THOSE WHO are interested in the history of the Crusades ask themselves: what brought about the Crusaders’ downfall? Looking at the remnants of their proud fortresses all over the country, we wonder. The traditional answer is: their defeat in the battle of the Horns of Hattin, twin hills near the Lake of Galilee, in 1187, … Read more
WHEN RABBI Ovadia Yosef first appeared on the national scene, I heaved a deep sigh of relief.Here was the man I had dreamed of: a charismatic leader of oriental Jews, a man of peace, a bearer of a moderate religious tradition. “Rabbi Ovadia”, as everybody called him, who died this week at the age of … Read more
BINYAMIN NETANYAHU aroused my pity. From my 10 years of membership in the Knesset I know how unpleasant it is to speak before an empty hall. His die-hard followers – a pathetic residue of Casino magnates and burnt-out Zionist right-wingers – sat in the gallery and an over-blown Israeli delegation sat in the hall, but … Read more
YEARS AGO I disclosed one of the biggest secrets about Iran: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was an agent of the Mossad. Suddenly, all the curious details of his behavior made sense. His public fantasies about the disappearance of Israel. His denial of the Holocaust, which until then had been typical only of a lunatic fringe. His boasting … Read more
IF SOMEBODY steals something precious from you, say a diamond, you may be angry. Even God himself said so. When He sent a worm to kill the gourd which provided shade for the prophet Jonah in the desert, He asked him maliciously: “Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?” (Jonah 4:9) And now … Read more
HERE IS another Jewish joke: A hungry young Jew sees an announcement outside a local circus: anyone who climbs to the top of a 50 meter pole and jumps onto a tarpaulin below will win a prize of a thousand rubles. Out of desperation he goes in, climbs the pole and shudders looking down. “Jump! … Read more
ISRAEL LOVES anniversaries. The media fill up with revelations and memories of the event commemorated, eye-witnesses recite their stories for the umpteenth time, old photos flood the pages and the TV screens. In the coming days, two main memorial dates will play this role. True, the Yom Kippur war broke out only in October (1973), … Read more
POOR OBAMA. I pity him.Right at the start of his meeting with history, he made The Speech in Cairo. A great speech. An uplifting speech. An edifying speech. He talked to the educated youth of the Egyptian capital. He spoke about the virtues of democracy, the bright future awaiting a liberal, moderate Muslim world. Hosni … Read more
I DIDN’T want to write this article, but I had to.I love Egypt. I love the Egyptian people. I have spent some of the happiest days of my life there. My heart bleeds when I think of Egypt. And these days I think about Egypt all the time. I cannot remain silent when I see … Read more
I DON’T know if the Guinness Book of World Records has a special section for Chutzpah.If it does not, it should. That’s the one competition where we might take home a few gold medals.The first one would surely go to Binyamin Netanyahu. THIS WEEK, on the eve of the first round of serious negotiations between … Read more