Call to Reexamine Two-state Solution

{image_1}An American plan to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict within two years may lead to the establishment of “Hamastan in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria],” Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Yaalon said during an event at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The peace process may take up to five years, Yaalon said, adding that “instant peace” will fail because of realities on the ground. The minister called for a reexamination of some basic assumptions underlying the peace process, including the two-state vision ostensibly being the only viable solution, and the perception that Israel's “occupation” and settlement activity constitute major obstacles for peace.

Summer Time Blessings

{image_1} Israel is in the midst of another long hot summer. It is a land of perpetual sunshine from March till November. There is no need to check the weather forecast because every day is the same—hot and sunny. It simply does not rain. When school lets out at the end of June, the sound of children’s voices fill the air. In Jerusalem, most homes are not air-conditioned, so we hear their voices clearly through our open windows.

“De-clawing” Plutonium

{image_1}“It is easier to denature [change the nature of] plutonium than to denature the evil spirit of man,” Albert Einstein once said. Einstein’s rueful sentiment may, in fact, be proven true by engineers at Ben-Gurion University (BGU) of the Negev who have developed a denaturing technique that could help combat the evils of nuclear proliferation.

Iran and Nuclear Weapons—Not Acceptable

{image_1}ldquo;You don’t want a messianic apocalyptic cult controlling atomic bombs. When the wide-eyed believer gets hold of the reins of power and the weapons of mass death, then the whole world should start worrying, and that is what is happening in Iran.”

Traditionally dairy: Creamy Cheese and Fruit

{image_1}Shavuot (Feast of Weeks or Pentecost), like other of the biblical festivals, was originally celebrated in relation to the agricultural seasons. It marked the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest. As such, nature and the Divine have gone hand in hand on this holiday more than any other, and it is recognized as a wonderful time to appreciate the beauty of God’s creation.

Conserving the Western Wall

{image_1} The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) not only finds buried “treasures” of the past but works to preserve them. A year ago, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation conducted a survey of the state of the wall, which revealed that the physical condition of the stones was deteriorating. IAA decided to take urgent action.

Tel Aviv Turns 100

{image_1} While Jerusalem is considered the heart of the Jewish world, Tel Aviv is the heart of modern Israeli culture. In April, that heart beat into its 100th year. Founded on April 11, 1909 by a small group of Jews from the ancient port city of Jaffa (or Joppa), Tel Aviv has risen from bare sand to the second largest city in Israel with roughly 400,000 inhabitants and sets the standard for modern Jewish cities. It is home to the foreign nations’ embassies and the place to be for concerts and other cultural events, especially during its centennial year, with events planned all the way to December.

An Underwater Pharmacy

{image_1} For anyone with a compromised immune system, fungal infections are a serious problem. They may sound like harmless ailments, but they can beat the best of the world’s antibiotics, and for many, contracting a fungal infection can be deadly.

Fortifying Akko’s Seawall

{image_1} The IAA Marine Archaeology Unit is rehabilitating Akko’s [Acre’s] southern seawall. As part of the project, a temporary rampart, which serves as both a road and dam, was built in the sea. The pool of water that formed between the rampart and the seawall was pumped out to create dry conditions for the rehabilitation. Kobi Shavit, director of the project, explained that the project “will eliminate any danger of the seawall collapsing.”

Israel Second in Technological Exports

{image_1}Israel is the world’s No. 2 high-tech and industrial exports manufacturer, second only to Ireland, a Bank of Israel report revealed. The report reviewed data pertaining to recent years up to 2006, focused on OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) members’ manufacturing and exporting of high-tech services, traditional industry services, and mixed services.

Spring—Aviv

{image_1} Spring in Israel is a remarkably colorful season, compared to the rest of the year. Many of Israel’s wildflowers cease blooming in summer, fall (autumn), and winter, but burst forth in a blaze of glory at the arrival of spring. Lively yellow, white, purple, blue, orange, and red blossoms pop up amid green carpets that cover the usually
dry and rocky soil of the Promised Land.

“Hitler” Speaks Persian

{image_1}“73 years after the Berlin Olympics, yesterday [April 20] the world witnessed the return of Adolf Hitler. This time he has a beard and speaks Persian.”

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