IF ARIEL Sharon had not been in a deep coma, he would have jumped out of his bed for joy.The Hamas victory fulfils his most ardent hopes. For a whole year now, he did everything possible to undermine Mahmoud Abbas. His logic was quite obvious: The Americans wanted him to negotiate with Abbas. Such negotiations … Read more
LIKE TWO very tired wrestlers who clasp each other, unable to separate, the Israeli and Palestinian societies are glued to each other.The Palestinian elections this week took place in the shadow of the Israeli elections. Who is Ehud Olmert? Has the Labor Party really changed? Will the next Israeli government really be prepared to negotiate? … Read more
IT WAS a colorful day in Bil’in. Political flags of many colors were fluttering in the brisk breeze, the vivid election posters and the colorful graffiti on the walls adding their bit. It was the biggest demonstration in the beleaguered village for a long time. This week, the protest against the Fence was interwoven with … Read more
JUDAS ISCARIOT is headed for a makeover. According to news reports, cardinals close to the new pope recommend a change in the Catholic Church’s attitude towards him: exit the treacherous Jew who turns the messiah over to the cohorts of the evil High Priest – enter the apostle who simply fulfilled his role in the … Read more
A political earthquake before an election is an unusual event, but not unknown. A second earthquake in such a period is already rare. But a third earthquake before an election, a short time after the first two – now, that is really scary. Well, it has just happened. The nomination of Amir Peretz as leader … Read more
From early youth, he was totally convinced that he was the only person in the world who could save the State of Israel. That was an absolute certainty, free of any doubt. He just knew that he must achieve supreme power, in order to fulfill the mission that fate had entrusted him with. This belief … Read more
A drunkard blacks out. His companions pour cold water on him. The drunk opens one eye, licks the water and says: “I don’t know what that is, but it won’t sell!”I was reminded of this when I read the draft of the Labor Party’s political program, which has just been presented by a committee of … Read more
SOMETHING BAD is happening to the election campaign of Amir Peretz. It is just shuffling around.The surge that started with his election as leader of Labor has petered out. Events in the country are chasing each other: the “big bang” of the new Kadima party, the acts of prostitution of Shimon Peres and Shaul Mofaz, … Read more
SOME 721 YEARS ago, the town of Hamelin in Germany was suffering from a plague of rats. A citizen called Bunting offered to get rid of them for an agreed fee. When he played on his flute, the entranced rats came out of their holes and followed him to the river where they drowned. But … Read more
THIS WEEK I was strolling through the streets of Athens, at the foot of the Acropolis, when my eye was caught by a sign bearing one single word in Greek letters: Sisyphus. It was the name of a taverna.Perhaps the gods wanted to remind me of an article I wrote 14 years ago, entitled “The … Read more