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Mearsheimer, Walt and what didn’t really happen at Camp David

Friday, September 14th, 2007

There is a sentence towards the end of Walt and Mearsheimer’s new book that undercuts some of what they have tried to accomplish with their critique of the “Israel Lobby.” Having rejected the binational, single-state solution as well as Israel’s permanent occupation, they assert: “The United States will have to put significant pressure on […]

Mearsheimer, Walt and the so-called “silent” Jewish doves

Thursday, September 6th, 2007

I have read the Mearsheimer and Walt book. They have answered some–although not all– of my prayers, which were spelled out in my post on August 12th. The book is much more careful, more nuanced, more detailed and more convincing than their original paper, which was published in the Spring of 2006.
I […]

Prayers for Mearsheimer and Walt

Sunday, August 12th, 2007

The chattering/blogging class eagerly awaits the publication of the new, full-length book on the “Israel lobby” by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt in September. A taste of what may be in the offing was provided last week by a report that their Sept. 27th presentation at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs was cancelled. […]

New Senate resolution: will “one-staters” sit on their hands?

Wednesday, July 11th, 2007

There is a good chance that there is no hope. It may well be impossible to unravel the Gordian knot of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But there will certainly be no hope unless the U.S. gets more actively engaged and takes a more balanced approach. That is a no-brainer, isn’t it?
Americans for Peace […]

My speech on candor, Israel, and the rhetoric of the far left

Sunday, June 24th, 2007

By now, readers of this blog know that I was part of a panel discussion on “How To Talk Candidly About Israel” at the Steven Wise Free Synagogue in New York City, June 21st, 2007. I was on a panel with Anne Roiphe and the Philip Weiss. The moderator was JJ Goldberg.
I have posted […]

Jerusalem dispatch: A sliver of hope for the Arab League peace plan?

Wednesday, June 20th, 2007

People on the Americans for Peace Now Board are in Israel. Ori Nir, their spokesperson, is sending interesting dispatches, some of which appear on their web site: www.peacenow.org.
Below is a dispatch that gets into some of the nuances of the policies being considered in Israel in light of the recent disaster in the Gaza Strip. […]

So where were American Jews as Gaza collapsed?

Saturday, June 16th, 2007

In light of recent events, it is heartbreaking to recall both the hope that was generated when Abbas initially took over the Palestinian Authority and the role of the U.S. government –abetted by AIPAC– in dashing that hope.

What can American Jews learn from the Winograd Commission?

Friday, May 4th, 2007

I am starting to get private and public criticism about this blog from people who believe I am betraying Israel, people who believe I am justifying Israeli war crimes, people who don’t want Israel to exist, people who think the U.S. should provide knee-jerk support for every Israeli decision, and people who believe the U.S. […]

The price of demonization

Tuesday, April 24th, 2007

Some wise words from Cecilie Surasky about this little experiment here:
I personally find the whole Zionism/anti-Zionism litmus test both distasteful, often offensive, and certainly odd. It’s odd and to me artificial because the definitions are so slippery, the understanding of Zionisms so superficial.
In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever had a discussion about Zionism with […]

Golda ignored an opportunity. Will Olmert?

Friday, April 6th, 2007

The fact that the Egyptians offered a peace initiative to Israel in 1970-1971 and were rebuffed by Golda Meir and Moshe Dayan should be better-known. One reads and hears about this diplomatic blunder periodically in the Israeli media. But my impression is that the story hasn’t sunk into the consciousness of American Jews and other […]

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