Matthew Bell
Israeli Soccer Team Clamping Down on Violence and Racism
One of Israel’s leading professional soccer clubs is going through a nasty episode of intolerance – and violence. Some of the fans of Beitar Jerusalem are angry about their team signing two Muslims. Up until a few weeks ago, the team was the only one in Israel with an all-Jewish roster.
New Class of Israeli Lawmakers Include First Ever Hebron Representative
Israel’s new parliament includes a record number of lawmakers who live in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. One of them is the first to be elected from the controversial settlement in the city of Hebron.
Low Expectations in Israel for Obama Visit
Barack Obama is heading to the Middle East in March. The president’s first overseas trip of his second term will include stops in Israel, the West Bank and Jordan. The administration says Iran, Syria and the long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process are on the agenda.
Palestinians Protest Israeli Settlements with Tents
Palestinians are hoping to stop the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank with a new tactic. They are putting up hastily-constructed encampments on lands they claim as their own.
Israeli Jets Said to Conduct Airstrike Inside Syria
Regional security officials have said that Israeli planes conducted an airstrike on an unnamed target on the Syria-Lebanon border. Israeli officials have in recent days warned against Syria sending chemical weapons or surface-to-air missiles to Hezbollah.
IDF Women Warriors: A Model for US Women in Uniform
The Pentagon’s decision to lift the ban on women in combat may be a case of regulations catching up to reality. Women have long served in roles where they face the same dangers as front-line combat soldiers.
Yair Lapid and the New Face of Israeli Politics
One of the big surprises with Israel’s election on Tuesday was second-place finisher, Yair Lapid [...]
Arab League Calls On Palestinians In Israel To Get Out The Vote
Arab leaders are quick to condemn any behavior that might suggest the slightest whiff of “normalization” with the state of Israel. Personal visits to the Holy Land for tourism or even pilgrimage, for example, are a big no-no in the eyes of most Arab and Muslim leaders. [...]
Two Documentaries About the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in Contention for an Oscar
Two of the five documentary films nominated for an Oscar this year are about the same thing: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But they come at the issue from two very different perspectives. One story is told through the eyes of a Palestinian villager. The other is based on interviews with Israel’s top security chiefs.
Election Fails to Inspire Israel’s Arabs
Arab-Israelis make up about 20 percent of Israel’s population. They have disproportionately high rates of poverty and unemployment. But hopes of addressing those issues through the ballot box are low, and Arab-Israeli voter turnout is falling.
Israel’s Also-Ran Parties
34 parties are competing for votes in Israel’s upcoming parliamentary elections. Most of those parties will fail to get any seats in the Knesset. But that doesn’t stop them from campaigning.
A New Right in Israel
A political shift has occurred in Israel. Not a tectonic transformation of the right versus left divide, but a move on the Israeli right further rightward.
Israeli Political Candidate Naftali Bennett Pushes Debate to the Right
With Israeli elections just two weeks away, polls suggest that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party are in good shape to win. But there’s a new political personality who’s keeping the campaign interesting.
Huge Fatah Rally in Gaza
On Friday, supporters of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas held the biggest rally of its kind in Gaza since rivals Hamas came to power there in 2007.
The Challenges Facing Jordan and its King
Jordan’s King Abdullah has managed to mostly fend off demands for internal change inspired by popular uprisings in neighboring Arab states. He’s done that in part by paying for a string of public works projects. But that may not work for much longer. Jordan is facing financial crisis.
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