Gilad Shalit, the Israel soldier held captive for five years by Hamas, has been freed today in Gaza in return for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. [slideshow] Gilad’s first statements (in an apparently coerced interview by Egyptian media):…
Israel
Surfing for Peace: How One Man Has Made a Difference
“Surfboard diplomacy” is not a term we often find amidst the sound bytes and jargon used to deliver the Middle East news. For Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz, however, it’s a term that guides his vision of the Middle East. The self-proclaimed, “first…
Modern media sinks claws into healthy Israel-US relationship
In this age of mounting international tension along cultural, religious, political, and ideological lines, it is more important than ever to pursue objectivity and to avoid subliminal implications in our journalistic endeavors. Unfortunately, many news sources are increasingly providing fanciful…
Israel’s Latest Nobel Prize Intimates Need for Practical Politics
With the political climate in Israel darkening, this past week has offered us a breath of fresh Swedish air. On Wednesday, Dr. Daniel Shechtman of Israel was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of quasicrystaline structures – solid…
The Fountainheads Advise Us to Dip Our Apples
The Fountainheads are a group of young Israeli dancers, singers, actors and artists, all graduates and students of the Ein Prat Academy for Leadership. This year, they commemorate Rosh Hashanah with yet another Judaicized rendition of a radio favorite – this…
Olive Tree Initiative meets Dennis Ross
When I first embarked on this journey to DC and the Middle East, I intended to thoroughly document my experiences and impressions daily. But I didn’t bring a laptop, nor do I own a smart phone, so for now, I’ll…