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Showing posts from June, 2024

For Israel to Grow Up, it Needs Political and Electoral Reform Now

 As appeared in the Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel Blogs .   Israel has grown into a world power in a comparably short period of time despite constantly fighting for its survival against much larger odds on the geo-political stage or in actual warfare.   The “nation building” was important (and successful) but it was rushed with just enough for what was necessary. Most Western European and North American countries had either the luxury, time, money, peace, and/or focus, to build well thought out and scalable political infrastructures. Israel now needs to take that time and thoughtful approach.   The Knesset must put forth changes to maintain a national coalition that can last an elected term, as well as deal with the national divisiveness over “judicial reform” that ended abruptly on 7 October 2023. Both issues are poised to return once a new election date is declared, or the coalition unity is threatened.   Let’s simplify a complicated topic ...

Ceasefire or Surrender? What's it gonna be? [updated]

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 As appeared in Israel National News and Times of Israel Blogs .  Ceasefire or Surrender? What's it gonna be? The plan presented by Pres. Biden makes a mockery of the entire situation. By David S. Levine / Jun 3, 2024, 10:21 AM (GMT+3) ß Gilad Erdan shows the Hamas Charter President Biden, joining pro-Hamas/Palestinian demonstrators, governments, politicians, and the mainstream news media are calling for a ceasefire to the Hamas-Israel war. While Israel and Hamas have been back and forth to the negotiating table, what should be the best outcome to such discussion? Words like “ceasefire,” “permanent ceasefire,” and “comprehensive ceasefire” are being thrown around in addition to total withdrawal, freeing large numbers of terrorists and rebuilding Gaza. Does anyone take this seriously? Where are the fervent demands for Hamas to “surrender?” They were the ones who launched a brutal attack on October 7, 2023. During that invasion, and up until today, they are vio...