Israel

Direct Etihad passenger flights to Israel; the formation of Kosher Arabia which will apparently make it easier to get kosher food in Abu Dhabi and Dubai than in Sydney or Melbourne; a public sukkah in front of the world famous Burj Khalifa Tower; and normalisation with Sudan around the corner. …

In spite of the title of this posting being potentially ominous in tone, I begin with a brief good news item: It rained on Tuesday here in Jerusalem, and only in Jerusalem. The rainfall ‒ accompanied by thunder and exceedingly heavy for a brief time ‒ was a real surprise. …

When last I wrote about the painful electoral situation in the US, I said I would return to news about Israel very soon. And so, here I am. But as I began to consider the focus for this posting, a familiar sense of sadness came over me: There is so …

Part of the avowed rationale for the accords was to create enhanced access for all Muslims to worship at al-Aqsa Mosque. When he dedicated the Temple he built on Mount Moriah, King Solomon prayed that God’s house would be a center of prayer for all the peoples of the world. …

Years ago, a survey was done in Japan, where people were asked how many people were there in Israel. The top of the bell curve answer came back with 125 million people, about the same population as Japan itself. Clearly, the people in Japan were impressed by Israel’s ubiquitous presence …

I am speaking at a national level here in Israel, not a personal level.  Nevertheless, before Yom Kippur is absolutely the right time to ask the question. We have been watching the unfolding of a new international dynamic with several nations in turn – predominantly Arab/Muslim nations – agreeing/or giving …

Less than a month after the normalization agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain has also joined the peace train.  I am all for it; peace and normalization are always better than war and animosity.  To be honest, I don’t see that the rest of the world is so …

For the Labor Party, the fall from the heights of political hegemony to the depth of political oblivion is a fitting fate for the perpetration of the Oslo Accords, which ran counter to every prevailing Zionist norm of the time Kryptonite: Something that can seriously weaken or harm a particular …

It’s quite amazing how the State of Israel at this moment in time, has become a mirror image of the two sides of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s operating styles. Internally, whilst the raison d’etre for the formation of this coalition government was to fight Covid 19, it has descended into a …

Rosh Hashanah begins on Friday night, and will be celebrated here from within a lockdown. None the less, we always look to better times.  And so I begin this posting with a heartfelt prayer that this coming year, 5781, will be one that is rich in blessings:  A year of …

We here in Israel are dealing with shifting international scenarios that are a bit unsettling;  For there is no certainty as to how they will play out. I allude, of course, to the evolving détente with various nations – primarily Aran and Muslims nations that Israel has long been accustomed …

While the normalization with the UAE could definitely entail significant benefits for Israel it is still somewhat premature to celebrate the onset of lasting amity—rather than enmity—in the region. Put your trust in God, my boys, but mind to keep your powder dry – attributed to Oliver Cromwell, prior to …

Although it has ostensibly been in power for much of the post Oslowian era, it is clear that the “Right” has not internalized the exigencies of political warfare.  To bring a knife to a gunfight: To enter into a confrontation…without being adequately equipped or prepared.—Phrases.com One of the most perplexing …

Life is not simple for Israel, and we delude ourselves when we imagine it is. Always there is the unexpected, the undertow, the splash in the face. ~~~ Particularly is this the case with political issues. Today I want to look at Israeli sovereignty, a very political issue. All of …

The Supreme Court’s recent decision exemplified the Talmudic mandate that those who are merciful to the cruel will end up being cruel to the merciful. Israel’s High Court of Justice, our Supreme Court, has accomplished the seemingly impossible: It has managed to get Bibi Netanyahu and Benny Gantz to agree …

Making sense of a world that seems more convoluted day by day is impossible.  None-the-less, I’m going to give it my best shot.  Be sure to read to the end for two good news items that will provide a badly needed smile and a bit of uplift. ~~~~~~~~~~ We look first …

Once again, and as has been the case for some time now, there are only two central players in Israel’s political arena – Bibi, the flawed human being and Prime Minister Netanyahu, the statesman. Bibi against whom the discontent of the demonstrators and beyond, manifests itself throughout daily life in …

The White House has announced that Israel and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to sign a peace agreement which will see the two nations establish full diplomatic relations, and “the exchange of ambassadors and cooperation on a broad range of areas, including tourism, education, healthcare, trade, and security.”  The …

The news was startling and in some respects very exciting: On Thursday, first President Trump and then Prime Minister Netanyahu made the announcement: United Arab Emirates (a Sunni Gulf state that is a federation of seven sheikdoms) has agreed to normalize ties with Israel. In coming weeks, delegations will be …

First, a clarification: One reader recently posed a question about my origins, and it is possible that others may wonder as well. I was born in the US, and spent a good part of my life there: I still pay US taxes and vote in American elections. I am passionate …