US MEDIA OPINION PIECES

US NEWS ARTICLES

US WIRE SERVICE NEWS ARTICLES

• Christian Science Monitor: Israel's slipping democracy: This beacon of freedom is becoming more like its authoritarian neighbors, by Nir Eisikovits (24 September 2008).
  This Op-Ed by an Israeli lawyer describes various ways Israel has been compromising its democratic nature.

• New York Times: , by Nicholas D. Kristof (24 July 2008).
  In this incredible column, Mr. Kristof gives intelligent rebuttals to some of his pro-Israel readers, and in the end suggests that the candidates relate to Israel with tough love - insisting they do the right thing such as not attack Iran and halt settlement building and expansion. The two issues covered the most are settlements and the wall. Also discussed is the point that if Israel does not help the two-state solution happen, then the one-state solution will happen because of the demographics.

• New York Times: Israel's Identity Crisis, by Adam LeBor (29 June 2008).
  This book review covers the new book by Bernard Avishai, "Israel's Identity Crisis", which first describes the reality of how creating a Jewish State has undermined the effort to also create a democracy because it has knocked out equal rights for all its citizens. Then the author offers the single-state solution with commerce bringing together the two camps who are otherwise at war as long as there is a "Jewish State".

• *New York Times: Time for Radical Pragmatism, by Thomas L. Friedman (4 June 2008).
  In this op-ed Mr Friedman expresses the belief that the spread of settlements across the West Bank now makes a viable Palestinian State in that area virtually impossible, and believes that only a "radical pragmatism" will lead to a solution where Israel would be willing to remove the settlements so that a viable State could be established in the hopes of averting the demographic crisis which is developing for Israel wherein Israeli Jews will soon find themselves to be minorities in the region if they continue to maintain control and responsibility over the West Bank.

• Philadelphia Inquirer: For 60 years, Israel's battled enemies & misconceptions, by Stu Bykofsky (19 May 2008).
  In Mr. Bykofsky's op-ed, he laments the anti-Israel bias he sees in the reporting of the Western media, especially recent reporting about emerging support for the one-state solution, which he sees as the end of the Jewish State. He then asks why doesn't the Jewish state have the right to exist?

• New York Times: People vs. Dinosaurs, by Thomas L. Friedman (8 June 2008).
  This very interesting article describes the resiliency and inventiveness and determination of the Israeli people as evidence of the State's durability. But the State is dependent for its existence on perpetuating criminal actions (state-sanctioned discrimination and ethnic cleansing to keep the native people subdued and excluded). Maybe the resiliency and inventiveness of the Israeli people are signs of how they will find a way to live and continue to thrive joining with the native Palestinian Arabs equally in governing and inhabiting a single democratic state, because if we truly believe in democracy and freedom then we cannot believe that a government like Israel should survive.

• Washington Post: "Ombudsman Column: Was 'Excluded' the Wrong Word?" (20 April 2008)
  Letters are needed to commend the Washington Post ombudsman, Deborah Howell, for her superb piece of research exposing exactly how the Israeli military attempts to exclude Israeli Arabs from serving without appearing to practice discrimination. The reason why exclusion from military service is serious for citizens of Israel is because veterans of service receive a wide range of benefits, and Israel has not even developed alternative forms of service which Israeli Arab citizens could participate in in order to earn comparable benefits so that they have equal chance at benefitting from some type of government service, which is significant to careers and economic health in Israel. So this adds an extra layer onto this form of Israeli discrimination which Ms. Howell might find enlightening. Please send your emails to Post at [email protected] and/or Ms. Howell at [email protected].

• Washington Post: In Israel, A Clash Over Who Is a Jew, by Griff Witte (30 August 2008).
  This article describes the demographic delimma facing Israel in the near future as not only the higher Arab birthrates threaten the Jewish majority, but also Orthodox Jewish cancellation of thousands of Jewish conversions because they did not meet orthodox standards.

• Los Angeles Times: In Israel, religious schools get a boost, by Richard Boudreaux (18 August 2008).
  Yeshivas retain special government funding in defiance of a Supreme Court order, but reflecting the national goal of Israel being a Jewish State, and the disproportionate political power of the ultra-orthodox Jewish groups. Critics accuse the Yeshivas of not providing a balanced education, but defenders point out the schools produce a high rate of successful college graduates.

• Chicago Tribune: God's 'chosen people', by Jason George (7 July 2008).
  This article describes a Jewish fundamentalist group that recently immigrated to Israel, but which the Israeli government initially hesitated granting citizenship to because of their eccentric beliefs which they consider to be Jewish but which some Israeli officials declared as not being Jewish.

• New York Times: Survey of Israelis’ Attitudes Toward Politics Finds Disgust and a Growing Apathy , by Isabel Kershner (10 June 2008).
  The state of democracy in Israel - "It is not that Israelis are turning against democracy. Despite the negative feelings revealed by the survey, other indicators show that the public’s commitment to the principles of a democratic system remains strong." But that is very sad to think about how the Israeli public's strong loyalty to democracy only applies to themselves because an equally strong percentage support lack of equal rights for non-Jews. And then "For decades, two-thirds of Parliament was composed of two main parties, the dovish Labor and the hawkish Likud ... The lines became blurred by the breakdown of the peace process with the Palestinians in 2000 and the subsequent outbreak of the anti-Israel uprising known as the intifada." This illustrates the extremist grip that has a hold on the Israeli mind-set, because they could not recognize the legitimate democratic concerns of the Intifrada - democratic concerns that reflect Israel's own democratic values, but which it cannot imaginge applying to its own native population.

• New York Times: Will Peace Take Flight?, by Jonathan Rosen (10 June 2008).
  Israel chooses a national bird, which is not offensive to anyone. It is so strange how this diplomatic move is made in contradiction with so many other moves which are so blatantly anti-Palestinian. But then this might be an example of Israel's diplomatic, public relations and negotiating skills. Unfortunately all this talent is used in such a way that the result is not helpful to the conflict that is hurting and killing thousands.

• Chicago Tribune: Israel bans former DePaul professor (25 May 2008).
  Professor Norman Finkelstein is a strong critic of the Israeli government. Israel blocks his entry into the country, which is supposed to be open to all Jews. Isn't Israel supposed to be a democracy?

• New York Times: Artists absorb Israel's six decades, and move on, by Ethan Bronner (19 May 2008).
  This review of a show of Israeli artists touring the US reflects the materialism and malaise of Israeli society today. It is interesting to note that the word Palestine or Palestinian appears only once in the article.

• New York Times: On eve of Passover, bread stirs deep thoughts of Israel, by Ethan Bronner (18 May 2008).
  This article describes the struggle that is still found in Israel over what exactly it means to be a Jewish State. The center of the debate is whether to ban regular bread during the Passover holiday. Many in Israel fear the external protest to their effort to create a Jewish State and thus out of defensiveness want more than ever to make Jewish traditions official state policy.

• Chicago Tribune: Can 2 foes live under 1 roof?, by Richard Boudreaux and Ashraf Khalil (14 May 2008).
  We should write and commend the Chicago Tribune for publishing this article that accurately describes the emergence of growing support for the one-state solution as efforts to realize the two-state solution once again sink into a quagmire, especially in light of the demographic situation where in a number of years the Jews will find themselves the minority in the region.

• Miami Herald: Israel facing demographic challenge, by Trudy Rubin (11 May 2008).
  This article describes how the two-state solution is the only solution that can reasonably handle the demographic problem facing Israel if it wishes to remain a Jewish State, because if it does not allow the evolution of a viable Palestinian State in the West Bank then the Palestinians who live there will soon begin demanding political rights over their territory within the Jewish State, and since they soon within a few decades will outnumber the Jewish Israelis, they may begin to legitimately claim that their situation parallels South Africa and its apartheid system where the native majority also was oppressed by a foreign minority, and was denied political rights in their own ancestral homeland. But the author's view of the one-state solution that will then result is unreasonably pessimistic.

• Boston Globe: As Israel reflects, luminaries look ahead: Group wrestles with key issues for nation, world
  New York Times: At 60, Israel redefines roles for itself and for Jews elsewhere,
  both articles above by Ethan Bronner (8 May 2008).
  Washington Post: For Israel, 60 Candles And Many Luminaries - Bush Among Those Celebrating in Jerusalem, by Michael Abramowitz (15 May 2008).
  These three articles describe the conference of world thinkers that is being put on in Israel during its celebration of its 60th anniversary. During the Conference the world's problems will be discussed, as well as what role Israel can play in solving those problems. But Israeli policies and practices toward the Palestinian people will not be open to discussion, and thus Arab leaders and thinkers have refused to attend. Incidently, this reason for lack of Arab participation is not mentioned in the article, but it is the truth. This conference thus embodies the irony of Israel in today's world - how Israel is accepted for its accomplishments as its crimes are ignored - war crimes and crimes against humanity.

• Boston Globe: Arabs in Israel still feel adrift: Land, identity still sore points 60 years later,
  New York Times: After 60 years, Arabs in Israel are outsiders,
  both articles by Ethan Bronner (7 May 2008).
  While trivializing Palestinian feelings of alienation and loss (i.e. the Nakba), this article acknowledges the discrimination Israeli Arabs suffer from, but in the end does not offer the obvious solution.

• Philadelphia Inquirer: Worldview: A look at the limits democracy must set: Israeli veterans explore "our moral boundaries", by Trudy Rubin (24 February 2008).
  This article reviews a photo exhibit of photos by Israeli soldier veterans of their experiences policing the occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, showing why they have had second thoughts about its morality.

Israeli court lifts ban on Arab parties
Associated Press
January 21, 2009 - 10:57 a.m. EST
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Middle_East/ML_Israel_Arab_Parties.html?cxntlid=inform_sr

Israel's Supreme Court lifts ban on Arab parties running in elections
By Associated Press
9:57 AM CST, January 21, 2009
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-ml-israel-arab-parties,0,3391102.story

Israeli court lifts ban on Arab parties
The Associated Press
Wednesday, January 21, 2009; 10:57 AM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/21/AR2009012101444.html

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Washington Post: Jewish 'modesty patrols' sow fear in Israel,
  Chicago Tribune: Fears rise in Israel as Jewish vigilantes attack women, stores deemed immodest,
  both article-versions by Amy Teibel, Associated Press (4 October 2008).
• Washington Post
  Book ban ends rare Arab-Israeli cultural exchange, by Joseph Nasr, Reuters (30 September 2008) - many see as a blow to regional free speech.
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution
  WORLD IN BRIEF: Olmert warns of extremism threat, from News Services (29 September 2008) - calls extremist groups threats to Israel's democracy.
• Chicago Tribune Ethiopian immigration marks end of a formative chapter in the life of Israel, by Aron Heller,
  Atlanta Journal-Constitution,,
  Washington Post: In Israel, era of mass immigration ends,
  both article-versions by Aron Heller, Associated Press (6 September 2008) - this article describes the Zionist dream of 'aliyah', which is slowly dying as the numbers of desperate oppressed Jews around the world decreases to zero. There is nothing in this article about how the moral problems of the conflict with Palestine impacts this dream.
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Washington Post:
  Israel's welcome for Ethiopian Jews wears thin, by Aron Heller, Associated Press (16 August 2008) - these Ethiopian Jews are no longer being welcomed because they have a hard time adjusting and because their Judaism is mixed with Christianity, but many protest this because this contradicts with one of the basic tenets of the Jewish State - to welcome all Jews. Unfortunately, the article fails to describe the racist harassment the Ethiopians also face.
• Washington Post
  Palestinian negotiator considers binational state, by Ali Sawafta, Reuters (10 August 2008) - this article how Israeli intransigence concerning the 4 core issues of the negotiatiions makes a viable Palestinian state virtually impossible, so they are beginning to consider the single-state solution, which the article says the Israelis won't consider because it threatens the Jewish State which is dependent on maintaining a Jewish majority.
• Washington Post
  Israel likely to skip next UN racism conference, by Bradley S. Klapper, Associated Press (6 August 2008).
• Washington Post
  Israel Pushes Biometric Database Initiative - Israel's government has approved a bill calling for all residents to be issued biometric identity cards and passports, by Amir Ben-Artzi, IDG News Service (6 August 2008).
• Washington Post
  For Jerusalem Palestinians, home not always home, by Karin Laub, Associated Press (2 August 2008) - describes how Israel is attempting to win the demographic race in Jerusalem by inhumane means but is losing. Describes land policy, home demolitions, the wall, etc.
• Washington Post
  Jews live longer than Arabs in Israel, says report, Reuters (9 July 2008).
  This article attributes inequalities in quality of life to inequality in government services provided to Arab communities in Israel.
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Chicago Tribune:
  Presbyterians seek balance on Middle East peace, by Eric Gorski, Associated Press (27 June 2008).
  Part of this balance now includes endorsement of Palestinian right-of-return which many interpret as end to Jewish State because it would shift the demographic balance exposing fact that Israel's democracy is dependent on keeping out the native majority population.
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Chicago Tribune,
  Philadelphia Inquirer,
  San Francisco Chronicle,
  Washington Post:
  Messianic Jews say they are persecuted in Israel, by Laurie Copans, Associated Press (21 June 2008).
• Washington Post:
  Israel's Arab minority ambivalent about Independence Day, by Diaa Hadid and Ian Dietch, Associated Press (7 May 2008).
• New York Times,
  Washington Post:
  Arabs say racism on rise as Israel turns 60, by Mohammed Assadi, Reuters (7 May 2008).