Kerry’s Latest Mideast Trip Doomed Before It Starts

by Mitchell Plitnick It may seem like US Secretary of State John Kerry is chasing his own tail with regard to the Israel-Palestine issue. But he is, intentionally or otherwise, raising some important questions. One is what the official Israeli… Continue Reading

The Ideological West Bank Settler Behind “Iranium”

This article originally appeared on AlterNet. The drama never stops unfolding around the Clarion Fund, the operation behind a string of movies dubbed “anti-Muslim” by critics. The group’s latest salvo is an hour-long documentary called “Iranium”, which more or less gives airtime to… Continue Reading

Why Did Israel Dial it Down on Iran?

I have a new piece up at Tehran Bureau, the PBS/Frontline project on Iran. The article is a look into the possible reasons that Israel has pushed back the nuclear timeline for Iran. I quote Tony Karon at length (which appears… Continue Reading

The Theopolitics of Disaster: Sex, the Sabbath and the Occupation

When a Shiite prayer leader blames earthquakes in Iran on immodestly dressed and promiscuous women, neocons like Michael Ledeen snicker.

When a prominent ultra-orthodox Jewish spiritual and political leader–and former Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel–agrees with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh that the fire that’s been destroying Israel’s Carmel Forest is a punishment from God, there’s stunned silence. Continue Reading

UnPACking AIPAC’s White House Slam, Israeli style

While AIPAC is adamant that the Obama administration is at fault for the current crisis in US-Israeli relations, Israelis across the political spectrum are much more inclined to blame their own leadership and political bureaucrats. Continue Reading