An Interview with Gerald Kaufman MP 5 August 1992 CS: I believe that you apologized to your constituents shortly after Labour’s defeat in the 1992 elections for not being in a position to do more to help eradicate their poverty. GK: I didn’t apologize. What I said was that those of my constituents who were in a … Read more
Barry Shenker: For Judaism and Justice THE sorrow at Barry Shenker’s unexpected death, at the age of 48, showed in the eyes of everybody silently standing at the grave-3ide. They included Jews, Christians and Muslims, secular and religious, ideological opponents and political friends, Israelis and Palestinians. It was a testimony to Barry’s ability to tanscend … Read more
A month after the Labour party’s victory in the June elections in Israel, the then US Secretary of State, James Baker, brushed aside a document submitted by a Palestinian delegation and abruptly told them: “Take what Israel is offering now. Build on it. Don’t waste the opportunity!” This is, perhaps the major psychological hurdle that … Read more
The unexpected thaw in Israeli-Syrian relations was symbolised in a handshake and warm words for the new Rabin government from the Syrian delegate at the start of the new round of Middle East peace negotiations in Washington on 24 August. Leaks from the current talks suggest both sides are working on a peace deal … Read more
Yitzhak Rabin’s coalition government, to which he put the finishing touches this week, has been described as the most “dovish” (that is, pro-peace) in Israel’s history. While he is leaving positions open for more hardline parties to join at a later date, Rabin understands that it is important to carry forward the momentum created … Read more
Next Tuesday’s election in Israel is wide open, according to the pollsters. The latest polls predict 59 seats for a Labour-led coalition, as opposed to 61 for Shamir’s alliance of the right and the religious. But while Labour will probably emerge as the largest party, there are uneasy mutterings in Labour circles about the … Read more
A reception at London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies in May launched the Council of Jewish-Palestinian Dialogue. The new group grew out of a plethora of dialogue groups which have emerged during the last few years following the PLO’s movement towards a political solution based on a two-state formula. Yet even before these … Read more
What do Disneyland and Israel have in common? Both have a bad record when it comes to disposal of toxic waste. Despite its benevolent image, Disneyland was fined a considerable sum a couple of years ago by the Environmental Protection Agency. Israel produces 100,000 tons of toxic waste each year which is transported to and … Read more
“The Kotzker [rebbe] thought that the pursuit of wealth tended to demean a person. The universal passion for ever more possessions was an abomination to him. As long as it was voluntary, poverty was a preferable goal to strive for He apparently thought that it was never despicable. Poverty released a person to go his … Read more
Within a short period of time, there will be no Jewish workers in Israel. The Arabs shall be the workers, the Jews shall be the managers, inspectors, officials and policemen, and mainly secret service policemen. A state governing a hostile population of 1.5 to 2 million foreigners is bound to become a Shin Bet state, … Read more