Category Archives: Israeli Politics

Another battle in Israel’s culture war

Posted on November 25, 2018 by Victor Rosenthal

Tomorrow (Monday) Israel’s Knesset is expected to take the final vote on the so-called “Loyalty in Culture” bill introduced by Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev. Yes, the name of the proposed law (Hebrew text here), when translated into … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics, Israeli Society, Media | Comments Off on Another battle in Israel’s culture war

Israeli politics, not precisely as usual

Posted on November 22, 2018 by Victor Rosenthal

This week: Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman quits his job and takes his party out of the coalition in anger over Netanyahu’s perceived weakness toward Hamas in Gaza, leaving the coalition with a 1-seat margin in the Knesset. Naftali Bennett and … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics, War | 2 Comments

Choosing Dishonor

Posted on November 16, 2018 by Victor Rosenthal

You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war. – Winston Churchill, to Neville Chamberlain As I write this, the recent “security incident” in Gaza seems to have receded to become, well, … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics, War | 2 Comments

We can take back our sovereignty

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Victor Rosenthal

Every time Tzipi Livni opens her mouth, the word “democracy” comes out. According to Livni, the government and the Knesset that were democratically elected by the people are constantly “endangering” it, “undermining” it, “imperiling it,” and so on. Nothing contradicts … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics, The UN | 3 Comments

Trading sovereignty for PR

Posted on October 21, 2018 by Victor Rosenthal

I live in a country in which everything is negotiable, everything is negotiated, nothing is final, and nothing is really forbidden, at least for our enemies. Graduate student Lara Alqasem, the former president of a BDS-supporting, Israel-hating, university “Students for … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics | 2 Comments

Fulfilling the social contract

Posted on October 14, 2018 by Victor Rosenthal

Rousseau explained the social contract that gives legitimacy to the concept of governmental authority: the true sovereign, the people, agrees to give up some of its freedoms and take on some obligations in return for benefits provided by the government. … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics, Terrorism | 2 Comments

Taking the ghetto out of the Jew

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Victor Rosenthal

We do not have to account to anybody, we are not to sit for anybody’s examination and nobody is old enough to call on us to answer. We came before them and will leave after them. We are what we … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli Politics, Zionism | 2 Comments

The Times They Are A Changing

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Victor Rosenthal

When the State of Israel was declared in May of 1948, 35 men and two women signed the Declaration of Independence. The overwhelming majority was made up of activists of various left-wing factions, a few represented the interests of different … Continue reading →

Posted in Israeli or Jewish History, Israeli Politics, Israeli Society, Post-Zionism | 2 Comments