Into The Fray: The first of a two-part analysis of why Israel is losing the international battle for hearts and minds. One of the gravest strategic threats facing Israel is its accelerating international delegitimization. This is developing into a strategic constraint that is increasingly curtailing the nation’s ability to protect itself and its citizens. Even more troubling, it is undermining international recognition of Israel’s right to exercise self-defense, even in the most blatant cases of aggression against it. By Ted Belman I usually agree with Evelyn Gordon but not now in her Commentary article, What Does it Mean to be Pro-Israel?. I disagree with her points on peace. She writes, I would argue that they might and invariably do.... By Ted Belman When is Israel going to wise up? Israel’s preferred policy is to play defense and make as few waves as possible. Whether its Obama insisting on a building freeze, or negotiations based on ’67 lines with swaps or the EU encouraging the Arabs to violate the Oslo Accords and build in Area C, Israel is always reacting. Thus when we wait to be diplomatically attacked we end up fighting on our own territory. For example if we claimed sovereignty over Area C, our enemies would be concerned with undermining such contention. As it is we have conceded too much territory in negotiations and we are debating over whether we get to keep 1% or 6. This is madness and... Stackelbeck on Terror interviews David Haivri and Tommy Waller in Israel’s Bible Belt also know as Yehuda and Shomron. By DANNY AYALON, Deputy Foreign Minister, Israel Beiteinu. During his inaugural address in 1961, US president John F. Kennedy spoke the immortal words: “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” While this quotation is widely used and sourced, few truly understand the significance of these words. These ideas have in common the idea of contributing to one’s society by transforming one’s surroundings...Comprehending the incomprehensible – Part I
To be considered Pro-Israel you must support her, not condemn her
This is Israel, not Canada
Stop playing defense
Israel’s Bible Belt
Equal benefits, equal responsibilities
Netanyahu’s idea of free education for those three and four-year-olds is one that in principle Israel Beiteinu supports. However, as always, the devil is in the details.More Recent Articles
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Israel has made itself defenseless. Israel has vacated the battleground of the mind. Israeli ‘hasbara’ is a JOKE! –
British columnist Melanie Phillips, IBA Television, 2011
Strategic debacle
Without wishing to diminish the significance of innate hostility towards Israel and the Jews from many sources in the international system, the present dismal and untenable situation has arisen in large measure because of the abysmal...
Moment magazine’s latest issue has an interesting symposium on what it means to be pro-Israel today.
I found Hillel Halkin’s definition particularly helpful. But I’d like to add one thing to his list. Clearly, it’s okay to criticize any particular Israeli policy; Israelis do it all the time. But those with influence in the Jewish community, like rabbis or officials of Jewish organizations, also have an obligation to try to understand – and explain to his community – why Israelis might view the issue differently.
For instance, it’s perfectly acceptable to argue that Israel should withdraw to the 1949 armistice lines, or unilaterally evacuate West Bank settlements; I disagree with both positions, but they don’t make you anti-Israel.
Deer in the Golan Heights’ Odem Forest, Jan. 13, 2012.
It used to be that we had a policy of fighting on the other guys territory which means pre-emptive action.
In diplomatic terms this means claiming ownership of the other guys territory or at least what he thinks is his, and building on it. Let the other guys, the Arabs, the EU and the US play defense.
During Britain’s general election in 2010, the then-opposition Conservative Party created a flagship policy idea called the “Big Society” that became the theme for its successful election campaign.
One of its central thrusts was to encourage people to play a role in their community and their country, to contribute to the state, rather than just benefit from it.
Ted Belman
Jerusalem, Israel
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