Monthly Archives: December 2016

The “international community” and its Israel problem

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Victor Rosenthal

I am writing on Wednesday, after the passage of UNSC resolution 2334 and John Kerry’s speech laying out his parameters for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And after that, there will or will not be another Security Council resolution, in which … Continue reading →

Posted in Israel and Palestinian Arabs, The UN, US-Israel Relations | 1 Comment

Questions and answers about UN Security Council resolution 2334

Posted on December 26, 2016 by Victor Rosenthal

On Friday, December 23, 2016, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2334 with a vote of 14 in favor and one abstention – the US. What does the resolution say? A lot of things (full text is here), but some … Continue reading →

Posted in Diplomatic warfare, The UN, US-Israel Relations | 4 Comments

The terrorist veto

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Victor Rosenthal

Dear Mr. President-Elect and Mr. Prime Minister, You understand that you are being tested, do you not? Mr. Trump, they want to know if you are as tough as you say you are and if you will live up to … Continue reading →

Posted in Terrorism, US-Israel Relations | 5 Comments

A national purpose

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Victor Rosenthal

ERETZ-ISRAEL was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics, Israeli Society, Zionism | 1 Comment

Amona

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Victor Rosenthal

I have avoided writing about Amona until now. This is because the legal issues surrounding the notion of land ownership in Judea and Samaria are so arcane that one legal scholar (email correspondence) wrote that “the number of people who … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics, Zionism | 3 Comments

The truth is a minority opinion

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Victor Rosenthal

This morning I got an email from an American correspondent asking what are the arguments for the legitimacy of Israeli communities (not ‘settlements’) across the Green Line, including all of Jerusalem. When I responded, I realized that although I have … Continue reading →

Posted in The Jewish people, Zionism | 6 Comments

The Third Lebanon War will be the Last Lebanon War

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Victor Rosenthal

If I’ve learned anything in my relatively comfortable and placid life it is that despite my good luck, evil is real. Sometimes it grows and sometimes declines. Today it’s gathering strength. Hezbollah came into being in 1985, as a response … Continue reading →

Posted in War | 3 Comments

Israel needs a constitution, but won’t get one

Posted on December 4, 2016 by Victor Rosenthal

Israel’s Declaration of Independence states that a constitution for the State of Israel “shall be adopted by the Elected Constituent Assembly not later than the 1st October 1948.” Clearly they’re running a little late. And this is more than Jewish … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics | 3 Comments