The Golda wars

Gideon Levy in the liberal news- paper Ha’aretz (15.10.2009).
Those who are to blame for everything have been found: the “Goldstoners.” Not the occupation, the settlements, Israeli aggressiveness or brutality; just Goldstone. According to Ari Shavit (Haaretz, October 8), the spirit of Judge Richard Goldstone will bring the next war upon us, and it will be called [...]

Jewish voice for a JUST PEACE in the Middle East

We address all people, regardless of their religious beliefs and political opinions, who desire a just peace in the Middle East.
Everyone is welcome to join us. We have learned a lesson from the Holocaust: not to keep silent in the face of injustice and crime. We have joined forces because of this belief and because of the concern [...]

We Didn’t Start The Fire (VIDEO)

Harry Truman, Doris DayRed China, Johnnie Ray”South Pacific”, Walter WinchellJoe DiMaggioJoe McCarthy, Richard NixonStudebaker, televisionNorth Korea, South KoreaMarilyn Monroe

Arab Opinion: Bush Bad, Obama Good

Professor Shibley Telhami’s annual survey of Arab public opinion is out this week. It shows me that Barack Obama, who is due here in Cairo on June 4 to give an address to the Islamic world, has the chance to significantly reverse negative Arab attitudes toward the U.S. His mere election has already produced some welcome changes [...]

A Pilgrim’s Lack of Progress

It was nice that Pope Benedict XVI visited a mosque in Jordan and professed his “deep respect” for Islam. I’m glad he’s going to Yad Vashem, the profoundly moving memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. But overall, I’ve been underwhelmed so far by this papal pilgrimage to the Middle East–only the second such [...]

Why The Pope Can’t Help Middle Eastern Christians

Ever since the year 1204 AD, when the soldiers of the Fourth Crusade sacked the Christian city of Constantinople instead of “liberating” Jerusalem from Muslim rule, Christians in the Middle East have been understandably wary of emissaries of Rome. Today, as Christians in the Middle East prepare for the arrival of Pope Benedict on his [...]

The Spiders of Allah Strike Again

How do you end a conflict when everybody fighting thinks that God is on his side? It’s impossible, especially when the line between faith and superstition wobbles and breaks apart. Shortly before I came to Jerusalem, Israel’s seemingly indestructible Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fell into a coma. Many Israelis are convinced that Sharon was struck [...]

Livni: Give up half of ‘Land of Israel’

“JERUSALEM (AP) — Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni says Israel must give up considerable territory in exchange for peace with the Palestinians.
She told U.S. Jewish leaders, “we need to give up half of the Land of Israel.” That’s a term that refers to the biblical borders, including today’s Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.” > more.
Also [...]

Is Israel always right ?

“For some time Hamas, backed by Hezbollah and Iran, has been randomly firing rockets at civilians in Israel (thousands of them since 2005). Retaliatory strikes from Israel have been tricky because Hamas has turned Gaza into a complex maze of tunnels where Hamas militants emerge in civilian clothes to fire missiles, then disappear back inside. [...]

How Israel brought Gaza to the brink of humanitarian catastrophe

“Oxford professor of international relations Avi Shlaim served in the Israeli army and has never questioned the state’s legitimacy. But its merciless assault on Gaza has led him to devastating conclusions. - The only way to make sense of Israel’s senseless war in Gaza is through understanding the historical context. Establishing the state of Israel in May 1948 [...]

Gaza crisis is having ‘profoundly unhealthy’ effect on UK Muslims

“The Israeli onslaught in Gaza is having a “profoundly acute and unhealthy” effect on British Muslim communities and “patience is running out”, a government minister has said. - The justice minister, Shahid Malik, told the Guardian there was “immense anger” in British Muslim communities over developments in the Middle East. He said: “There is a real feeling of [...]

UN: Israeli military killed 758 Palestinians so far

“Since the Israeli military operation “Cast lead” began on 27 December until 8 January (4:00PM), 758 Palestinians have been killed—approximately 42% of whom were women (60) and children (257) according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The number of children fatalities has increased by 250% since the beginning of ground operation on 3 January (see chart below). 56% [...]

Film: “To Die In Jerusalem”

“When a Palestinian teen girl killed an Israeli teen girl in a suicide bombing, Jewish filmmaker Hilla Medalia told the story—and tried to get the surviving mothers together.Ayat Al-Akhras was an 18-year-old living in a Palestinian refugee camp. She was beautiful, an A student, and already engaged to be married. Rachel Levy was a 17-year-old Israeli [...]

Gaza: Civilians Under Siege

“I am deeply alarmed.” “ Statement by U.N. Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, Dec. 29:  I am deeply alarmed by the current escalation of violence in and around Gaza. This is unacceptable. I have been repeatedly condemning the rocket attacks by Hamas militants against Israel. While recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself, I have also condemned the excessive use [...]