Tag Archives: Yair Lapid

Given that the government is trying to show unity, why is the Evyatar outpost being tackled so soon, if at all? The new government is trying to show its unity, not courting controversy, though there will inevitably be controversies thrust upon it. Given this orientation, it seems strange that Evyatar, …

“There are none so blind as those who will not see.” And it is beyond painful to me how many there are who will not see in Israel today. This posting will be brief and very much to the point, with more to follow shortly. Yesterday, in the Knesset, ceremonies …

The obscenity known as the “change government” is likely to come into existence this Sunday when Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin calls for a vote.  For it appears that the hodgepodge coalition put together by Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid, pictured) will in the end garner the necessary minimum of 61 votes. …

This, my friends, will be the shortest of postings. It is not necessary to deal now in all of the details of the prospective new “change government” that may have been forged last night—that appears to have been forged but is not yet finalized. What makes me heartsick is the …

Incredibly, dear readers, this title applies all too well to a number of subjects that I wish to touch upon.  I would obviously prefer that it would be otherwise, but it is so. I start with what is happening on the Israeli political scene, as it is, in my opinion, …

Yehuda Guetta, 19, who was a student at the Itamar Yeshiva, has succumbed to his wounds.  He is dead because he was Jewish. Yehuda was one of the three students who were targeted in a drive-by shooting at Tapuach Junction in the Shomron on Sunday evening.  He was the most …

The meaning of “vile” is fairly obvious.  But “maddening”? I am referring to the back-room bargaining and extensive game-playing that have been taking place as Prime Minister Netanyahu seeks a way to form a coalition and others seek to block him. It could drive one mad (as in crazy).    …

There are not a whole lot of people within the Israeli political system that I’m pleased with at the moment – and that is a polite understatement of major proportions. What evolved yesterday was the final stage of a process of wheeling and dealing that has been destructive for the …

Whilst this is being written before final election results are known there are a few things we can say. And before we come to that, for all of the justified frustration with the current election process in Israel, all forms of democracy have shortcomings. Netanyahu began his second term as …

By its unflagging support of the establishment of a homophobic, misogynistic Muslim-majority tyranny (a.k.a. a Palestinian state), America’s allegedly “progressive” Jewry reveals that it is, in fact, profoundly regressive Benjamin Netanyahu is a failed leader. He has led the State of Israel, once a proud example of a tenacious and …

Quagmire, morass, predicament.  Call it what you will, Israel’s current political situation is one hell of a mess. Actually, I call it a busha, a source of shame ‒ that some of our purported leaders have not managed (or have not chosen) to get their acts together to form a …

For weeks I was reticent about the intricacies of Israeli politics as the first stage of the campaign began to heat up.  It was all too complex – with new parties forming, and would-be members of the Knesset switching allegiance from one group to another or simply resigning. It was …

For MK Yair Lapid: Don’t wag your head when making a point. It makes you look even more arrogant than you are. – Lawrence Rifkin, Senior Editor, The Jerusalem Post. Full disclosure: This was not the topic I had in mind for this week. In fact, by late yesterday afternoon …

There is little that infuriates me more that the arrogance and ignorance of Yair Lapid, head of the Yesh Atid party, and the shameful myopia and shameless mendacity he exhibits. The greatest tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is that everyone knows how it will end. We will divide up the …

 Before I begin to discuss how it could be worse, a couple of housekeeping matters. First, dear readers, please know that I am working overtime on the Legal Grounds Campaign.  That’s a good thing, because it means we are developing a solid campaign to coincide with the formation of the …

Israel Advocacy Update. Written by Emily Gian. Media and Advocacy Director, Zionist Federation of Australia.. The Israeli elections are getting close, and with only three weeks to go before polling, the entire country is in full campaign mode. There has been plenty of analysis about the different parties (of which …

Before I get to the ugly stuff, let me begin with a lovely scene: Jerusalem in the snow. The snow fell this past Thursday night, accumulating to the better part of a foot and enfolding our beautiful city in a mantle of white. It is gone now because of heavy …

Well, we are 3 weeks or so into this truce and the answer to the first of our questions from August is self evident. Hamas appears to be committed to keeping the 1 month truce. I say appears, because once again Israel has been manoeuvred into a difficult decision. Having …

When all you seek is calm, while your adversary is committed to your total annihilation, what is a reasonable compromise? That he only annihilate half of you? Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad.  – Ancient proverb, misattributed to Euripides Q: What is the difference between …

Let me begin with a video of something I described last night from the Shloshim ceremonies at the Great Synagogue.  This is Lt. Col. Shai Abramson, Chief Cantor of the IDF, singing with choir in prayer for the soldiers of the IDF: For strength.  (And with thanks to Linda O.) …