From the editor:

Controversy over recent speeches by President Obama’s (Cairo) and Prime Minister Netanyahu (Bar Ilan University) continues to simmer.  A floodtide of words have been written.  We offer a modest sampling representing conflicting views on several key issues.

By tying Israel’s legitimacy to the Jewish People’s “tragic history”--which was widely seen as a reference to Shoah--President Obama drew criticism for ignoring our long attachment to the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Nathan Guttman notes that this rekindles debate over Israel’s founding (1) and Marty Peretz writes a lengthy refutation of Obama (2). Daniel Gordis looks at the speech from a different angle, suggesting that Israelis should take it as a wake-up call (3).

The Prime Minister’s remarks were attacked by the right, for conceding too much; and by the left, for conceding too little.   As veteran analyst Yossi Alpher puts it, he tried to walk between the raindrops but wound up getting wet (4).  And there were some in both camps, who applauded it.   Our representative sample includes: Ari Shavit (5), David Hazony (6), Martin Sherman (7) and David Grossman (8). 

Settlements are very much in the public eye.  Charles Krauthammer (9) and Israeli Reform Rabbi Michael (Micky) Boyden (10) describe the issue as a “canard” and “red herring”.  Gershom Gorenberg (11) and Ron Kampeas (12) see it from a different perspective.

Kahled Abu Toameh, who covers the Palestinians for the Jerusalem Post, questions whether Palestinian leaders made a tactical error in their angry rejection of Netanyahu’s ideas (13).

The larger issue of achieving peace is addressed in short pieces by the noted political analyst David Makovsky (14) and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (15), who makes his first appearance on ARZA E-ALERTS.

And to show that Obama and Netanyahu are not the only sources of controversy in Israel, we present an editorial from the Jerusalem Post proving that even a parking garage can enflame passions (16).

Finally, to conclude on a positive note, we are pleased to announce a college-credit learning opportunity at Kibbutz Lotan, one of our movement’s two kibbutzim in the Aravah (17).

Rabbi Ira Youdovin

1. Nathan Guttman
2. Marty Peretz
3. Daniel Gordis 
4. Yossi Alpher
5. Ari Shavit
6. David Hazony
7. Martin Sherman
8. David Grossman
9. Charles Krauthammer
10. Rabbi Michael (Micky) Boyden
11. Gershom Gorenberg
12. Ron Kampeas
13. Kahled Abu Toameh
14. David Makovsky
15. Hosni Mubarak
16. Jerusalem Post Editorial on the Garage
17. From Our Israel Movement: Environmental Learning Program at Kibbutz Lotan