The Biden administration has made three mistakes relating to the ongoing negotiations with Saudi diplomats. The first mistake was to presume that Saudi diplomats’ demands for major Israeli concessions to the Palestinian Authority accurately reflect the personal attitude of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The second mistake was to raise expectations among progressives in CongressContinue reading “Biden Administration Needs to Rethink its Public Strategy on Saudi Deal”
Tag Archives: Archaeology
Disarm the Temple Mount “Bomb”
The Temple Mount is almost universally regarded as a powder keg although it is certainly not. If religious extremists were able to ignite a religious war they would already have done so. The canard according to which Israel plans to build a Third Temple on the Temple Mount has become part of the Arab consensus.Continue reading “Disarm the Temple Mount “Bomb””
Not Realizing Jewish Rights on the Temple Mount Poisons Arab-Israeli Relations
Successive Israeli governments have since 1967 presumed that it is not in Israel’s interest to restore Jewish rights on the Temple Mount. The issue has consistently been regarded as one of religion, nostalgia, sentimentalism and even messianism. The view consistently taken has been that the Israeli national interest requires maintaining the status quo. However, theContinue reading “Not Realizing Jewish Rights on the Temple Mount Poisons Arab-Israeli Relations”
Not for Sentimental or Religious Reasons
Israeli state strategists have treated the issue of the Temple Mount as a mere sentimental and religious one. This has also been the line promoted by national-religious advocates of reappropriation of Jewish heritage and Jewish rights on the Mount. For Palestinian strategists in contrast is this a matter of immense strategic importance. For Palestinian strategistsContinue reading “Not for Sentimental or Religious Reasons”
What is the Most Shocking?
Israeli state strategists are no doubt mostly male, Ashkenazi and secular. For them the Temple Mount is mere real estate like any other real estate in Jerusalem. They have overlooked the strategic-symbolic value of a permanent Jewish presence on the Temple Mount in terms of persuading the Islamic world that Israel is here to stay.Continue reading “What is the Most Shocking?”
It’s Deterrence Stupid!
No Israeli government ever had any intention to change the status quo on the Temple Mount. But since no one but Israel cares about the status quo and everyone else is promoting exclusivist Muslim rights is there no reason why Israel should care about the status quo either. What is the incitement about “al-Aqsa isContinue reading “It’s Deterrence Stupid!”
Aliyah Organization 