Contrary to the common perception, US President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem could have an unintended consequence that could profoundly alter the current, one-sided dynamic. So far, this decision has revealed to the world that U.S. is not an honest broker and that the […]
US allies in the Middle East now see Iran as the primary threat in the region, and might be willing to accept a lesser deal on Palestine in order to gain Israeli support. The announcement this month by the Trump administration that the United States would recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, and eventually move […]
By Shahar Golan. Trump’s declaration bolsters Bibi’s claim that he can overlook Palestinian issue and avoid international isolation
Russia’s new status as a pivotal nation in the Middle East’s security environment is pushing Israel and Egypt to rekindle their relations.
The disputed status of Jerusalem will ostensibly be under review by the U.S. Supreme Court today. Zivotofsky v. Kerry asks whether the president’s so-called “foreign affairs power” — based on his textual duty to “receive ambassadors and other public ministers” — ousts Congress from directing foreign policy.
Avinoam Bar-Yosef is the President and the Founding Director of the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute (JPPI), an independent policy planning think tank based in Jerusalem.
A turning point may have been reached in Jerusalem with the development of a recent plan to offer a sacred area each to two separate groups. Alas, even before implementation of that plan could occur, though, a riot and violence erupted. That paradigm has torpedoed peace processes between Israel and the Palestinians time and time again. Whether […]
Iran today is well-positioned to leverage the Arab world’s difficult political transition to religious-based politics and influence this transition to suit its geopolitical interests. After a 15-month hiatus marked by mutual distrust and reciprocal accusations of insincerity to negotiate, on April 14 Istanbul hosted a new round of negotiations between Iran and the world’s major powers […]
What will Jerusalem be like in twenty years? Today, the city is divided into predominately Jewish west Jerusalem and predominately Palestinian east Jerusalem. East Jerusalem itself is striped with both Palestinian and Jewish neighborhoods. Quality of life in different neighborhoods varies dramatically, but it is safe to say that Jerusalem’s Jews enjoy a far greater […]
JERUSALEM–When journalists go out on the streets to report, it is usually to record a newsworthy story. But what about when reporters search for violence? Look at the recent events in Jerusalem surrounding Al-Aqsa mosque. Rumors that extremist religious Jews were planning to enter Al-Aqsa and pray there sparked widespread calls for Muslims to take […]
JERUSALEM–The past few days in Jerusalem have been uneasy ones. In a city that teeters on the verge of violence on a fairly regular basis, the height of the week long Jewish holiday season of Sukkot added an element of unrest. The holiday draws a large number of Jewish visitors from around the world and […]
Guest Blog by Gidon Belmaker—visit his blog, The Jerusalemite, here. Too much ink has been wasted in newspapers around the world about the row between Israel and the US, caused by the Shepherd hotel building permits. A permit to build 20 new housing units in East Jerusalem was issued to a Jewish-American entrepreneur, that’s the […]