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Current Issues

Capital Concern: What a US Palestinian Consulate Says about Control of Jerusalem

For millennia, Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel—it just wasn’t always recognized as such by other nations. On December 6, 2017, the United States dramatically changed its approach by formally recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel. Just over four years later, the Palestinians are hoping a new president in the

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To Strike or Not To Strike

Throughout 2021, the powers-that-be in Jerusalem hammered a targeted message: Israel has lost faith in diplomatic endeavors and has reverted to exploring a military approach to block Iran’s path to the nuclear bomb. The year kicked off with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi instructing the military to develop operational strike plans.

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A Rabbi, an Imam and a Bishop: Religious Pluralism in Israel

A rabbi, an imam and a bishop bump into each other at the market. This isn’t the beginning of a joke; it’s life in Israel, home to the three Abrahamic religions. The Jewish state, while being majority Jewish, hosts churches, mosques and other places of worship alongside the abundant synagogues. Naturally this brings tension. Last

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Beauty For Ashes

On November 16, 2021, Israel hosted a unique, annual event that is a remarkable celebration of life—with just a touch of glam. The Miss Holocaust pageant was held in Jerusalem, putting 10 contestants on stage to vie for the prestigious title. The event is the brainchild of Shimon Sabag, director of Yad Ezer L’Haver (Helping

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Tracing the Palestinians

Israel often draws a disproportionate share of media coverage and worldwide censure. The tide of attention—and criticism—rarely occurs in a vacuum. Israel’s actions, decisions and even existence are habitually judged in the context of another people group: the Palestinians. In fact, Israel’s position on the world stage cannot be fully comprehended without factoring in the

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Keeping Jerusalem Green

He who plants a tree, plants hope.” Lucy Larcom The overpowering, overwhelming “green” of Alaska never fails to catch me by surprise whenever I return for a visit in the summer. It always takes a day or two before my eyes adjust from the subtle, understated “green” of Jerusalem. The fact that Jerusalem is green

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Only in Israel

Calling Israel “no ordinary country” is something of an understatement. Here, the miraculous serves as the building blocks of history, cemented by the Keeper of Israel’s faithfulness. Here, no day is mundane, no chain of events random and no news headline arbitrary. And here, in this remarkable little country, even everyday life becomes infused with

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Going through Withdrawal?

For almost 20 years, the world was a different place. On October 7, 2001, the United States launched a military campaign in Afghanistan with a massive military focus on the Middle East. Then, on August 30, 2021, the American forces left—in an expected but criticized withdrawal that had enemies of the US celebrating. But is

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The Butcher of Tehran

Nicknamed the “Butcher of Tehran” or the “Hangman of Tehran,” Iran’s new president, Ebrahim Raisi, has all eyes on the Islamic regime. “The new government in Iran—headed by the ‘Butcher from Tehran’ Raisi, and in which most of its ministers are suspected of terrorism and are on the sanctions lists throughout the world—is the extremist

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Love Thy Neighbor

The nation of Israel was shaken in May 2021 by countless rockets fired from the Gaza Strip and a new kind of aggression: unprecedented riots and lynchings in ethnically mixed Jewish–Arab communities across the country. Whether spurred on by the rhetoric and international media attention surrounding the Israeli Supreme Court ruling on the future of

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