[This analysis was written for the Unz Review] The topic of Russian actions in Syria still continues to fascinate and create a great deal of polemics. This makes senses – the issue is exceedingly important on many levels, including pragmatic and moral ones, and today I want to stick strictly to the pragmatic level and set aside, just for a while, moral/ethical/spiritual considerations. Furthermore, I will also pretend, for argument’s
By Stephen Lendman for Information Clearing House Four days of Israeli terror bombing left at least 25 Palestinians dead and dozens injured, some seriously. Human rights groups expressed outrage. So did Arab League states, Iran, Turkey, and Malaysia. Israel’s UN envoy Ron Prosor wants the Security Council to condemn Palestinian victims. Like Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, his audacity gives chutzpah new meaning. On March 12, Egypt’s lower parliamentary house
(An interesting commentary by Ha’aretz’ top strategist) As long as the masses in Egypt and in the entire Arab world continue seeing the images of tyranny and violence from the occupied territories, Israel will not be able to be accepted, even it is acceptable to a few regimes. By Gideon Levy for Ha’aretz Three or four days ago, Egypt was still in our hands. The army of pundits, including our top
Check them out: Haaretz Editorial: The price of flawed policy Gideon Levy: Operation Mini Cast Lead Ari Shavit: Fiasco on the high seas Yossi Sarid: Seven idiots in the cabinet Reuven Pedatzur: A failure any way you slice it
by Shulamit Aloni for Ha’aretz Not very long ago, during Rabbi Meir Kahane’s racist rantings, the late writer and journalist Amos Elon gave me a copy of a letter Lord Rothschild sent to Herzl in August 1902. In the letter, Rothschild explains why he refuses to support the establishment of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel. He writes that he “should view with horror the establishment of a
Both al-Jazeera and Press TV have been making a very commendable effort to cover the Israeli war on Gaza and both stations are streaming live in English 24/7. They have also created a special page on their websites for those interested in following the events on the ground: Press TV “Gaza under fire“Al-Jazeera “War on Gaza“ The Isreali newspaper Ha’aretz also regularly publishes very interesting analytical pieces. That’s all I
ANALYSIS / Who will stop Hezbollah? Not the Lebanon Army By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent (original article here) Hezbollah’s rapid and savvy raids of recent days brought to light the true balance of power in Lebanon, and, at the same time, the close connection between the Lebanon Army and Hezbollah. Witness accounts of Hezbollah’s actions in Lebanon in the course of the incidents demonstrate not only that the Lebanon Army
Today, I though that it would be fun to re-write an article published by the “liberal” Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz. Here is the original (excerpt): Yesha rabbinical council chief: Don’t rent houses to ArabsBy Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent The chairman of the Yesha rabbinical council and chief rabbi of Kiryat Arba, Rabbi Dov Lior, on Wednesday issued a halakhic ruling stating that it is forbidden by Jewish law to employ Arabs
According to Haaretz, the U.S. intelligence chief said Sunday that internal Hezbollah factions or Syria may be to blame for the killing of top Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyah last week. Ok, I know all the caveats which one should be aware of when quoting somebody like Mike McConnell and I agree with all of them. Yes, this might be a way of blaming Syria in order to further divide the
by Shmuel Rosner, chief US correspondent for Haaretz There’s been a lot of talk lately about John McCain’s problem with the more conservative (and religious) right wing of the Republican Party. In Super Tuesday McCain won among self-identified conservatives in only three of the nine states that were covered by the exit polls I looked at. His real strength is among moderates. The dominant narrative for the rest of the
Haaretz Analysis: Hamas shows IDF who is in charge By Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents (emphasis added. VS) A few Israel Defense Forces Engineering Corps officers surely shed a tear yesterday while viewing the television reports from Rafah: The barrier built by the IDF with blood and sweat along the Philadelphi Route, on the Gaza Strip border with Egypt, was coming down. It was, apparently, the final remnant
Israel, Hezbollah conduct first swap since 2006 war; report: Israel received info on Ron Arad Israel and Hezbollah carried out their first swap since the Second Lebanon War on Monday, a move Israel said was part of a larger negotiation process on the release of two of its soldiers abducted by the guerilla group in July 2006. The deal saw the release by Israel of a Hezbollah guerilla suffering a
In his speech at Columbia University, the Iranian President used the podium to single out Israel and Zionism By Shmuel Rosner Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Columbia University in New York on Monday resulted in one clear loser: Israel. In his speech, Ahmadinejad took aim at Israel. If he managed to convince one person of his views on Israel and Zionism, then he has already gained. If he managed
With friends like these…By Akiva Eldar for Ha’aretz Heavy clouds will float over today’s summit in sunny Sharm el-Sheikh. The Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza, Jordan and Egypt will be hovering above the four leaders participating in the talks, as will the zealots of worldwide jihad. Iran and Hezbollah will be with them on the other side, while the extreme right-wing national religious camp awaits in the corner. It is hard
Mahmoud Abbas is a fiction by Israel Harel George W. Bush and Ehud Olmert looked pathetic giving their “full backing” to the broken-down crutch that is Mahmoud Abbas. Contrary to the talk in Washington, nothing has changed to open a new opportunity for negotiations over a final settlement. It is impossible to hold talks with Abbas, just like it was impossible to hold talks in the past on any kind
Ali Abunimah writing from Chicago, USA, Live from Palestine, 30 May 2007 Debris litters the streets of Ramallah after an undercover Israeli death squad shot a 22-year-old man 24 times at close range, an event which was not reported by the mainstream press. (Elias Khayyo) Reading an account of an Israeli cabinet meeting in Ha’aretz is like a trip through a House of Horrors. Here are some choice excerpts: “Ministers
