By Yaakov Katz, JPost— In a historic reversal of US policy, the Trump administration announced on Monday that it does not view Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal. The policy change was announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington. “After carefully studying all sides of the legal debate, this administration agrees…
By Khaled Abu Toameh, Gatestone— Iran’s Palestinian proxies, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), after last week’s round of aggression towards Israel, are said to be at odds with each other. PIJ is reportedly disturbed that Hamas did not join in firing rockets at Israel in retaliation for Israel’s assassination of senior PIJ commander Bahaa…
By Inna Rogatchi, Times of Israel—- Genius & Anxiety. How Jews Changed the World, 1847-1947 by NORMAN LEBRECHT, Oneworld, 2019, 442 pages. This book is a joy. Concise, vivid, well-written, in clear antithesis to banality, it is a fine journey throughout most eventful century of modern history viewed in original detail. It also vividly portrays…
By Ehud Eilam, JPost— The recent clash in the Gaza Strip was not like earlier ones there because it was only between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Hamas was not really involved. This could be a model for the future in which Israel might strike the PIJ while Hamas again stays out of…
By Prof. Eytan Gilboa, BESA Center— Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu recently warned that increasing Iranian provocations and the absence of a US response could lead to a dangerous military confrontation between Israel and Iran. This warning is perceived by some as mere fear-mongering in the wake of two non-conclusive elections. Neither of the two leading…
By Inna Rogatchi, Times of Israel— I always thought that it is impossible to explain our life to anyone who did not live through it. When I wrote my books on Soviet realities, taught the contemporary Soviet history in several Western universities, authored numerous columns and articles on what we lived through, was given hundreds…
By Ron Jager— As a kid growing up on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, snow days were special events that we waited for all winter long. As kids we would rejoice, while our parents would be stuck at home worrying about not being able to get to work for a day or two. For…
By Emet— BAHA ABU AL-ATA AND THE ISLAMIC JIHAD On November 12, 2019 at 4:00am (Israel Time) the Israeli Air Force conducted a surgical airstrike against Baha Abu Al-Ata. The Israeli Security Cabinet authorized over a week ago, in accordance to the recommendation of the Israeli military, secret service, and intelligence community, to eliminate Al-Ata…
by Gadi Golan , Lilach Shoval , News Agencies , Israel Hayom Staff—- The Israeli Air Force struck several Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip in the predawn hours of Friday morning in response to four rocket attacks by the Iranian-backed terrorist group, which violated a ceasefire announced on Thursday. According to the military,…