Tag Archives: Judaea and Samaria

FACT: On November 18, 2019, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo expressed the Trump administration’s position that “the establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not per se inconsistent with international law.”  This was inaccurately described in the media as a reversal of long standing American policy.  In …

I have written before about the importance of semantics in the discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how frustrated many people are about losing various battles over nomenclature, such as references to the disputed territories as “occupied,” and “Judaea and Samaria” as the West Bank.  An arguably more important semantic …

The 29th November, or as it is known in Hebrew “Kaf Tet beNovember”, a very significant date in Israeli history, fell last week.  It was the date of the UN Resolution, Resolution 181, to partition then-Palestine into two states, Israel for the Jews and Palestine for the Arabs.  As we …

Benny Gantz, failing to put together a governing coalition, returned the mandate to the president, this evening, Wednesday. The next step is a period of three weeks during which any member of the Knesset who can garner the support of 61 MKs will be given two weeks to put together …

History was made on Monday evening when US Defence Secretary Mike Pompeo made the historic announcement that the US refutes the concept of the illegality of the settlements – otherwise known as Jewish homes and factories in Judaea and Samaria. He said that this was not an issue of international …

Our Prime Minister has been outspoken about the need for social media companies to stop the spread of violent and inciting material.  Particularly in the wake of a terror attack on New Zealand soil, this would seem to be an indication that our government takes terror seriously. However, some actions …

When you look at the facts on the ground I think it’s clear to say that the so-called ‘Palestinians’ do not want PEACE, or maybe some people do, but their leaders do not. Maybe if they do have peace it will be the end of the *gravy train for the …

MYTH Palestine was always an Arab country. FACT The term “Palestine” is believed to be derived from the Philistines, an Aegean people who, in the twelfth century BCE, settled along the Mediterranean coastal plain — now Israel and the Gaza Strip. In the second century CE, after crushing the last …

In the past couple of weeks, while we have been having a family health crisis, it has not been quiet and peaceful at all on our borders and within country. The worst attack was a combined shooting and stabbing at Ariel Junction, scene of several previous attacks. A soldier, Gal …

The two-state paradigm’s deadly detriments are now so glaringly apparent that it is becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile calls for Palestinian statehood with genuine concern for the well-being of the Jewish nation-state.    Ladies and gentlemen, when the Palestinians say “two states” they do not mean what we mean—Maj-Gen. (res.) …

    And I do not think the world ever will, for we are an extraordinary people. These are tough times here in Israel, as we confront horrendous terrorism. And what we have seen in the past several days are instances of remarkable courage and strength – positive thinking in …

Two major developments this past week could see a large part of Judaea and Samaria (West Bank) being reunified with Jordan – as existed between 1950 and 1967 – or becoming a Jordanian enclave – under President Trumps’ yet-to-be- announced “ultimate deal” intended to resolve the100 years-old Arab-Jewish conflict. Those developments …

What I sense in the air is not a fireworks display, but a sense of progress: A movement in the right direction, in both senses of that word.  Imperfect, less steady or defined than we might like, but progress. I don’t celebrate the secular new year, but I imagine that …

We say to him [Netanyahu], when he claims that they [Jews] have a historical right dating back to 3000 years B.C.E.—we say that the nation of Palestine upon the land of Canaan had a 7,000-year history B.C.E. This is the truth, which must be understood, and we have to note …

Given the resistance to removing hundreds of thousands of Jews from their ancient homeland in Judaea-Samaria, an egregious idea is emerging: Instead of evacuation, abandonment The settlements would remain Israeli enclaves inside a Palestinian state. This will enable the establishment of an independent Palestinian state without dismantling Israeli settlements and …

“Hell is truth seen too late”, wrote Thomas Hobbes in The Leviathan, his philosophical political masterpiece. Few are those who, like Martin Sherman, have the insight to see clearly enough the shape of truth in relation to the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the boldness to say things that not so many …

Words are used to explain reality but they can also be used to shape reality, to create it. Sometimes exchanging a single word for another can change the picture entirely. Personally, I don’t believe there is any neutrality on the issue of Israel.  There are people who are uninvolved and …

Before I begin my news, I would like to make a request of my readers: The Legal Grounds Campaign, which I co-chair with Jeff Daube, is seeking to increase its membership. Numbers are very important in demonstrating the strength of our campaign.  This is especially so with regard to the …

Purim is upon us – it will be celebrated after Shabbat, except for Jerusalem, a walled city, which celebrates Shushan Purim a day later. I do not expect to write again until some time after Shushan Purim. And so I want to now wish everyone a Purim Sameach! With a …

The “Humanitarian Paradigm”, advocating funded emigration for the resolution of the “Palestinian problem”, will be the most humane of all options if it succeeds, and the least inhumane if it does not. Even if the Palestinians agree that their state have no army or weapons, who can guarantee that a …