Iran
Anti-Semitism and Man at YaleTuesday, May 21, 2013 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Continuing our retrospective, we revisit Alex Joffe's critique of the unwillingness of Western universities to confront contemporary anti-Semitism, first published June 13, 2011.
The Outstretched HandWednesday, April 10, 2013 by Motti Inbari | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
My family and I celebrated Passover in Lumberton, North Carolina. We are the only Israelis in town and, as far as I know, the only Jews. But it’s not as lonely as it might sound, thanks to our Evangelical Christian neighbors.
AIPAC and the Secret Worlds of PeoplehoodTuesday, March 12, 2013 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
No cause, force or organization, brings Americans, primarily Jews but also Christians, together like the cause of Israel as managed by AIPAC.
The Halakhah of Selling ArmsTuesday, February 5, 2013 by Shlomo M. Brody | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Jewish law prohibits individuals from selling weapons to irresponsible or violent customers. But how does this apply to Israel's arms sales to foreign governments?
The ISI and the JewsThursday, January 3, 2013 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Pakistan's intelligence agency has supported Al Qaeda, Iran, and Lashkar-e-Taiba—the terrorists who attacked Mumbai in 2008, killing six at Chabad. But the U.S. still treats it as an ally.
Chemical Warfare in the Middle East: A Brief HistoryThursday, December 13, 2012 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
At this time of Hanukkah’s memories of Syrian tyrants past, the Syrian tyrant present, Bashar al-Assad, has reportedly assembled chemical weapons for use against the rebellion.
Israel’s Friends in GazaThursday, November 29, 2012 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Hamas was quick to declare victory in the latest conflict with Israel. A closer look at the price it paid in terms of personnel and equipment shows that its bravado was false.
Iranian Jewry TodayThursday, August 16, 2012 by Shai Secunda | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
In late June 2012, the Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran addressed an international conference on the proliferation of illicit drugs. He acknowledged his country’s extensive border with Afghanistan, the largest producer of illegal opium in the world. But he also blamed the crisis on the Babylonian Talmud.
Our Zoroastrian MomentMonday, May 7, 2012 by Shai Secunda | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
The great contemporary scholar of religion Jonathan Z. Smith once remarked that the omnipresent substructure of human thought lies in the human capacity to make comparisons. In ancient Sumer, scribes crafted intricate similes.
Cyrus, Ahmadinejad, and the Politics of PurimWednesday, March 7, 2012 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
At this week's pre-Purim meeting in Washington between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss Iran's nuclear threat to Israel, Netanyahu gave Obama a present: the book (or m'gilah, scroll) of Esther, which tells how the Jewish heroine foiled Haman's plot to kill the Jews of ancient Persia.
Editors' Picks
Where Does the Buck Stop? James Cartwright, Amos Yadlin, Atlantic. While its military capabilities enable the U.S. to be patient with Iran, for Israel the window for military action is rapidly closing.
Bordering on Collapse Dore Gold, Israel Hayom. As a result of the Syrian civil war, Middle East borders that have lasted since the Sykes-Picot agreement of 1916 are on the verge of erasure—and the vultures are already circling.
How Rational Is Iran? Steven David, American Interest. Saddam Hussein torched Kuwait's oil fields. Bashar al-Assad has killed 70,000 of his own people. Why assume that Iran's autocracy will act rationally?
Iran and the Brotherhood Eric Trager, Washington Institute. Iran is becoming increasingly unpopular in the Arab world—except among Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood.
Israel's Interests in Syria Efraim Inbar, Begin-Sadat Center. "Israel would be better served by having a failed state next door than by having a strong, Iranian-backed entity there."
Hanging in the Balance Lee Smith, Weekly Standard. Facing hostile actors on nearly every border, Israel aims to preserve the regional balance of power—a task made all the more delicate by American indifference.
Going Nuclear Michael Segall, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Iran already has the technological capacity to produce one nuclear bomb—it is just waiting for the right moment to "break out."
Friends, but Not Allies P. R. Kumaraswamy, Middle East Quarterly. Despite continuing political differences, India has forged a mutually beneficial relationship with Israel—by decoupling bilateral relations from the peace process.
Is Israel Isolated? Efraim Inbar, Middle East Quarterly. "A closer look at Israel's relations with countries near and far, as well as with international institutions, belies the claim that it is isolated. In fact, Israel is increasingly acknowledged as a world player."
Obama's Opportunity Walter Russell Mead, Via Meadia. "Obama now holds more cards than any American President in a long time: between the nightmare in Syria and the threat in Iran, Israel has never needed support from allies more than it does now."