Three years ago, on July 4, Abu Bakr el-Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic State, ascended a pulpit in Mosul’s historic Al Nuri Grand Mosque and proclaimed himself ruler of its self-declared caliphate in Iraq and Syria. “I do not promise you, as the kings and rulers promise their followers and congregations, luxury, security and relaxation,” […]
Intent on laying the groundwork for a resumption of bilateral peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, U.S. President Donald Trump sent his top Mideast negotiators, Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, to Jerusalem and Ramallah last week. Three years after the last round of American-sponsored negotiations broke down in a welter of mutual recriminations, […]
If Israel is ever to make peace with the Palestinians, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have to display a lot more courage and backbone. In recent days, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that Netanyahu was prepared to restart peace talks with the Palestinians, broken off three years ago, in the hope of negotiating a comprehensive […]
One of the busiest thoroughfares in Tel Aviv, Kaplan Street, leads to a host of nearby destinations — the Azrieli towers, the Arlozoroff railway station, the Ayalon expressway, the Israeli government media center and one of the city’s newest and most historically interesting attractions, the Sarona market, an upscale complex of more than 90 shops, […]
Denying the undeniable, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on May 30 that the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad had nothing whatsoever to do with the recent spate of deadly chemical weapon attacks in Syria. “According to our information, there is no proof that chemical weapons were used by Assad,” Putin told the French newspaper Le […]
Much to the disappointment of the right-wing nationalist camp in Israel, U.S. President Donald Trump may yet turn out to be something a dud. Israeli right-wingers, buoyed by his staunchly pro-Israel statements and comments during the presidential campaign, expected him to grant Israel carte blanche in its dealings with the Palestinians, display a tolerant attitude […]
Diverging from his predecessor’s policy, U.S. President Donald Trump has adopted a tougher approach to Iran, a position that pleases major American allies in the Middle East. Israel and Sunni Arab states were upset by Barack Obama’s advocacy of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear agreement signed by the six major powers and […]
I was a young man when the Six Day War broke out on June 5, 1967, a date stamped indelibly into my memory. In the life of a person, there are only a handful of select events that one never forgets, and the Six Day War is one of them. On that warm, sunny morning in […]
The rhetorical flourishes flew thick and fast during U.S. President Donald Trump’s 28-hour whirlwind visit to Israel. Describing his trip as “unforgettable,” Trump, in sonorous language, hit the right notes. He spoke of the profound attachment of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. He reaffirmed the United States’ close bond with Israel. He […]
I rarely agree with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose brand of right-wing politics and opportunistic regard for political self-preservation alienate me profoundly. But I found myself in agreement with him the other day when he lambasted a decision by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem not to play the Israeli national anthem, Hatikvah, at a […]