As the bloodshed in Syria continues with no end in sight, more and more eyes are beginning to focus on Syria’s formerly stable southern neighbor, Jordan. After nearly two years of low level protests, the last few months have witnessed not only an upsurge in the amount of protests but also a significant change in the makeup of the protesters themselves. Continue reading →
A few weeks ago while reading the weekly Torah portion Beshalach I noticed for the first time that the party responsible for taking the Jewish people out of Egypt changes from verse to verse. Thus we find the Torah portion beginning with the words “And it happened when Pharaoh sent out the people ….” (Exodus, chapter 13, verse 17). In other words, the one apparently responsible for driving out the Jewish people was none other than Pharaoh himself. Continue reading →
Immediately following the results of the recent Israeli elections, many commentators were quick to point out that there was a near 60-60 tie between the two main blocs. Although it’s true that the additional seat given to the Jewish Home after the final votes were counted changed the apparent deadlock, the perception of a near tie remained in the mindset of many Israelis. Continue reading →
One of the hottest topics currently being discussed in the broadly defined national camp is whether to vote for a seemingly more right-wing Likud or for a revitalized Jewish Home in the upcoming January elections. With quality candidates such as Yariv Levin, Tzipi Hotovely and Moshe Feiglin in the Likud versus Naftali Bennett, Ayelet Shaked and Uri Ariel in the Jewish Home, not surprisingly many people are having a difficult time deciding whom to cast their vote for on January 22. Continue reading →
In the wake of the recent vote in the UN General Assembly, the reactions across the Israeli political spectrum were anything but a surprise. While some voices on the left simply welcomed the vote others blamed the Netanyahu government, arguing that Israel’s foot-dragging on peace talks during the last four years left the Palestinians with no other option than to bypass Israel and take their case directly to the UN. Continue reading →
