Sorrow and Hope

Current Issues

Battlefield Cyberspace

In the not-so-distant past, Israel and Iran were firm friends. So close was the bond that the Jewish state and the Islamic Republic were well on their way planning a grand joint venture to coproduce military equipment—Jerusalem’s biggest ever partnership at that point—when the 1978 Iranian Revolution overthrew the Shah, put a swift end to

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Masters of Defense

The modern State of Israel has been in a constant state of combat since the day after declaring its independence in 1948. The need to survive, outsmart and outgun their enemies has pushed the Jewish state to create some of the most innovative weapons systems in the world. Iron Beam The highly successful Iron Dome

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Healthcare Cooperation Opens Doors To Peace

The Palestinian medical system has been in the news a lot lately. When US President Joe Biden visited east Jerusalem’s Augusta Victoria Hospital in July, he announced a US $100 million boost to six hospitals that he called the backbone of healthcare for the Palestinian people. Access to quality medical care, opined the US head

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Israel: The Cultural Kaleidoscope

Don’t let the term “Jewish state” fool you into thinking that Israel is a homogenous nation. After 2,000 years in exile, spread across the globe, the Jewish people have returned to their ancient homeland—bringing their Diaspora (outside Israel) cultures, languages, holidays and traditions with them. Population and Demographics This tiny country boasts a population of

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‘Operation Rock of Israel’ Brings Ethiopian Jews to Israel

I stood on the tarmac at Ben Gurion airport with Israeli officials and numerous journalists as we anxiously awaited the arrival of 180 new Ethiopian immigrants. Also present were members of Israel’s Ethiopian community, who were eager to see family that they hadn’t seen in years. The flight was the first of several slated to

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Suriname and Liberia to Open Official Offices in Jerusalem

In June, two nations announced their intentions to move their official offices to Jerusalem. Liberia, a country in West Africa, announced it would open an official office in Jerusalem that will serve as a precursor to a full-fledged embassy in the future. Suriname, a South American country, announced it would open an embassy in Jerusalem.

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The Choice of Peace

On September 1, 1967, the member states of the Arab League cemented a decision to retain Israel in the role of sworn enemy with the now infamous Khartoum Resolution. The resolution summarized the attitudes of Israel’s Arab neighbors in what became known as the “Three No’s:” “no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no

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Othello-P Gunfire-Detection System Attracts Global Attention

A new gunfire-detection system unveiled by Israel Aerospace Industries [IAI] is attracting worldwide attention from potential clients, and company officials say its ability to turn shooters’ locations into precise target data means that “the imagination is the limit” in terms of usage and impact on future battlefields. The Othello-P system can detect anything from machine-gun

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Israel Elections to be Held November 1

Yair Lapid is now Israel’s prime minister, a position he will hold as interim leader until Israelis head back to the ballot boxes on November 1 for the fifth time in three and a half years. After multiple delays, Israel’s Knesset (Parliament) voted to dissolve itself on June 30 in a 92–0 vote, as the

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Russia: Masters of the Skies on Israel’s Northern Border

The Russian invasion of Ukraine occurred to a soundtrack of international condemnation. Yet Israel did not join the chorus of outrage. Instead, Jerusalem avoided taking sides, toeing a diplomatic tightrope between the two warring nations. The impartiality didn’t come easily. Every now and then, a slip of the tongue from a minister or high-ranking official

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