MirYam’s Commentary
True democracy is based on a changeover of governments, in which parties alternate between the opposition and government within reasonable periods of time.
This ensures that different sectors in society receive expression via the government. If the changeover fails to occur, and the political system stagnates, the balance between segments in society becomes undone, and groups that support the government receive a disproportionate preference from the ruling elite.
In recent days and weeks, Israeli leaders have warned that they will not accept an Iranian military presence in Syria.
From the perspective of aerial defense, this Israeli red line is crucial, for if Iran is allowed to set up air bases in Syria, the entire strategic picture will change for the worse as it pertains to the Middle East.
Disturbing events are underway in Syria, which will pose a growing threat to Israel’s security — unless things turn around.
In the past, there was talk of finding a federal solution for Syria that would be brokered by the superpowers. The problem is that the US had abandoned the Syrian arena, leaving the entire area to Russia’s whims.
Two speeches delivered at this year’s UN General Assembly attracted widespread attention, and contain clues about the world’s two most potentially volatile, brewing confrontations. The speeches relate to developing crises with Iran and North Korea, and the US will probably have to prioritize one over the other.
Israel is currently facing a growing threat of accurate, guided projectiles that are being amassed by its enemies. Once reserved for great superpowers, today, non-state actors can obtain accurate, stand off weapons. They can use GPS-guided rockets and missiles, and off-the-shelf precision navigation technology.
The lasting legacy and central remnant of the Six Day War is the Israeli – Palestinian conflict, which continues to fester, and to divide Israeli society.
Fifty years after the start of the Six Day War, it is worth reviewing how this seminal event affected Israelis on a personal and a national level, and continues to have a major effect to this day.
President Trump completed his landmark visit to Saudi Arabia and to Israel as well as the Vatican, NATO and the G7 summits, and is back to the intensive political dealing and wheeling challenging him at home. Many words have been spoken and written attempting to characterize and to evaluate Trump’s goals and achievements during his interesting choice for his first foreign visits. Here are some observations that merit attention.
As the UK struggles to come to terms with the horrific attack in Manchester, England, now is the time for a clear-eyed assessment of the unprecedented challenges facing Europe as a whole, particularly at they pertain to the mass migration currently underway, and the difficult, though vital choices that must be weighed.
When one considers the relationship between the American Jewish community and Israel, two different stories emerge. The first is that of a US Jewish community with unusual power – both in its economic abilities and high political involvement – that is able to look out for Israel, and is committed to the well-being of the Jewish state.
