Ira Sharkansky
Sharkansksy is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University. He may be contacted via ira.sharkansky@sdjewishworld.com
Who is calling the shots in Gaza?
Is Gaza controlled by Hamas? And is Hamas the terrorist organization widely claimed?
Or is there some degree of trust? Or at least an effort at communication between Israel and Gaza?
We hear that there are...
![askii [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]](https://jewishwebsite.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Streets_of_the_Old_City_of_Jerusalem_12396186523_2-324x235.jpg "Life in Israel is good, despite tension and headlines")
Life in Israel is good, despite tension and headlines
There is no doubt that we are living on the edge. Palestinians, Hezbollah, Iran, and no shortage of Europeans and Americans, including some Jews are dreaming of ending the Israeli existence.
But how bad is...
Protests, riots, believed fueled by non- Ethiopians
Several days of demonstrations turned violent throughout the country. Roads were blocked for hours, property destroyed, and claims were made that Ethiopians had murdered police.
It began in response to an occurrence in a public...
Only one issue in Israel’s election: Bibi
What’s normal politics?
Arguments about more benefits? Favoring the middle or lower classes? Something for the religious? My party or yours? Foreign policy? National defense?
Here and now we hear about all of that, but they’re...
![By israeltourism from Israel (Tel Aviv Jaffa) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://jewishwebsite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Tel_Aviv_Promenade_panoramics-324x235.jpg "Politics, religion, geography make Israel atypical")
Politics, religion, geography make Israel atypical
Israel is not a typical country. Its prominence includes a rise in population over its 70 years of history, from less than 800,000 to more than 9,000,000. There have been wars in 1948, 1956,...
Quarrels seem endemic to the Jewish State
Nahama, the wife of President Reuven Rivlin, died after a protracted illness. She was a great person, well educated and involved in numerous social welfare activities. There was several days of hearing good things...
Trump deal not likely to bring Mideast peace
U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” keeps getting postponed, but it’s been revealed in pieces.
It seems to involve lots of money for Palestinians to be contributed by a number of Arab governments....
On Israel’s borders, Gaza presents the biggest problem
It’s been a tough time on Israel’s southern border.
Gaza is a slim slice of land on Israel’s and Egypt’s borders.
If Israel is small, about the size of New Jersey, Gaza is tiny, about 11.5...
Election over, now jockeying begins
The election is over, but we’re still a way from the new government.
Official results look like a Likud victory, but it’s close, and the winning side is loaded with small parties that will be...
Gaza and Israel vent anger but so far keep cool
It’s been a tense few days.
After a rocket attack that destroyed a home north of Tel Aviv and wounded family members, the IDF responded with a massive destruction of empty buildings in Gaza. Included...