“I hate the ‘to be sure’ sentences,” an Israeli opinion leader once told me, referring to critiques of the Jewish state. For instance, “To be sure, Israel is surrounded by enemies.” Or, “to be sure, Israel faces a genocidal Hamas to its south and a more powerful genocidal Hezbollah to its north.” He hated the “to …
Continue reading “Israeli-Palestinian Peace Must Reflect Reality”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of a post-Gaza War Palestinian state spurred a predictable global response—with UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres calling it “unacceptable,” President Joe Biden reiterating support for the “two-state solution,” and the European Union threatening “consequences” if Netanyahu’s government doesn’t change its course. But the back and forth between Jerusalem (which is fighting a gruesome war with …
Continue reading “Why Benjamin Netanyahu Rejects Palestinian Statehood”
Working with Arab governments and the Palestinian Authority on a plan for the latter to run Gaza after Israel’s war with Hamas, Washington must be careful not to plant the seeds for the next Israeli-Palestinian war. The risks are not inconsiderable, based on the nature of the Palestinian Authority, its leaders’ reluctance to meet Washington’s …
Continue reading “Washington Must Not Plant the Seeds of the Next Israeli-Palestinian War”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week signaled a partial reversal of his coalition’s plan that would threaten the nation’s democratic character by letting the Knesset override judicial decisions, calling the effort a “mistake.” The signal was a heartening one to the plan’s opponents at home, and to nervous audiences abroad who fear Netanyahu and …
Continue reading “Israel’s Critics Sidestep Bigger Threats Elsewhere”
President Joe Biden’s state dinner for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist who is cracking down on opposition leaders, journalists and minorities, points up the compromises presidents make as they balance America’s security needs with its desire to promote freedom and democracy around the world. Biden seeks closer U.S. ties with India, which recently became the …
Continue reading “Joe Biden keeps snubbing Netanyahu – here’s why”
“Never interfere with an enemy in the process of destroying himself,” Napoleon once said. That’s a lesson Jerusalem needs to learn quickly, and Washington needs to reinforce, as Israel’s regional challenges escalate while the Jewish state is splintering over an ill-timed debate on judicial reform. Though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has paused his push for a judicial overhaul that critics …
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government — and its suspected efforts to fundamentally transform the nature of Israel’s democratic system — could significantly weaken the U.S.-Israel relationship over time. That relationship, dating back to Israel’s founding during the Truman years, is rooted in shared values and shared interests. Israel remains the Middle East’s lone democracy, and the United …
Continue reading “New Israeli government could transform U.S.-Israeli relationship”