Guest Voices: Israel


Posted at 01:28 PM ET, 12/31/2012

Wolpe: List reminds us fight against hatred of Jews must remain alive
By David Wolpe
Rabbi David Wolpe reflects on Simon Wiesenthal Center’s annual list of anti-Semitic/anti-Israel slurs.

By David Wolpe  |  01:28 PM ET, 12/31/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Rabbi David Wolpe; anti-Semitism; Simon Wiesenthal Center; slurs; Jewish; anti-Israel

Posted at 12:35 PM ET, 12/27/2012

The Jewish future seen through the eyes of an American statesman
By Menachem Z. Rosensaft
In new book, statesman offers a blueprint for the next stage of the Jewish journey through history.

By Menachem Z. Rosensaft  |  12:35 PM ET, 12/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Menachem Z. Rosensaft; Stuart E. Eizenstat; The Future of the Jews: How Global Forces are Impacting the Jewish People, Israel, and Its Relationship with the United States; Jimmy Carter; aliyah; Israel; Judaism

Posted at 02:24 PM ET, 12/07/2012

Ma’ale Adumim: The mother of all Israeli settlements
By Daniela Deane
Jerusalem-based writer ventures to the city in the West Bank.

By Daniela Deane  |  02:24 PM ET, 12/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Ma'ale Adumim: The mother of all settlements; Maale Adumin; Daniela Deane; Israeli settlements; Israel; Jerusalem; Holy Land; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; Netanyahu; Jewish settlement; West Bank; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; U.N. vote; United Nations; Palestine; non-member state; settlement construction; E1 corridor; European Union; EU; Britain; France; Six-Day War; Prime Minister Menachem Begin

Posted at 01:17 PM ET, 12/06/2012

Let my people know
By Stuart Kurlander
On the Mall in 1987, thousands rallied for Soviet Jews and found themselves in the process.

By Stuart Kurlander  |  01:17 PM ET, 12/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Let my people know; let my people go; Exodus; Judaism; Jewish community; American Jewry; Diaspora; National Mall; Mall; solidarity for Soviet Jewry; Soviet Jews; Jews in the Soviet Union; Elie Wiesel; Soviet Jewry Movement; Washington summit; D.C. summit; Mikhail Gorbachev; Communist Party; Ronald Reagan; 1.5 million Jews; former Soviet Union; human rights orientation; human rights oragnizations; Alan Dershowitz; Eastern European; Iron Curtain; Washington Jews; Israel; Germany; United States; freedom; rally; Darfur; genocide; conflicts; human rights violations; Hebrew; English; Stuart Kurlander; Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

Posted at 04:58 PM ET, 12/04/2012

Israel, Palestine must take the high road to reach a successful recovery
By Salaam Bhatti
Palestine’s upgraded U.N. status is a much-needed step forward, but it’s not enough, says a N.Y. lawyer.

By Salaam Bhatti  |  04:58 PM ET, 12/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  United Nations; U.N. status; Israel; Israel Palestine partition; Palestine; Palestinians; permanent observer; Torah; Quran; Qu’ran; Koran; Muslims; Islam; Jewish; Jews; Judaism; Allah; Moses; non-Muslims; ceasefire; cease-fire; Gaza; United Nations; International Criminal Court; Rome Statute; Germany; war crimes; prophet Muhammad; Prophet Muhammad; Mecca; Ten Commandments; freedom of conscience; Maimonides; Salaam Bhatti

Posted at 04:56 PM ET, 11/30/2012

Bergen-Belsen and Bitburg 27 years later: A personal perspective
By Menachem Z. Rosensaft
Son of Holocaust survivors returns to Germany to dedicate memorial site at a concentration camp.

By Menachem Z. Rosensaft  |  04:56 PM ET, 11/30/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Bergen-Belsen and Bitburg 27 years later: A personal perspective; Menachem Z. Rosensaft; son of Holocaust survivors; liberation; World War II; concentration camp; Bergen-Belsen; displaced persons camp; Josef Rosensaft; Central Committee of the Liberated Jews; Jewish monument; Israel; Judaism; Nazi Germany; mass graves; Hebrew; Yiddish; Ronald Reagan; Bitburg; kaddish; Waffen-SS; concentration camps; victims; Germany; White House; White House spokesman Larry Speakes; Dachau; Auschwitz ; gas chambers; Treblinka; death camps; European Jews; Holocaust; Third Reich; Warsaw Ghetto; Malmedy; Heinrich Lübke; Kohl; Helmut Kohl; American Jews; Congress; war veterans; editorial writers; Nazism; Abraham H. Foxman; Anti-Defamation League; ADL; Elie Wiesel; Congressional Gold Medal of Achievement; Klaus Becker; memorial site; Second Generation movement; Menachem Z. Rosensaft; World Jewish Congress; American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Their Descendants

Posted at 01:53 PM ET, 11/29/2012

In search of Jordanian hospitality
By Becky Garrison
Writer reflects on American politics and a recent trip overseas.

By Becky Garrison  |  01:53 PM ET, 11/29/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  mideast unrest; middle eastern unrest; arab protests; arabian unrest; mideast news; government protests; anti-government protests in the mid-east; north africa protests; mideast revolts; middle eastern political unrest; why are there protests in the mideast?; libya unrest; egyptian protests; tunisia protests; bahrain unrest; tunisia unrest; Becky Garrison; Middle East; Mideast; Jordan; Jordanian; Holy Land; Romney; Obama; President Obama; Mitt Romney; Obama; barack obama; president obama; obama reelection; obama 2012; barack obama reelection campaign; obama reelection campaign; obama for president; obama 2012 elections; obama election; barack obama campaign; obama election news; obama election news; obama reelection news; obama 2012 election; president barack Obama; Israel; Israel news; Israel map; Israel iran; nation of Israel; Jerusalem Israel; Israel gaza; Israel hamas; Israel Palestine; Israel Palestine conflict; Israel national news; iran and Israel; Palestine Israel conflict;

Posted at 03:23 PM ET, 11/21/2012

Before Thanksgiving, Muslim, Jews feed thousands across North America
By Marc Schneier and Shamsi Ali
Image of Jews and Muslims joining together is a hopeful counterpoint to the pictures of wars and natural disasters, says a rabbi and an imam.

By Marc Schneier and Shamsi Ali  |  03:23 PM ET, 11/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Thanksgiving; Muslims; Jews; Islam; Judaism; Israel; Gaza; Palestinians; Israelis; Hurricane Sandy; Superstorm Sandy; superstorm Sandy; Frankenstorm; hungry; homeless; Rabbi Marc Schneier; Marc Schneirer; Imam Shamsi Ali; Shamsi Ali; American holiday; America; holiday; people of all faiths; ethnicities; ethnic backgrounds; hungry and homeless; Thanksgiving meal; succor; meals; Weekend of Twinning; Foundation for Ethnic Understanding; FFEU; Muslims and Jews; synagogues and mosques; synagogues; mosques; Muslim organizations; Jewish organizations; communities; Muslims Against Hunger; Masbiah; Jewish-Muslim; soup kitchens; homeless shelters; feed hungry people; volunteers; faith communities; faiths; Quran; Koran; Qu’ran; Bible; the Bible; Sami Elmansoury; activist; Muslim-Jewish Feeding the Hungry Day; Mideast; Middle East; Neil Berro; Sea Gate; Sandy; Rabbi Marc Schneier; Hampton Synagogue; Imam Shamsi Ali; Jamaica Muslim Center

Posted at 12:41 PM ET, 11/21/2012

Waiting for peace
By Daniela Deane
A cease-fire feels like it’s the last thing on anybody’s mind, says a Jerusalem-based writer.

By Daniela Deane  |  12:41 PM ET, 11/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Israel; Israel news; Israel map; Israel iran; nation of Israel; Jerusalem Israel; Israel gaza; Israel hamas; Israel Palestine; Israel Palestine conflict; Israel national news; iran and Israel; Palestine Israel conflict; rocket strikes; airstrikes; Daniela Deane; Palestinian intifada

Posted at 04:23 PM ET, 11/20/2012

‘Can I still drive over there?’
By Daniela Deane
Writer struggles to maintain normalcy amid violence in Gaza.

By Daniela Deane  |  04:23 PM ET, 11/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Israel; Israel news; Israel map; Israel iran; nation of Israel; Jerusalem Israel; Israel gaza; Israel hamas; Israel Palestine; Israel Palestine conflict; Israel national news; iran and Israel; Palestine Israel conflict; rocket strikes; airstrikes; Daniela Deane; Palestinian intifada

Posted at 12:59 PM ET, 11/20/2012

Longing for an Arab-Israeli Spring
By Faheem Younus
Muslim doctor longs to see a movement fueled by youth more focused on the future than the past.

By Faheem Younus  |  12:59 PM ET, 11/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Arab-Israeli Spring; Arab Spring; Arab-Israeli conflict; Palestinians; Zionists; Israel; Zionism; Palestine; Gaza; Gaza Strip; Faheem Younus; Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas; Abbas; PLO; Saeb Erekat; Erekat; Hamas; Khaled Mashal; Mashal; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; Netanyahu;, Israeli President Shimon Peres; Peres; Defense Minister Ehud Barak; Barak; Tel Aviv; Jewish; Muslim; Jews; Muslims; Arabs; Palestinian youth; Israeli youth; Islamic Resistance Movement; Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigade; President Obama; President Barack Obama; Obama; Cairo speech; Egypt; Muslim Palestinians; jihad; Mitt Romney; We cannot kill our way out of this mess; One Voice Movement; Global Giving; Faheem Younus; Muslimerican.com

Posted at 01:33 PM ET, 11/19/2012

Mr. President: Send Bill Clinton as Mideast peace envoy
By Arsalan Iftikhar
Clinton’s experience in the region makes him an ideal negotiator, says a human rights lawyer.

By Arsalan Iftikhar  |  01:33 PM ET, 11/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  gaza hamas israel;israeli invasion;israeli ground invasion;israel terrorism hamas;hamas rockets jerusalem;israel war;israel palestinians;israel air strikes;israel hamas;gaza strip;hamas gaza;arab league;hamas egypt;gaza egypt;gaza turkey;gaza qatar;morsi;muslim brotherhood;erdogan;Abdessalem; tunisia, ramez harb; islamic jihad; gaza media center; Bill Clinton; Mideast; President Obama; Arsalan Iftikhar

Posted at 11:07 AM ET, 11/19/2012

Jerusalem resident on watching TV: ‘I can barely do anything else’
By Daniela Deane
Writer’s concern for husband’s safety in Gaza prompts vigil next to television and mobile devices.

By Daniela Deane  |  11:07 AM ET, 11/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Daniela Deane; Gaza; Israel; Jerusalem; airstrikes; Palestinians; Hamas; Israel Palestine conflict; nation of Israel

Posted at 01:21 PM ET, 11/16/2012

Air raid sirens spoiling the peace of a Jerusalem Sabbath
By Daniela Deane
A freelance writer in Jerusalem describes her night and morning since the rocket strikes started.

By Daniela Deane  |  01:21 PM ET, 11/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Israel; Israel news; Israel map; Israel iran; nation of Israel; Jerusalem Israel; Israel gaza; Israel hamas; Israel Palestine; Israel Palestine conflict; Israel national news; iran and Israel; Palestine Israel conflict; rocket strikes; airstrikes; Daniela Deane

Posted at 04:30 PM ET, 11/09/2012

Crossing the cultural divide between Arabs and Jews through food and film
By Carole Zabar
Film festival founder and activist reflects on cherishing and rejoicing in the riches of different cultures.

By Carole Zabar  |  04:30 PM ET, 11/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Carole Zabar; Other Israel Film Festival; Arab hospitality; Israel; Zionism; Arab; Jewish

Posted at 06:47 PM ET, 11/05/2012

No single way to sum up President Obama’s relationship to Israel
By Mia Appelbaum
When we evaluate how friendly or hostile Obama has been to Israel, we must challenge ourselves to find merit in opposing views and uncover the subtleties that complete our examination.

By Mia Appelbaum  |  06:47 PM ET, 11/05/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Israel; Zionism; Jewish electorate; voters; presidential election; President Obama; Mia Appelbaum

Posted at 12:14 AM ET, 10/23/2012

Why was Obama kvelling about Israel?
By Jacques Berlinerblau
His repeated invocations of, and praise for, Israel leads me to believe that he will settle for nothing less than 7,478 percent of the Jewish vote come Nov. 6, 2012.

By Jacques Berlinerblau  |  12:14 AM ET, 10/23/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  news; nation; election2012; politics; campaign2012; buzz; debates2012; debate2012; grid; Israel; foreign policy; Jews; Jacques Berlinerblau; Jewish vote; grid; campaign 2012; election 2012

Posted at 05:37 PM ET, 10/18/2012

‘If we don't speak out, sin multiplies’
By Rachel Gartner
Hate speech cannot be met with indifference, says a rabbi about new anti-Muslim subway ads.

By Rachel Gartner  |  05:37 PM ET, 10/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  subway ads; Israel; jihad; Pamela Geller; hate speech; Rabbi Rachel Gartner

Posted at 08:31 PM ET, 10/11/2012

Honda: Anti-jihad ads reminiscent of McCarthyism, 1950s fear mongering
By Mike Honda
By beckoning transit patron to wage war against the “savage,” the ad falls not far from falsely shouting fire in a crowded theater.

By Mike Honda  |  08:31 PM ET, 10/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Support Israel Defeat Jihad; Muslims; ADFI; subways ads; Mike Honda;

Posted at 11:17 AM ET, 09/26/2012

Yom Kippur in Israel: Immense quiet
By Daniela Deane
Writer is in awe as she observes her first High Holy Days in Israel.

By Daniela Deane  |  11:17 AM ET, 09/26/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Yom Kippur; High Holy Days; Daniela Deane; Israel; Jerusalem; High Holidays

Posted at 02:17 PM ET, 09/19/2012

Understanding Christian Zionism
By John Hagee
Support for Israel is not just an issue for many Christians; it is their primary foreign policy focus.

By John Hagee  |  02:17 PM ET, 09/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Christian Zionism; Israel; Judaism; Christianity; John Hagee; CUFI; Christians United for Israel

Posted at 08:23 PM ET, 08/20/2012

Rabbi condemns Ahmadinejad’s Israel ‘cancer’ remark
By David Wolpe
David Wolpe, who’s in remission from lymphoma, sees the analogy problematic on multiple levels.

By David Wolpe  |  08:23 PM ET, 08/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Iran, Israel, Rabbi David Wolpe, Israel insult to humanity, cancer

Posted at 06:41 PM ET, 08/06/2012

Mitt Romney and Mormon culture
By David Mason
What Romney has to say about Israel and Palestine—well-informed and well-considered, or not—demonstrates that we should be talking about the candidates’ religions.

By David Mason  |  06:41 PM ET, 08/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mitt Romney, Israel, Mormons, David Mason

Posted at 06:32 PM ET, 07/30/2012

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem: Romney, Israel and the future of peace
By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite
From “gaffes” about British preparedness for the Olympic Games to the “capital” of Israel remark, the overarching paradigm for Romney abroad is America as the world’s CEO.

By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite  |  06:32 PM ET, 07/30/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mitt Romney, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Jerusalem, Israel, Palestinians

Posted at 03:02 PM ET, 03/12/2012

Senator Inhofe’s theological conundrum
By Mathew N. Schmalz
According to the senator’s logic, human action is necessary to safeguard Israel; no human action is needed to safeguard our climate.

By Mathew N. Schmalz  |  03:02 PM ET, 03/12/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  religion politics, free will, christianity, israel, global warming

Posted at 01:03 PM ET, 03/07/2012

AIPAC leaves many questions on Iran, Israel
By David Wolpe
Learning the right lessons from history is never easy.

By David Wolpe  |  01:03 PM ET, 03/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  iran, israel, aipac, judaism

Posted at 12:45 PM ET, 02/28/2012

Faiths clash at Jerusalem’s sacred site
By Daniela Deane
Jerusalem’s Old City is divided into four quarters -- the Armenian, Christian, Jewish and Muslim Quarters.

By Daniela Deane  |  12:45 PM ET, 02/28/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  life in the holy land, islam, judaism, israel, palestine

Posted at 12:36 PM ET, 02/22/2012

Ash Wednesday in the Holy Land
By Daniela Deane
As Lent begins, many challenges face Jerusalem’s small Christian community.

By Daniela Deane  |  12:36 PM ET, 02/22/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Religion, Ash Wednesday: Israel, life in the holy land

Posted at 02:20 PM ET, 02/16/2012

In Israel, between war and peace
By Daniela Deane
With all the rising tension between Israel and Iran, you’d think Israeli life would be tenser, edgier these days. It’s not.

By Daniela Deane  |  02:20 PM ET, 02/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  israel, iran, life in the holy land