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 — After several days of stuttering about a lack of proof and not wanting to rely on the intelligence of a foreign country, the US Secretary of Defense has admitted that it appears Syria has used a few chemical weapons. Thus the US comes into line with Israeli and European intelligence […]
World will watch U.S. action on Syria’s chemical use Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — This week’s headlines have featured two separate quarrels of the kind that fascinate policy mavens, even while they cause us simpletons to scratch our heads and wonder who, if anyone, is right. One of them–or actually two separate but closely related quarrels–is of the kind that stirs interest and concern
Red lines and tourist lines Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The Internet has become our principal media of communication. Print newspapers are struggling to find their niche, or caving in and going digital. Skype has become a costless way to talk across the world. It is free enterprise and its best and worst. Best because it provides absolute freedom of
Fact-checking a lost art with the Internet Read More »
Ira SharkanskyBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There has been enough already written about the Chechen brothers of Boston to fill a library, and it’s still coming. We’ll never know for sure what produced the decisions of those two young men, and whoever else may have been involved. We’ve already heard from the White House that the
Does U.S. need tougher screening for visitors? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Wednesday morning’s news was of two rockets that fell in the outskirts of Eilat. There was no significant damage, but the reminder was clear about the unsettled nature of the Sinai, and the lack of Egyptian control. At the same time, rockets also landed across the border in the Jordanian city
Troubles in Eilat, Golan…and Boston Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — While Americans are working to understand the latest affront to their security, Israelis are passing through the annual cycle of three days marking the tragedies associated with the Holocaust and Israel’s security, and the nation’s successes since Independence. Claims of exploiting the Holocaust for political gain are prominent on the
Tisha b’Av, Yom Hashaoh, Yom HaZikaron Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Jewish ReligionBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — A hundred meters from these fingers is a border between civilizations. To the east of that border is the “village,” “suburb,” or “neighborhood” of Isaweea. With more than 20,000 residents, the label “village” is misleading, but that’s the term many use. “Suburb” suggests something outside of Jerusalem, but it is
In Israel, it’s us and them and them Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–You may have come upon headlines describing recent talks between American Secretary of State John Kerry, the Israelis and Palestinians as “very constructive,” with Kerry upbeat about the prospects of continued progress. Ha’aretz is not on the same wave. The lead article in Thursday’s Internet edition begins with, “Israel rejects Kerry’s gestures
Israel reportedly rejects Kerry’s pressure for peace gestures Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–“To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.” The source is Winston Churchill, on the occasion of a White House meeting with Dwight Eisenhower in 1954, to co-ordinate positions against Communism when Vietnam was a serious blot on the horizon. It also helps to explain the efforts of Barack Obama and John
Does U.S. believe endless talk is an alternative to war? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Yet another Holocaust Memorial Day is upon us, and no surprise that it is competing in the media with yet another rumble concerned with the elusive peace process that some hope may establish Israel beyond the fear of another Holocaust. Actual survivors are said to be dying at the rate
Are Survivors more deserving than other old folks? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The news reminds me of a Kingston Trio ballad that begins with They’re rioting in Africa, They’re starving in Spain. There’s hurricanes in Florida, And Texas needs rain The whole world is festering With unhappy souls. Take your pick for what is most festering this week: The North Korean threat
Troubles, troubles everywhere–but it could be worse Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Not much is new under the Middle Eastern sun. One or another of the Gazan gangs began shooting rockets toward Israel about the time of the visit to Israel and Palestine (not the Gazan portion) of Barack Obama. So far, there are more reports of injury and damage from rockets that didn’t
In these times, it’s well to remember Ecclesiastes Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — We did not intend to flee Jerusalem when the great man arrived, but we saw no reason to change our plans when we heard about his trip. On the basis of previous presidential visits, we knew that the city would be dysfunctional. Our visit to Greece provided insights into the
Obama gained ground with Israelis, lost it with Palestinians Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky ATHENS — It’s never been easy governing an empire. So many cultures, and so many problems of communication across distances, languages, and local efforts to evade dictates from the center. Cyrus, the Persian emperor of the 6th century BCE, has an esteemed place in Jewish tradition, and helped to define the way of
The difficulties of empires, American and ancient Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky