Uri Avnery

Uri Avnery is a longtime Israeli peace activist. Since 1948 he has advocated the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. In 1974, Uri Avnery was the first Israeli to establish contact with the PLO leadership. In 1982 he was the first Israeli ever to meet Yasser Arafat, after crossing the lines in besieged Beirut. He served three terms in the Israeli Knesset and is the founder of Gush Shalom (Peace Bloc). Visit his Web site.

Interim Forever!

“I have three answers,” the Jew told the rabbi when his neighbor sued him for not returning a borrowed jar. “First, I never borrowed a jar from him. Second, the jar was broken. Third, I returned it to him long ago.” Avigdor Lieberman’s Peace Plan shows a similar kind of logic. Peace Plan? Lieberman? Oh, … Continue reading “Interim Forever!”

The Darkness to Expel

It is easy to despair before the filthy wave of racism that is engulfing us. The remedy for this despair: the growing number of young people, sons and daughters of the new Israeli generation, who are joining the fight against racism and occupation. This week, several hundred of them gathered in a hall in Tel … Continue reading “The Darkness to Expel”

Ship of Fools 2

The expression “Ship of Fools” was used by a Swiss theologian 515 years ago as the title of a book harshly criticizing the Catholic church of his day. Its licentiousness, he foresaw, would lead to disaster. And indeed, shortly afterward a monk named Martin Luther split the church and set in motion the great Reformation. … Continue reading “Ship of Fools 2”

A General Overhaul

The judge: “You are accused of murdering your wife and two children. How do you plead: Guilty or not guilty?” The accused: “Your honor, I do not deal with the past. I think about the future!” No, not a scene from a comedy. Something very similar really happened. That is how Eli Yishai, the minister … Continue reading “A General Overhaul”

Who’s Laughing?

“A disaster!” the courtiers of the king of Hanover cried. “Seven renowned professors at Göttingen University have published a declaration of protest against you!” That was 173 years ago. The king had suspended the liberal constitution enacted by his predecessor. “So what?” the king replied. “Tarts, dancers, and professors I can always buy.” This story … Continue reading “Who’s Laughing?”

Vox Taxi, Vox Dei

On Saturday evening, two weeks ago, we returned by taxi from the annual memorial rally for Yitzhak Rabin and as usual got into a conversation with our driver. Generally, these conversations flow smoothly, with lots of laughs. Rachel loves them, because they bring us face-to-face with people we don’t normally meet. The conversations are necessarily … Continue reading “Vox Taxi, Vox Dei”

The State of Blah-Blah-Blah

Will Germany enact a law that demands that every Turk aspiring to citizenship swear allegiance to the “German Federal Republic, the Nation-State of the German People”? Sounds like a ridiculous idea. Will the U.S. Senate adopt a law that would compel every candidate for citizenship to swear allegiance to “The United States of America, the … Continue reading “The State of Blah-Blah-Blah”

His Father’s Boy

Which is the real Netanyahu? Bibi the weakling, the invertebrate, who always gives in to pressure, who zigzags to the left and to the right, depending whether the pressure comes from the U.S. or from his coalition partners?The tricky Likud chief, who is afraid that Avigdor Ivett Lieberman might succeed in pushing him toward the … Continue reading “His Father’s Boy”

Olmert’s Fingertips

Ehud Olmert raised his hands before his face, two fingertips almost touching: “We were that close!” He was talking about the negotiation he had conducted personally with Mahmoud Abbas, just before he himself was forced to vacate the prime minister’s office. That was the climax of the speech he made last week at a meeting … Continue reading “Olmert’s Fingertips”

Gandhi’s Wisdom

Surfing the television channels, I came across an interview with the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi on an American network (Fox – would you believe it?). “My grandfather told us to love the enemy even while fighting him,” he said, “he fought against the British resolutely, but loved the British.” (I quote from memory.) My immediate … Continue reading “Gandhi’s Wisdom”