Additional Publications

Climate Change and the Jewish Question

Despite everything they have in common, the Israeli Jewish experience differs greatly from the Diaspora Jewish experience. The two communities don't always have the same interests or find the same issues compelling, and they disagree on quite a few matters, both those relating to values and those relating to modes of action. Understanding these tensions in depth, and trying to…
Ultra-Orthodox

The Haredim: What Was Is Not What Will Be

Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) centrality to the Israeli experience is a surprising development: at the time the state was founded, Israel's Haredi community amounted to a handful, mainly from the Old Yishuv and a small number of immigrants, refugees from the European Holocaust.
Ultra-Orthodox
Geopolitics

The downside of Blinken’s encouraging confirmation hearing – opinion

Blinken’s remarks on the Israeli-Palestinian issue are cause for concern.
Geopolitics

Of Whales and Members of Knesset

A bizarre phenomenon of nature, known as “beaching,” occurs from time to time when large pods of cetaceans—whales or dolphins—strand themselves on dry land and effectively commit suicide. Perhaps envious of whales, our Knesset members “beached” themselves when they voted to move up their expiration date even before a third of their term had passed. By this act of suicide,…
Geopolitics

On Israel-Palestine, Biden Is Not Just Another Version of Obama

Published in Haaretz Many in Israel are expressing concern that the administration of President-elect Joe Biden will be a repeat of the Obama administration. But Biden is not Barack Obama and 2021 is not 2009. Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are traditional Democrats, with a fundamental commitment to Israel whose roots are in part emotional in nature (in contrast…
Geopolitics
Israel-China Relations

Must Israel ‘support Washington to face down Beijing?’ – analysis

A 2019 Rand Corporation Study reviewed Israel-China relations from the perspective of the American national interest.
Israel-China Relations
Middle East

No substitute for Oslo and the ‘new Middle East’ – opinion

For a moment, I felt that the voice of the late president Shimon Peres was coming from the mouth of Netanyahu. Published in the Jerusalem Post. The agreement to normalize relations between Israel and Sudan – another important step adjoining the agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – fuels the debate over whether a “new Middle East” is…
Middle East

Ultra-Orthodox Non-Compliance Rests on Fear

The ultra-Orthodox “revolt” of the last lockdown, which continues until today, is most clearly expressed in the opening of their elementary schools for boys. This violation of the rules brings to light two phenomena: the first is the unmistakable priority granted to abiding by communal and religious values over complying with the laws of the state. Second, and just as…

At the Crossroads: The Ultra-Orthodox Community and Israeli Society

The last two weeks and very likely—the weeks ahead are likely to be one of the most dramatic—and most seminal —periods in the history of the State of Israel. Israel’s rates of Covid-19 infection and mortality are among the highest in the world, and there is a clear and present danger of collapse of the health system’s capacity to provide…