The closure of Syrian air space due to Russian “exercises” reminds us that the ability of Israel’s air force to carry out missions in Syrian skies – which used to be completely unhindered – is now entirely dependent upon Russian interests. This strategic deterioration stems from Israel’s erroneous perspective on its place in the Middle East. The vacuum that was created with the collapse of the Syrian regime and the horrors that accompanied it were a natural invitation for the

Reports of the Syrian army’s shocking use of chlorine gas against civilians in the state on our border require an Israeli response. If somebody thinks that we can bury our heads in the sand and say, “Let them all kill each other”, then he should understand that the message that we send when we ignore this situation is that we are no more than temporary guests here – certainly not the owners of this national home. The background question is if we are here by chance, like a coi

The Israeli attack against Iran - that never happened - must be analyzed from a broad, strategic perspective. When Iran built the plutonium reactor, Israel had a golden opportunity to attack a relatively easy target – as opposed to the underground nuclear enrichment facilities in Iran. Even if the outcome had been partial, the strategic meaning would have been that Iran is inside the legitimate borders of Israel’s reach. Passing the responsibility for Iran’s nuclear program t

The lesson from the downing of Israel’s F-16 fighter jet by an old Syrian anti-aircraft missile is that we must never, never, never allow small-minded politicians to surrender strategic assets acquired with the blood of our soldiers over the decades – while hiding behind the technological fig leaf, and the trite: “The IDF will know how to deal with every threat”… When a small-minded politician named Ehud Barak surrendered to leftist broadcaster Shelli Yahimovitz and the left

As Holocaust Memorial Day approaches, I was thinking about why we, the Jews, criticize the US and Britain for not bombing Auschwitz. The answer is not because they didn’t bomb the death factory. It is because they were flying over the death camp anyway, on their way to bomb other targets. Destruction of the camp did not contradict any American interest. But it also didn’t bother the Americans and British too much. And that is what we rightly criticize. President Trump did not

A regional power that pretends to represent the values of freedom and human rights cannot continue with its policy of ignoring the crimes against humanity being committed in Syria. If Israel would create a safe haven (in the northern Syrian Golan Heights, for example) protected by Israeli jets, which would afford Syrian citizens refuge from the terror raining down upon them, its status as a regional power would be strengthened. Instead, Netanyahu's 'ostrich policy' has prom

The right hemisphere of the brain says, "Bury your head in the sand." After all, the second side in the Syrian conflict would be committing the same atrocities if it only could. We are talking about extremely violent people. Furthermore, if they had the opportunity, G-d forbid, both sides would be thrilled to rape, murder and burn us – like they do to each other, at the very least. So let them kill each other and we'll just keep quiet. The left hemisphere of the brain says, "