Should we be concerned about the state of Israeli democracy? Recent worrying events have included the passage of a Nation-State, as well as prime ministerial efforts to corral the press and ongoing campaigns to limit judicial independence. But are these signs that democracy and civil liberties in the Jewish proposed? What Is a Democracy? To…
This hasn’t been an easy month for Jewish American progressiveswho support Israel. Early this week, Peter Beinart, a prominent journalist and critic of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, was detained for an hour at the airport in Tel Aviv. Israeli authorities grilled him about his political activities before allowing him into the country. Beinart’s account of…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in damage control mode. Yesterday, noted author, political commentator and Forward columnist Peter Beinart wrote about his experience being detained at Ben Gurion Airport by Israeli secret service and questioned about his views in a widely shared article. Just hours later, Netanyahu himself released a statement in which he…
Both of us have spent decades in public service in several U.S. administrations working to enhance the ties between the United States and Israel. Separately, in our private careers we have sought to promote the well-being of the Jewish people. We believe a strong, democratic Israel in the troubled Middle East is in the national…
It’s over: Israel has picked “identity over democracy.” That’s both the premise and conclusion of a recent piece by The New York Times columnist Max Fisher, who sees in the lamentable “Nation-State” law passed last week by the Knesset a rejection of democracy, and an embrace of theocracy and ethnocracy. Fisher writes that Israel has…
It is time for the Jewish Diaspora to update some of its favorite lines for advocating on behalf of Israel. For example, “Arabic is one of Israel’s two official languages” is now a factually incorrect statement after Israel’s new Nation-State bill was passed by the Knesset last week. The bill downgraded Arabic from an official…
The Trump administration’s treatment of asylum seekers and immigrant communities is filling many Americans with horror and dread. During the dark days of this administration, we are seeing immigrants who have built homes, businesses and lives in America have their legal status arbitrarily revoked by refusals to extend TPS. We are hearing the screams of…
Oprah gave a pitch-perfect commencement speech at my school’s graduation, a mix of motivation (“Be the truth. Be. The. Truth.”) and motivation shtick (“Invest in a quality mattress. And don’t cheap out on your shoes.”). The exhortation that won the biggest rise from the thousand USC Annenberg students: “Vote. Vote. Vote.” Their cheers almost made…
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