Israel Mulls Settler Freeze

By Doni Kandel With Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu scrambling to gain approval for a three month construction freeze on settlements, Americans, Palestinians and Israelis have formulated an alternative plan. It is now believed that the Knesset is considering freezing settlers in lieu of freezing settlements as a unilateral symbol of good faith. Both the American and Israeli governments have expressed hope that freezing of those dwelling beyond the green line will be a concession far too impressive for the Palestinians to ignore. Naturally, the controversial proposal has proven to be far more complicated than first thought.  A debate has broken out among the concerned parties over the details of the actual freezing. The Israelis, ahead of the technology curve as always, have suggested cryogenics as the preferred method. The Palestinians have planted their flag in the...

Continue reading

What Would Abraham Do?

By Daniel Kieval A Christian, a Muslim and a Jew walk into a room.  No, it's not the beginning of a bad joke. But its meaning depends on what city you're in. If you are in New York, it could be a visit to the New York Public Library's new "Three Faiths" exhibition. The exhibition contains a treasure trove of books, paintings, and other documents from across the world and more than a thousand years of history. It is a wondrous display of what the library calls "the three Abrahamic religions." These are legacies of Abraham, the first monotheist and one dubbed by God "a father of many nations." If, on the other hand, you are in Washington, it's the latest round of Middle East peace negotiations. This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the United...

Continue reading