In my final post from my visit to Iran this past fall, I wrote the following:
We’d be foolish to deny that there are troubling human rights issues that Iran would do well to address. But at the end of the day, the solutions to these problems are certainly not ours to impose.
I felt that passionately then [...]
Archive for the ‘Politics/Middle East’ Category
Iran for Iranians
Posted in Current Events, Iran, Politics, Politics/Middle East on June 18, 2009 | 4 Comments »
Bibi’s History Tutorial
Posted in Israel, Palestine, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East, Refugees, Zionism on June 15, 2009 | 5 Comments »
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 [...]
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 [...]
In Search of Perspective in Bil’in
Posted in Israel, Nonviolence, Palestine, Politics/Middle East, War on May 27, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Recently read a piece on Ynet describing the experience of IDF soldiers stationed in Bil’in – a Palestinian village which has been the site of a weekly demonstration for the past four years. I was particularly intruiged by the description of one soldier, who described the detail as “more terrifying for [...]
“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 [...]
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 [...]
Baskin: What the $%#@* Was it All For?
Posted in Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Politics, Politics/Middle East, War on February 10, 2009 | 4 Comments »
Are you ready to throw your head back and scream to the high heavens? Just read Gershon Baskin’s column in today’s J Post, in which he reveals that prior to Israel’s attack on Gaza, he met with a senior Hamas official in Europe to discuss possibilities for renewing the cease-fire. He returned to Israel ten [...]
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 [...]
Over 1,000 Rabbis Can’t Be Wrong
Posted in Israel, Palestine, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East on January 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Check out the video above, which was just released by Brit Tzedek v’Shalom to promote our Rabbinic Letter to Obama. At present, 1,011 rabbis have signed on to say the following to our new President:
American Presidents traditionally look to the Jewish community for insight on Israel-related policy. As Jewish clergy, we pledge to mobilize [...]
