The recent reactions by some in Israel to any criticism of the nation are a potentially disturbing trend. There have been several recent incidents that have raised eyebrows, including the arrest of a Jewish-American journalist on the grounds of security, threats by an Israeli minister against
Israel won't allow concrete and other construction materials into blockaded Gaza. This raises problems for the many Palestinians made homeless there in the wake of Operation Cast Lead. Israel says raw materials could be seized by Hamas to make weapons or fortify their military structures, but
In the face of complex policy choices and increasingly rancorous clamoring from the opposition, it is worthy of repeating that a calculated response in foreign policy is not necessarily a bad thing. A country is not just judged in the world’s eye by what it does, but also by the subtler nuances of
10.26.2009 | Editorials, Israel, Middle East, Palestine | Stuart Ford
The Israeli military was once secular. It operated under a traditional and hierarchical military command, largely without religious agenda. The emergence of a new breed of “Fighting Rabbis” has changed that dynamic. These Rabbis came to the forefront in the recent Gaza attacks, where the
There are a plethora of blogs. There is a veritable world of opinion that is available with through search engines and the click of the mouse. Most of it is from armchairs, dorm rooms, and the one-eyed view of personal interest. The reporting on the Gaza incursions, as an example, was both illumin
Many of the arguments in the public domain about foreign policy, are predicated around why this policy was undertaken. This is but one dimension of the foreign policy debate and ignores more practical concerns. What was done, can have an equal or greater impact as to why. If one but considers
06.4.2009 | Features, Israel, Middle East, Palestine | Clarity Correspondent
Gaza is out of the daily headlines other than as an academic policy debating point, but the reality of life on the ground there should still be a stain on Israel's moral claim for statehood recognition by Hamas. If there is a chance for peace, then it will require the meeting of minds in a politi
05.2.2009 | Israel, Middle East, Palestine | Clarity Staff Reporter
Regardless of which side of the vast ideological divide you stand, despite where you lay blame or offer support, there is a certain irony to the celebration of Israel's 61st birthday. In one sense, it is a landmark in a bitter fought struggle for the tribal survival of a people much abused. It a
On occasion we like to revisit some stories from our vault that we think worthy of repeating. The story of this amazing man, Abdul Sattar Edhi is one such story. There are few good news stories coming out of Pakistan. We have the issues in the Swat Valley, the resurgence of the Pakistan Ta
There is a veil of legal obscurification spread over the Israel-Palestine conflict. There are multiple legal debates - is Palestine occupied or disputed territory, is Israel executing colonial power, but there is probably no more emotively charged question, than is Israel's treatment of Palestin
04.1.2009 | Features, Israel, Middle East, Palestine | Clarity Staff Reporter
