Asaf Romirowsky: Jimmy Carter’s House of Mirrors
Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found are a great way to understand the Palestinian narrative and in particular, advocates of the Palestinian cause like former President Jimmy Carter.
#45 Contemporary Readings, November 2016
Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli Sperling Emory University and Center for Israel Education kenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu Gwen Ackerman, “Israeli Tech Last Line of Defense for Power Plant Cyber Attacks,” Bloomberg, November 15, 2016. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-15/israeli-tech-last-line-of-defense-for-power-plant-cyber-attacks Ghaith al-Omari, “Fatah’s General Conference: Clarifying Succession and Managing Dissent,” Washington Institute for Near East Policy, November 28, 2016. http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/fatahs-general-conference-clarifying-succession-and-managing-dissent Glenn […]
President Trump and International Relations
America’s new president has the potential to thoroughly shake up international relations. Volker Perthes lays out five theses that researchers and policymakers will need to address.
George Bush (II) and Ariel Sharon Letters
President Bush outlines view of Palestinian-Israeli settlement with Israeli Prime Minister: two state solution, borders to take into account changes in territories since 1967 War, and refugee resettlement in a future Palestinian state.
Emir Feisal – Chaim Weizmann Correspondences
Emir Feisal, acting on behalf of Sherif of Mecca and Chaim Weizmann on behalf of the Zionist Organization exchange recognition of cordiality and kinship between a future Arab state and Palestine, where Zionists seek to establish their national home. Mutual assistance is offered by one of the other.
#44 Contemporary Readings, October 2016
Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli Sperling Emory University and Center for Israel Education kenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu Ghaith Al-Omari, “A Paralyzing Rivalry,” The Cipher Brief, October 27, 2016. https://www.thecipherbrief.com/article/middle-east/paralyzing-rivalry-1089 Graham Allison, “Why ISIS Fears Israel,” The National Interest, August 8, 2016. http://nationalinterest.org/feature/why-isis-fears-israel-17286 Yaakov Amidor, “Tip of the Iceberg: Russian Use of Power in Syria,” Begin-Sadat Center, […]
Eli Sperling: The Sinai Peninsula: A Precarious Neighbor to Israel
On October 25, 2016, an Egyptian police officer shot and killed an Israeli teen. Working as a contractor doing repairs on the Israeli-Egyptian border fence, the young Israeli was mistaken as a smuggler. Not an isolated instance of violence on this border, the shooting represents a greater regional tension, which impacts both Egypt and Israel.
President Obama Statement on the Middle East, North Africa and the Negotiating Process
Focusing on the Arab spring and Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, Obama seeks democratic reform in the region and advocates two states for two peoples based on the 1967 lines with land swaps.
Forty-Three years since the October 1973 Arab-Israeli War
The October 1973 War was 43 years ago this month. What follows is the US Intelligence Estimate when the war started on October 6
#43 Contemporary Readings, September 2016
Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli Sperling Emory University and Center for Israel Education kenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu Special Collection: Iran—200 on-line collected articles about Iran (2010-2016)—the nuclear issue, Iranian economy, foreign policy, Russia and Turkey and Iran, Iran and Saudi Arabia, in the Syrian conflict, and more https://israeled.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/iran-article-compilation.pdf Renee Beyda, “Israeli Filmmaker Uninvited from Film Festival,” […]
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Speech to the UN General Assembly
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Speech to the UN General Assembly (22 September 2016) http://www.pmo.gov.il/English/MediaCenter/Speeches/Pages/speechUN220916.aspx Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, What I’m about to say is going to shock you: Israel has a bright future at the UN. Now I know that hearing that from me must surely come as a surprise, because year after […]
Rich Walter and Ken Stein: Reparations to Israel from West Germany, September 10, 1952
The matter over whether or not Israel should enter into negotiations with West Germany was put to debate in the Knesset. In January 1952, the debate was contentious and gripped the nation.
Palestinian-Israeli Pulse: Low Chances for an Independent Palestinian State in the Next 5 Years
For the last decade it seems that not a month has gone by without some politician, news outlet, or analyst telling us that a two-state solution to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict is dead. Now we learn it is not dead, even if barely on life-support.
#42 Contemporary Readings, August 2016
Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli Sperling Emory University and Center for Israel Education kenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu Hani Al-Masri, “Hamas faces bitter options,” Middle East Monitor, March 29, 2016. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20160329-hamas-faces-bitter-options/ Yaakov Amidror, “Cyberspace, the Final Frontier,” Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, August 30, 2016. http://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/cyberspace-final-frontier/ Yaacok Amidror, “The Iran Deal One Year Later: The Fuse is […]
From Truman to Obama: The Past, Present, and Future of US-Israel Relations
On August 15, 2016, I had the pleasure of participating in a panel discussion with former Ambassador Dennis Ross for the Foundation of Defense of Democracies (FDD) in Washington, DC.
Remarks by US National Security Advisor Susan Rice at the American Jewish Committee Global Forum
US National Security Adviser, Susan Rice presented the Obama administration’s two pronged outlook toward Israel: strong and unwavering American administration support for Israel’s long term security, and emphatic opposition to continued Israeli settlement activities.
Palestinian Authority to Sue British Government Over Balfour Declaration
For almost 100 years, the Declaration has represented, for the Palestinians, the political beginning of Palestine falling out of their influence and into the control of the budding Zionist movement.
#41 Contemporary Readings, July 2016
Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli Sperling Emory University and Center for Israel Education kenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu AFP, “Israeli Ultra-Orthodox Women Go Hi-Tech,” Daily Mail, July 11, 2016. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-3684058/Israel-ultra-Orthodox-women-hi-tech.html Yaacov Amidror, “Erdogan’s Turkey Takes a Fork in the Road,” BESA-SADAT Center, July 29, 2016. http://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/erdogans-turkey-takes-fork-road/ Nabil Araby, “A Call for Arab Diplomacy,” The Cairo Review of […]
Articles and Books on BDS and Anti-Semitism on US Campuses
There are many publications that appear in national and international outlets and think-tanks that deal with BDS and antisemitism on campus.
#40 Contemporary Readings, June 2016
Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli Sperling Emory University and Center for Israel Education kenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu Maj. Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror, “Why Israel Should Not Adopt Unilateral Initiatives,” BESA, June 1, 2016. http://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/israel-not-adopt-unilateral-initiatives/ Geoffrey Aronson, “Israel Doubles Down on Settlement Policy,” Middle East Institute, June 21, 2016. http://www.mei.edu/content/article/israels-president-doubles-down-settlement-policy Yuval Avivi, “Can the Chinese Save Israel’s […]
Under certain conditions, Israelis support the idea of a referendum to determine the future of the territories
Israelis are divided on the impact and future of the territories gained in the June 1967 war, according to the June 2016 Israel Democracy Institute Peace Index.
United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act
United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 (19 December 2014) United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 Passed in the House of Representatives and the Senate during 2014. Signed into law by President Obama, (19 December 2014) https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/938/text?format=xml H. R. 938 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 6, 2014 Received; read […]
#39 Contemporary Readings, May 2016
Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli Sperling Emory University and Center for Israel Education kenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu Adil Astil, “International Peace Conference: Winners and Losers,” Washington Institute for Near East Policy, May 12, 2016. http://fikraforum.org/?p=9338 Dany Bahar, “Delivering on Economic Prosperity in Israel: How monopolies are hampering the ‘start-up nation’” Brookings Institute, May 4, 2016. http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/05/04-israel-monopolies-competition-bahar Edwin Black, “Painful Lessons from the […]
James F. Jeffrey and Michael Eisenstadt: U.S. Military Engagement in the Broader Middle East
Jeffrey and Eisenstadt in their analyses, US Military Engagement in the Broader Middle East, focus on the inheritance of the Obama administration’s general military disengagement from the region and the downward spiral of stability there.
Ken Stein: A View from Brussels
Last week, I was privileged to speak to a group of European Jews at the Centre Communautaire laic Juif in Brussels, Belgium. I spoke about what can be learned from the successes of Begin, Sadat and Carter in the 1970s.
#38 Contemporary Readings, April 2016
Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli Sperling Emory University and Center for Israel Education kenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu Mohamed Abdelazziz, “Teaching Arabic in Israeli Schools-Between Security Preoccupations and the Cultural Dimension,” Fikra Forum, April 8, 2016. http://fikraforum.org/?p=9075#.VwtqCPkrJpg Elliot Abrams, “If American Jews and Israel are Drifting Apart, What’s the Reason? The conventional wisdom says the problem is Israel. Its […]
David Pollock: Mixed Messages: Abbas and Palestinians on Israel, 2014-2016
Within the Palestinian Authority, official talk of negotiations, peace, reconciliation, or even the “two-state solution” has become conspicuous by its absence.
#37 Contemporary Readings, March 2016
Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli Sperling Emory University and Center for Israel Education kenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu Asi Aivas, “Annual Arts Fest Heats Up Jerusalem,” Israel21c, March 16, 2016. http://www.israel21c.org/annual-winter-arts-fest-heats-up-jerusalem/ Yehezkel Armon, “Israel Economy is Entering a New Stage,” Jerusalem Post, March 8, 2016. http://www.jpost.com/Blogs/View-from-Jerusalem/Israel-Economy-is-Entering-a-New-Stage-447237 Mr. Tony Badran, Dr. Daniel L. Byman, and Dr. Matthew Levitt, […]
Eli Sperling: Desalination’s Vital Role in Israel’s Own and Neighborly Sustainability
In 2016, Israel leads the world in desalination advancements. The small country of roughly 8 million people boasts five active plants that currently produce over 50% of Israel’s drinking water.
Paul Rivlin: The Dominoes Fall: The War in Syria, Europe and Turkey
The war in Syria has taken a massive humanitarian toll along with economic and social consequences that will reverberate throughout the region for decades to come.