Lucky Bibi
“GIVE ME generals who have luck!” Napoleon once exclaimed. Which reminds one of Goethe’s Faust, who complained that “the fools never realize how luck is connected with talent.” Luck can be a great benefactor. It can also be the cause of catastrophes. I seem to remember that one of those evil Greek gods or goddesses […]
Olympic Jews?
THE SCENE at Ben-Gurion airport this week was rather astonishing.More then a thousand young male fans came to welcome the two Israeli Judo fighters – one female, one male – who had won a bronze medal each at the Olympic games in Rio. It was a very raucous welcome. The crowd went wild, shouted, pushed, […]
Medals and demolition
AthletesWho wonOlympic medalsGot theMedia spotlight.Who botheredTo reportOn soldiersWho destroyedPalestinian homes? Published in Haaretz, 19/08/16
The Future belongs to the Optimists
IF I were a cartoonist, I would draw Israel as a length of hose pipe. At one end, Jews are flowing in, encouraged by anti-Semites and a large Zionist apparatus. At the other end, young disappointed Israelis are flowing out and settling in Berlin and other places. By the way, the numbers entering and leaving […]
On the contrary.
ExpellingInternationalHuman RightsActivistsWon’t hideFrom the worldThe injustice ofThe occupation.On the contrary. Published in Haaretz, 12/08/16
The Shot Heard All Over the Country
ON JUNE 28, 1914, the Austrian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, visited Sarajevo, the main town of Bosnia, then an Austrian province. Three young Serbian inhabitants of Bosnia had decided to assassinate him, in order to achieve the attachment of Bosnia to Serbia. They threw bombs at the car of the archduke. All […]
FIFA and security
After a FIFAInterventionGazan soccer playersWere allowedTo go to HebronFor thePalestinian Cup Final.Suddenly, this wasNo longer”A security risk”. Published in Haaretz, 05/08/16
The Orange Man
SO HERE we are. Either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will be our next president. “Our”? I am not a US citizen, and have no desire to be one. But I live in a world in which the USA is the sole superpower, in which every decision of the US administration has an impact on […]
What to investigate
It is importantTo investigateThe conduct ofThe 2014 war.Even more importantTo investigate:What (if anything)Did the governmentDo in 2016To preventThe next war. Published in Haaretz, 29/07/16
The Great Rift
THE State of Israel was still young, when two famous comedians produced a short act: Two Arabs stand on the seashore and curse a boat carrying new Jewish immigrants. Next, two of the new immigrants stand on the seashore and curse a boat carrying new immigrants from Poland. Next, two immigrants from Poland stand on […]