–Here is the text of a joint statement made by Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton following their meeting in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Nov. 11: “Prime Minister Netanyahu and Secretary Clinton had a good discussion today, with a friendly and productive exchange of views on
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — This is getting to be a pretty common kind of story. The mayor of Frankfurt invites a Jewish intellectual whose family left Germany in 1932 to speak on the anniversary of Kristallnacht. The problem is that this man, Alfred Grosser, is a ferocious critic of Israel. Grosser claims
Jewish and crave worldwide applause? Simply bash Israel Read More »
International, Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release)–Representatives from leading American service organizations, including Teach for America, Peace Corps, City Year, and other organizations will travel to Israel in next week to explore volunteering opportunities offered through Masa Israel Journey. With young adults’ growing interest in international volunteer opportunities, Masa Israel, a joint project of the Government of Israel
U.S. service organizations to tour Israel, study Masa program Read More »
Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C (Press Release)– U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton conducted a joint press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 10, with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit. It was the second with an Arab official in the same day. Earlier she and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad held a news conference via television hookup. As she had
With Egyptian Foreign Minister at her side, Clinton continues to criticize Israel Read More »
Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced a program of financial aid to the Palestinian Authority in a joint news conference with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad via his television hook-up from Ramallah. Here is a text: MR. CROWLEY: Good morning and welcome to the Department of State. We have a
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Here are two developments that are important indicators about the Israel-Palestinian situation. First, the current Palestinian Authority (PA) strategy is to stall and avoid negotiations because making a deal with Israel requires giving concessions to get to a compromise peace. The leadership wants to make no concessions, both because
Why the P.A. has no interest in the current ‘peace talks’ Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Again Israel was front and center on the web site of the New York Times, along with a picture and a headline: “Israel Plans 1,000 Housing Units in East Jerusalem.” Read the article. The content is more modest by far than the headline or the prominent placement. It reports that the area
New York Times headline overplays Jerusalem construction story Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release)–The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has criticized reported plans being pushed by the Obama Administration for the creation of a Palestinian state on all of Judea and Samaria with parts of eastern Jerusalem and the strategically vital Jordan Valley to be “leased” by Israel from it. Media reports are discussing a
ZOA: Palestine-Israel lease-back plan a ‘non-starter’ Read More »
Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami on Monday, Nov. 8, released the following statement upon the Israeli Government’s announcement of the construction of 1,300 new apartments in East Jerusalem: “J Street is profoundly disappointed that the Israeli government has chosen this moment to announce yet another large round of construction in East Jerusalem.
J Street ‘profoundly disappointed’ by new construction in East Jerusalem Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Living alongside the Arab neighborhood of Issawiya has its moments. Items from the weekend’s news: Israelis accompanying an Australian tourist made a wrong turn into the neighborhood, and narrowly escaped a lynching. In another incident, neighborhood folks stoned an ambulance that entered the area to tend a resident who had been injured
Life on the boundary of a Jewish neighborhood and an Arab one Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Christians in Iraq have been, and not for the first time, deliberately targeted in a major terrorist attack. Indeed, from Indonesia to Pakistan to Iraq, from the Gaza Strip to Egypt to Sudan to Nigeria, Christians are being assaulted, intimidated, and murdered by militant Muslims. Yet virtually never do
Attack on Baghdad Church part of pattern of Muslim hostility towards Christians Read More »
Middle East