It seemed too good to be true. Finally, here was a story about Israel —the world leader in vaccinating its entire population, in all its rich diversity, against COVID — that the media might present in positive terms.
As Hamas fired deadly missiles at Israel for 11 straight days, Israel’s critics fired one verbal salvo after another. Unable or unwilling to distinguish between a terrorist organization, Hamas, seeking Israel’s destruction, and a democratic country trying to deny the group’s wish, they went for the jugular. Here are 15 of the most memorably outrageous accusations.
A few years ago, when our children were born, we made a decision about how to live in Israel as a state where reality demands acquaintance between Arabs and Jews, understanding and mutual respect. We’ve decided: our children will live as loyal citizens, who belong to the land, the country, the state and the flag.
It was exactly 20 years ago. My wife and I were attending a Shabbat dinner in Madrid on June 1st when someone gave us the news. A suicide bomber had struck a seaside discotheque, the Dolphinarium, in Tel Aviv. There were reportedly many casualties. It seems there’s no more understanding or, worse, concern among many today about what Hamas actually is than there was that unforgettable Friday evening in 2001.
Without an understanding of what happened in the past, it’s impossible to grasp where we are today — and where we are has profound relevance for the region and the world. On June 5, fifty-four years ago, the Six-Day War broke out. While some wars fade into obscurity, this one remains as relevant today as in 1967. Many of its core issues remain unresolved.