Monthly Archives: December 2015

Duma and the ‘Wedding of Hate’

Posted on December 27, 2015 by Victor Rosenthal

Yes, another post on the Duma murders (see all of them here). I’ve argued all along that the hypothesis that the crime was committed by Arabs in conflict with the Dawabshes is at least worthy of consideration. Much about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Duma arson-murder | 4 Comments

Defensive weapons and the strategy of preemption

Posted on December 25, 2015 by Victor Rosenthal

This week the new medium-range anti-missile system called “David’s Sling” was declared operational, and is expected to be deployed in 2016. It will join the existing Iron Dome systems for short-range rockets and the Arrow 3 system for intercepting ballistic … Continue reading →

Posted in War | 2 Comments

How not to make political friends

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Victor Rosenthal

This week, Yitzhak Herzog, the leader of Israel’s Labor Party (now euphemistically known as the ‘Zionist Union’) announced that the time had come for a change in government and he was preparing his party for elections in 2016. Most Israelis … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics | 1 Comment

Shabak hints that Duma arson suspects did not set the fire

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Victor Rosenthal

I have been following the investigation of the brutal arson-murders in the Arab village of Duma since the crime was committed in the early hours of July 31, 2015 (see here, here, here and here). In a nutshell, someone set … Continue reading →

Posted in Duma arson-murder, Terrorism | 2 Comments

The Israeli Left’s Faustian bargain

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Victor Rosenthal

Barack Obama seems to oppose intervention most everywhere. He is especially committed to minimizing the friction between America and the Muslim world – even trying to align America with Islamic objectives – and so continues to reduce the US footprint … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe and Israel, Israeli Politics, US-Israel Relations | Comments Off on The Israeli Left’s Faustian bargain

Rivlin’s folly

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Victor Rosenthal

נתאי הארבלי אומר: הרחק משכן רע, ואל תתחבר לרשע, ואל תתיאש מן הפרענות – פרקי אבות א,ז Nittai of Arbel says: Distance yourself from a bad neighbor; do not associate with a wicked person; and do not despair of retribution. … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics, US-Israel Relations | 2 Comments

Notes on terrorism

Posted on December 11, 2015 by Victor Rosenthal

History stands at the beginning stages of Islam’s latest attempt to dominate the world. That’s a very broad statement, of course. Do I mean political subjugation and occupation, as in the Arab conquests of the 7th century? Do I mean … Continue reading →

Posted in Islam, Terrorism | Comments Off on Notes on terrorism

Why Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria are legal

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Victor Rosenthal

Europeans like to say that “Israeli settlements outside of the Green Line are illegal under international law.” The US State Department prefers “illegitimate.” But they are wrong. Usually the explanation has something to do with Article 49 of the Fourth … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East politics, The UN | 2 Comments