Why War Between Israel and Iran is Unlikely Today
Though I’ve been expecting a hot war soon, recent developments are changing my mind. The strategy of deterrence and interdiction seems to be working on our northern border, and firm resistance to Hamas’ attempts to overrun our southern one seems – so far – to be effective.
The Times They Are A Changing
Today many of Israel's elite are “post-Zionists,” citizens of the world. They are embarrassed by Zionist patriotism. How else to explain why they oppose the Nation-State Law which does nothing more than express the idea that the Jewish people have a collective right of self-determination?
Israel and the US are on a Collision Course Over Iran
I can see one way out of the dilemma
What Does Zionism Really Mean?
I want to be more specific about the meaning of Zionism today: I say it is the belief that the State of Israel is the state of and for the Jewish people, and not a “state of its citizens.”
The Identity Politics Rebellion
Identity politics can be democratic in the sense that there can be elections. But it is inconsistent with what we know as “liberal democracy,” because the division of power, wealth, and rights in identity politics is based on group membership rather than ability, work ethic, or moral standing.
Another Battle in Israel’s Culture War
The fact that such a measure is seriously thought to be needed is an indication of the furious political/culture war that is being waged in Israel today, between a small avant-garde of academics, artists, and media people, and the rest of Israeli society.
Conflict Roots Go Deep–Very Deep
Why do they hate us? It doesn’t matter. It’s not worth arguing about who started it and who’s right or wrong, except as an academic exercise. What is important is that the conflict is not amenable to the solutions being offered
BDS: Totally Ineffective Yet Extremely Dangerous
Once it’s established that “Palestine” is a good cause, then the more that a person aspires to moral goodness, the more anti-Israel they become. It doesn’t hurt that preexisting antisemitic conditioning, subliminally present in both non-Jews and Jews, makes it easy to see Israel as evil.
Urgent Advice to My Fellow Jews
To European Jews – and I include the UK – I have a simple message: get out. The natives don’t like you (they never did) and Islamification is exploding. It can’t get better, only worse
The Arrogance and Ignorance of Tikkunist Jews
Tikkunism is a radical departure from traditional Judaism. Reform Judaism deemphasized the “ritual” commandments like observance of kashrut and Shabbat, while emphasizing the “social” commandments like concern for strangers, widows, and orphans, and the political vision of the Prophets. Tikkunism goes even farther and redefines the social commandments and in terms of progressive politics.
Kahane Was Right
Kahane was absolutely right about one thing, and it is a big thing: Jews and Arabs cannot coexist as equals in Eretz Yisrael (by which I mean the land between the river and the sea). The Land of Israel must be the exclusive property of the Jewish people.
The Reform Jewish al-Aqsa
Israelis couldn’t possibly care less about mixed gender prayer. But for liberal American Jews, it plays the same role as “al-Aqsa is in danger” does for Arabs, inciting fury against Israel and its leadership.
The Perverse and Vicious Weaponization of the Palestinian “Refugee”
Why have the Arab nations have allowed the issue of Palestinian refugees to continue? One simple reason which I call the First Principle of Arab Leadership: it is always more important to hurt Jews than to help Arabs.
The First Actual Palestinian-American in Congress (and He Was Jewish)
Did you know that there was a Palestinian-American in the House long before anyone else, who was in fact the only one who was actually a citizen of “Palestine,” and who had a Palestinian passport? And that he was Jewish?
How Multicultural, Intersectional Post-Colonialism Takes us Back to the Middle Ages
The 'identity politics' that supposedly grew out of concern for human rights then turns around and negates those rights. This supposed progress turns back time, hurting us all.
Yes, it’s a Coup
There are ad hoc groups of former security officials, etc.--and then there is Ehud Barak.
Why They Attack Jews in New York
I have been searching for a coherent statement by an assailant. Most of them don’t get past “f- you, Jews.” But it seems to me that they blame Jews for something, and feel justified in hurting them. The consequences of doing it are not great, so why not?
Who’s Intolerant?
Israel is no. 100 on the list of countries by population. Following it are Switzerland, Togo, Sierra Leone, Hong Kong, and Laos. I haven’t noticed pressure on these countries to take tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.
What is the State of Israel for?
Imagine an Israel without its Zionist purpose (and very quickly, without its Jewish majority). How long would it survive? Why would anyone want to fight for it? Would Jews and Arabs make common cause in support of a liberal, democratic state?
Antisemitism: Far Worse than You Thought
Weiss wants to fight antisemitism by being honest, liberal, proud, and enlightened. All those qualities are useless against enemies that are precisely the opposite in all respects, and that is the case with antisemites. There is only one way to deter your enemies, and that is to be more powerful than them – and to demonstrate this whenever the occasion arises.
Case for Regime Change in Iran
Iran’s fingerprints have been found on terrorist attacks all over the world, including Latin America and Europe. With Iran out of the equation, many problems though not solved, would be at least simplified.
Timidity is no Virtue
Right now Israel is facing a momentous decision to do something that is practically nothing.
Taking the Ghetto out of the Jew
Some pay lip service to the idea of Israel as a Jewish state. It upsets them when they encounter the condemnation of the anti-Zionist world., so they come up with reasons to oppose the Nation-State Law and other overt expressions of Zionism. But their real motivation is embarrassment.
No, it’s NOT about “RACE”
There is no shortage of hatred here in our region, but it is not racism. And it is mostly Jew-hatred on the Arab side. There are some Jews that hate Arabs, usually because of a bad experience, such as experiencing terrorism, but the government, media, and cultural establishment have sent a message of peace and tolerance since the beginning of the state and especially since the Oslo period of the 1990s
Too Much Democracy?
The degree to which the key people in Blue and White – as well as their partner Avigdor Lieberman – have both personal and political animus against Binyamin Netanyahu can’t be overemphasized. But the fact that they appear to be ready to become indebted to and wholly dependent on anti-Zionist parties in order to accomplish their goal of forcing him out is shocking.
Keeping Our Honor in the Middle East
While Israel has great military power at hand, it keeps squandering its honor.
Mrs. Keret’s delusion
The European-supported Left in Israel works to encourage Israelis to feel guilty toward Palestinians, and to make Palestinians more angry at the Jews.
What Do You Say to Someone Who Just Tried to Murder You?
I felt sorry and sad when I saw the 16-year old Arab girl lying in the road after she was shot. She was someone’s...
Antisemitism and the Jewish State
And that is why a Jewish state, even though the fact of its existence does not itself prevent antisemitism, is invaluable in ending it. A stateless people is a powerless one, and the use of power is the best remedy for Jew-hatred.
A Nobel Prize for Donald Trump?
Trump may have cut the Gordian Knot in the Middle East. If the American voters give him time to follow through, he may be able to prevent Iran from going nuclear and might even end the Arab war against Israel, after some 100-odd years.