Diaspora Jews Embracing the Indictments of Their Enemies
Jews embracing as truth the indictments of their enemies has been a fixture of Jewish life throughout the history of the Diaspora. It became even more widespread with the weakening of Jewish communal institutions in recent centuries in the context of the emergence of modern nation-states. Segments of populations under chronic siege commonly take to heart the indictments of their besiegers, however bigoted and outrageous.
Ahmadinejad, Iran, and Holocaust Manipulation: Methods, Aims, and Reactions
The genocidal attacks on Israel and the distortion of Holocaust history should be seen as part of Ahmadinejad’s overall political agenda concerning the West and Israel. They derive from his apocalyptic Islamic ideology. Iranian Holocaust manipulation is therefore likely to continue as long as he is in power.
Iran, Hizbullah, Hamas and the Global Jihad: A New Conflict Paradigm for the West – Executive Summary
Iran is more determined than ever to achieve regional hegemony in the Middle East and is fueling regional instability across the entire area. The primary threat to the Sunni Arab states now clearly comes from Iran. There is no short-term diplomatic option for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The stabilization of the Middle East requires the neutralization of any of the components of the current radical Islamic wave. Israel has a continuing need for defensible borders.
Is Gaza Becoming Another Lebanon?
Listen carefully to Ahmadinejad. He is not insane. He embodies very accurately the nature of the Iranian regime and he is gaining popularity among Muslims. Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, sitting in Damascus where he is supported by Iran and Syria, controls the military wing of Hamas and is more powerful than PA Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh. Mashaal is responsible for the money, for the policy of terror, and he holds many cards relating to Israel’s abducted soldier in Gaza.
The Arab World’s Political Dilemma: Between Islamic “Resistance” and the Western State System
What type of political system does the Arab world want to have? Normal statehood, or a belligerent “resistance” in which the state is only a platform to provide infrastructure and services to the “resistance.” This is an inter-Arab decision, and neither Israel nor the international community can make this decision for the Arabs. There are currently three active “resistances” in the Arab world: the Iraqi “resistance,” Hizballah, and the Palestinian “resistance.”
Misreading the Second Lebanon War
What is the real mood of the Israeli people after the war? It is that we are not suckers and we are not going to make the same mistake again. We are not going to put ourselves in danger if it is not necessary. We unilaterally retreated from Lebanon and didn’t retaliate for six years, and in the end we found Hizbullah in a stronger position to fight against us. When Israel retreated from Gaza what was the result? More Kassam rockets on Sderot and Ashkelon.
How the Status of American Jewish Women Has Changed Over the Past Decades
There have been major developments in the role of Jewish women in the United
States over the past four decades. The changes are undeniably related to what is
happening in American society at large. They have, however, a specifically Jewish_
flavor and take place in many areas across Jewish life. One among many is the
opening of the study of rabbinics and classical Jewish texts to women.
Divestment from Israel, the Liberal Churches,
and Jewish Responses: A Strategic Analysis
Liberal church efforts to divest from companies doing business with Israel are part of a larger anti-Zionist campaign to weaken and delegitimize Israel. Hostility to Israel in the mainline churches is confined to a focused minority, while the majority of liberal American Christians remain sympathetic to Israel.
Can a Conventional Army Vanquish a Terrorist Insurgency?
It is necessary to adopt an alternative concept of victory, which should be called “minimal victory,” in which terror is not destroyed, but is contained at a minimal level, and one must invest constant energy in order to prevent its eruption. In a continuous and uninterrupted effort since Operation “Defensive Shield” in April 2002, after it counted 132 dead in one month (the equivalent of 1,400 deaths a year), Israel’s terror casualty rate declined to 11 civilians for all of 2006.
Jewish Education in the United States: Improving but Still a Long Way to Go
Jewish education in the United States seems to be improving. Engaged Jews have increasing educational opportunities. With those not engaged, however, the community tends to lose ground.
The Iraq Study Group: Implications for Israel
Israel should not try to second-guess U.S. decisions about putting American soldiers in harm’s way. However, the specific strategy that the Baker-Hamilton report proposes for facilitating an American pullback in Iraq – the use of an international support group including Iran and Syria – poses serious problems that affect vital Israeli interests.
Christians Flee Growing Islamic Fundamentalism in the Holy Land
The growing strength of Islamic fundamentalism within the Palestinian national movement poses problems for Christians, who fear they will be deemed opponents of Islam and thereby risk becoming targets for Muslim extremists. This is exacerbated by the fact that Hamas holds substantial power and seeks to impose its radical Islamist identity on the entire population within the PA-controlled territories.
A Disproportionate Response? The Case of Israel and Hizballah
In responding forcefully to Hizballah’s provocation in the summer of 2006, Israel not only restored much of its deterrent capability, but did so against a weapon of the Iranian and Syrian militaries. Israel acted only after exhausting a number of other options over the decades, including everything from all-out invasion and regime change to quiet diplomacy and open negotiations. Israel’s overall response was not disproportionate when considering the enemy Israel was fighting.
How to Fight Anti-Israeli Campaigns on Campus
The last four years have seen the promotion of boycott and divestment campaigns against Israel in a number of countries. There have also been verbal or even physical aggressions and discrimination against Israelis and Jews. The fact that the anti- Israeli boycott campaigners do not propose boycotts of the crime-inciting Palestinian universities indicates strongly discriminatory and even racist attitudes.
The Chief Rabbi’s View on Jews and Poland
At least twenty thousand Jews live in Poland. The two leading organizations, the Union of Jewish Communities and the Cultural and Social Association of Jews, each have about two thousand members
