I’m in agreement with the pundits who conclude that there was absolutely nothing new for consideration offered in Netanyahu’s speech. Perhaps he achieved a personal milestone by finally uttering the words “Palestinian state” but beyond this it was a tune we’ve all heard before. He offered “peace negotiations immediately without prior conditions” then proceeded to [...]
Archive for the ‘Peace’ Category
Bibi’s History Tutorial
Posted in Israel, Palestine, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East, Refugees, Zionism on June 15, 2009 | 5 Comments »
People You Should Know About: Ezra Nawi
Posted in Human Rights, Israel, Nonviolence, Palestine, Peace, People You Should Know About on June 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re looking for the definition of an Israeli hero, here’s my nomination: human rights activist Ezra Nawi. Well-known in the Israeli-Palestinian peace movement, Nawi is a true original. This is how he was described by journalist Neve Gordon in a recent Guardian article:
Nawi is not a typical rights activist. A [...]
The Power of the Word
Posted in Iran, Islam, Israel, Palestine, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East, Religion on June 5, 2009 | 4 Comments »
I’m going to step back from my regularly scheduled cynicism and simply savor the profound and deeply inspiring message that Obama offered the world today. Yes, he is a politician, and yes, every word was carefully calibrated with political implications, but my God, what a tremendous blessing to have an American President who would end [...]
Confessions of a Peace Process Cynic
Posted in Israel, Palestine, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East on June 2, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Don’t get me wrong. I’m on board. I’m in there with the American Jews who are reassuring Obama that we’ve got his back. But I have to say it’s all I can do to resist my cynicism when I read about Peace Process, version 5.0. (And for safety’s sake, let me just reiterate my blog’s [...]
Six Months and Counting
Posted in Iran, Israel, Peace, War on May 26, 2009 | 3 Comments »
It’s no longer speculation to imagine an Israeli military attack on Iran. Following his visit to Washington, Netanyahu has made his ultimate intentions perfectly clear:
These are not regular times. The danger is hurtling toward us. The real danger in underestimating the threat. My job is first and foremost to ensure the future of the state [...]
“Now the Hard Work Starts…”
Posted in Israel, News, Palestine, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East on May 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
So Netanyahu managed to spend his entire sojourn in DC without uttering the magic words “two state solution.” On the upside, however, the Obama team has laid down the line on Israel harder than any American administration in recent memory – particularly on the issue of a settlement freeze.
Note Clinton’s forceful words on [...]
E1: End of the Two State Solution?
Posted in Israel, Palestine, Peace, Poetry on March 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
From today’s Ha’aretz:
Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has struck a secret deal with Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman for highly contentious construction on West Bank land known as E1, Army Radio reported Wednesday.
While this might not seem like major news to some, this report, if true, would be devastating to the peace process (such as it [...]
A Peace Veteran Bears Witness
Posted in Gaza, Israel, Nonviolence, Palestine, Peace, War on March 6, 2009 | 3 Comments »
This past Wednesday, JRC’s Peace Dialogue sponored a visit by longtime peace activist and nonviolence practitioner Kathy Kelly, who traveled to Gaza during the recent war.
If you’ve never heard of Kathy Kelly, you should read her bio because she’s someone you need to know about. This recent article will give some idea of the territory she covered in her presentation.
As she’s has been walking the [...]
Tolan to Mitchell: “Good Luck”
Posted in Israel, Palestine, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East on February 16, 2009 | 5 Comments »
Anyone with any illusions about the daunting task that lays ahead for Obama’s new Middle East envoy George Mitchell should read this recent online piece by journalist Sandy Tolan (right).
Readers of previous posts will surely know that I’m a huge fan of Tolan. In this latest article he lays out five critical questions for Mitchell [...]
Rabbis on the Third Rail
Posted in Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East, War on January 29, 2009 | 7 Comments »
Having nothing better to do, I spent a fair amount of time last week trying to spearhead a Rabbinical Statement on Gaza. Sorry to report that after several days of back and forth we had to fold the entire project when it became clear that we wouldn’t find a wording that would satisfy a critical [...]
