For those interested in the J Street vs. professor Alan Dershowitz debate that reached a climax earlier this year at the AIPAC conference, the feud has been elevated to new heights, with both groups chiming in to lambaste one another. Dershowitz threw the latest punch, alleging that J Street could no longer claim to be pro-Israel, noting […]
Even though the Obama administration has publicly clashed with Netanyahu administration, resulting in what some have called a crisis, the White House has floated the idea of drafting a new peace proposal. Some reports indicate that U.S. and Israeli officials have secretly begun ironing out differences, with the top state department Middle East advisory traveling […]
Israelis celebrated Independence Day this week, rejoicing in the streets, on the beach, at barbecues, and dancing to music at concerts throughout the country. While Israelis rejoice, some in society are not quite as happy, namely Arabs and Palestinians who label Israeli independence as the “Nakba,” which is translated as “the Catastrophe.” Protesters “mourning” the Nakba carried Palestinian […]
Israeli Memorial Day leads right into Independence Day, thereby creating an interesting shift from a somber attitude and into exuberance. Well, the focus has been on independence, but Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s speech is interesting, with Bibi issuing a strong message that Israel is here to stay.
The Obama administration has been notoriously cast as anti-Israel. But, at least Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is a fan. She spoke at the AIPAC conference last month and just issued a video commemorating Israel’s 62nd anniversary. The State Department tends to issue short statements in response to the anniversary of a country’s independence. However, […]
The rhetoric on the Iran nuclear program is all falling into place, and it appears that Israel, the United States and even Iran are bracing for a military confrontation. On the eve of Memorial Day, the Israeli government has warned that it will not face destruction. The United States military is weighing all its options. […]
Economic development in the West Bank has largely been used as an indication that rejecting terrorism and accepting Israel’s legitimacy can transform Palestinian society into a viable independent state. The economic situations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip differ substantially, in part because the Gaza Strip has no economy, complicated by the closure of its borders […]
Israelis tend to love vacationing in Sinai, a small peninsula situated in Egypt that was once occupied by Israel before its return as part of a peace deal. Sinai is somewhat like the Israeli beach town of Eilat — they’re both on the Red Sea and boast some of the world’s best scuba diving. But, that’s about […]
As news headlines on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict center on civilian casualties and the Obama administration’s efforts to reboot negotiations, some tragic stories are lost in the shuffle, even though they highlight some interesting nuances on regional politics. Over the last two weeks, a saga has unfolded to save the lives of the first conjoined twins […]
The BBC is debating the merits of whether Israel is getting a free pass from the United States and the world regarding its nuclear program. You know my thoughts from yesterday’s post, but others seem to disagree. Read the discussion here and feel free to defend (or, if you must, refute) your Israel blogger’s position. […]
Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is embroiled in a series of corruption scandals, could face arrest when he returns to Israel as authorities are cracking down on his associates and placing a gag order over domestic media to limit leaks about the investigation and pending arrests. At issue is a corruption and bribery investigation […]
As the United States and Russia sign a nuclear arms treaty and the world’s leaders are preparing to discuss nuclear weapons at length next week, Israel isn’t interested to chat about the sensitive subject of its nuclear arsenal. Complicating the issue reportedly are key Israel allies that could be attempting to gain legitimacy in the […]
Israel has a vibrant democracy, where political representation in the Knesset is directly proportional to the votes cast throughout the country. While there have been some criticisms of restrictions on who is permitted to vote (Palestinians are generally not), Israel still maintains stringent free speech guidelines. In fact, many criticisms of Israel stem from internal […]
The race for a Hillary Clinton’s old Senate seat is at the forefront of observations from the bulk of political observers. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand was appointed to the seat and faces a tough opponent from former Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford. Further, the winner of that battle then could face rough opposition from a Republican. But, virtual […]
Tensions between the United States and Israel have rapidly escalated lately, fueled in part by continued Israeli construction in controversial areas, including East Jerusalem. The Obama administration has repeatedly implored the Israeli government to expand a freeze on settlements to include Jerusalem, an issue at the forefront of meetings last week between Prime Minister Binyamin […]