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 — Whenever there is a hiccup in the peace process, or signs of real crises between Israelis and Palestinians, the Israeli and international left trot out the one-state solution. Their message is that Israel will be stuck with one state between the Jordan and the Sea that will include both Israelis […]
Quiet steps short of peace ease Jewish-Arab relations Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM– John Kerry’s peace process is dying. Or it was born dead, despite having parents who praised its prospects. The fault is not Israel’s, nor Palestine’s, but John Kerry’s. Or maybe Barack Obama’s, due to his appointing a visionary for a job that is supposed to be serious. Kerry’s various ideas join
Taps for the Kerry peace process Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–If you want to be Jewish, you need a high tolerance for uncertainty. It’s an essential part of coping with ourselves and the goyim. There are periods of relative stability, and others of intense uncertainty. In recent days, the Israeli cousins have been at the intense end of the spectrum. We had
A tumultuous news week in Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Ehud Olmert has been part of Israeli government since his first election to the Knesset in 1973. He served on key committees dealing with foreign affairs, defense and finance; had a term as a minister without portfolio, climbed to the position of Health Mister, went higher as Mayor of Jerusalem, returned
Olmert case had many twists and turns Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–It’s hard to know whether to smirk, guffaw, dismiss as not surprising and more of the same, or bemoan the dimming of American civilization due to a recent article in the New York Times about legislation in Georgia and other states in behalf of guns. The article describes a wave of pro-gun
Pro-gun legislation indicates U.S. decline Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Change was the theme of Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign for the presidency. Much has happened since then, just as much as happened in any 6-year period as far back as we can remember. Among the questions: Have the changes been more positive than negative? And to what extent are one
A look at Barack Obama’s record and rhetoric Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Has Barack Obama been outfoxed in maneuvers about territory that the world should not worry about? Or is something greater at stake? On the one hand, Ukraine and Crimea are within what the world might recognize as the Russian sphere of influence. Anyone claiming that either the Ukraine or Crimea
Is Russia’s Crimean takeover just step one? Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Are the emperors wearing any clothes? We can ask the question about those leading the US, Israel, Palestine, and no doubt several other places. Israel’s Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon reached the headlines again for what ranking Americans perceived as insulting remarks about the weakness of the United States shown in dealing
Ya’alon flap: Serious breach with U.S. or simply theatre? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–A “failed state” is one that is unable to function according to western expectations, either to protect and provide decent services to its citizens, or to behave responsibly in international relations. Like most concepts in social science, it is best to think of more or less, rather than if a state is
Three ‘failed states’: Malaysia, Ukraine, Palestine Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–One of the best known and most useful lines in the analysis of things political and military comes from Carl von Clausewitz, a Prussian General who died in 1831. His treatise On War contains the phrase that still guides realists, “War is the continuation of Politik by other means” Politik can be
The calculus of Middle Eastern retaliation Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Let’s admit the unpleasant reality. Israel is a pariah in the Middle East and a nuisance for the West. The status of pariah is most apparent in the response of ranking Jordanians, as well as the mobs on its streets, to the killing of a young (30-something) Jordanian lower court judge during
Israel carries burden of being unpopular Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–On a visit to lecture at the US Military Academy at West Point, I heard from the Professor and Colonel who was my host that one of the important lessons being taught was given the acronym of KISS. Keep it simple, stupid. As I’ve reflect on that since then, it tells me that the US military
Two ideas of Israeli policy, kept simple Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Those who comment in international relations ought to begin with an admission that they know only part of what transpires. Much is secret. Issues are argued, decided, and implemented in heavy secrecy by one or more agencies of one or more governments. What gets into the public sector is likely to be,
Spin and lies complicate int’l relations Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Several of my correspondents have asked what we should do in the presence of our insoluble problem with the Palestinians. Immediately, not much. Wait for the dust to settle, both that raised by the present flurries of John Kerry, and the larger chaos throughout the Middle East, some of which we can
Not being accepted: Israel’s and Jews’ lot in life? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East