In the midst of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s clandestine trip to Moscow earlier this month, initial rumors surfaced falsely indicated that the Israeli leader met with Arab leaders. These rumors raised some eyebrows of potential coordination between Israel and Arab countries without ties to the Jewish state, particularly Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries.

Moreover, any Israeli air strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would require the use of Saudi Arabian or Iraqi air space. Because of the negative ramifications towards the United States by Iraqis for permitting Israel fly-over authority, any air strike would likely incorporate Saudi territory. Rumors circulated earlier this year that Defense Minister Ehud Barak met with Saudi officials to secure fly-over permission.

A new INSS report highlights another benefit of improved Israel-Gulf state relations, namely money. The financial support by Gulf states for the peace process would prop-up a young Palestinian state and help propel pan-Arab support for a peace deal. The report states:

“Furthermore, the Gulf states might give added momentum to the peace process, and if and when an Israel-Palestinian/Arab peace agreement is signed, they may help finance it….

“At most, the future role the Gulf states will likely be that of donors, for example by financing joint Israeli-Palestinian projects, or of facilitators, by hosting rounds of talks at home.”

Knowing the key role that Saudi Arabia would play in peace talks, U.S. officials recently urged Gulf States to normalize ties with Israel.

On the rarest of occasions does one event trigger the complete shutting-down of an entire country. Every once in awhile, members of a country observe a moment of silence, where a majority of the state’s citizens inject a one-minute pause into their daily routine. Such events also occur in Israel, particularly on Israeli Memorial Day and Holocaust Memorial Day, when cars pull over, buses stop running, and people in every city stop for the duration of one to two minutes while a siren wails in the background.

However, Yom Kippur is a completely different animal.

On Yom Kippur, the day of fasting where Jews atone for their sins, the entire State of Israel shuts down. Virtually no cars drive through the streets and absolutely no commercial stores and businesses open their doors. In fact, the main highway outside Tel Aviv, the most bustling city in Israel, appears completely deserted (as seen in the photograph above from Ynet). Even the radio and television stations in Israel cease broadcasting to help ensure that no distractions interfere with atonement. Only the most essential military, police, and medical crews work to prevent a catastrophe.

Children take advantage of the occasion to ride their bikes through the open streets without risking their lives by zig-zaging in between cars on the usually over-crowded city roads. Other Jews attend synagogue, with some taking the day-off to attend services the only time during the year.

However, Yom Kippur does not always retain its usual somber qualities. Last year, riots erupted in the northern-Israeli city of Akko, where religious Jews and Muslim Arabs generally live in harmony. Upon the entering of a vehicle into a religious Jewish area of Akko last year, observers of Yom Kippur regarded the incident as disrespectful. Subsequent clashes between the Jews and Arabs involved hundreds of demonstrators on both sides. In preparation for additional riots in or around Akko, the Israeli police imposed a vehicle closure on certain areas of the town and increased its presence in the city this year.

Aside from riots, the 1973 war in the Middle East began on Yom Kippur with Arab countries embarking on a massive surprise attack against the Jewish state. Many soldiers, on leave visiting their families for the holiday, witnessed uncharacteristic traffic on city streets and contacted their superiors for orders and information on the mobilization.

This year on Yom Kippur, Iranian officials announced the completion of war games that involved medium-range missiles capable of reaching Israel. The poorly-veiled threat comes in response to recent overtures from the Israeli military that signal preparations for a potential strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Jews around the world are preparing to atone for their sins during the festival of Yom Kippur, a 25-hour day of fasting filled with self-reflection and prayers for the strength to improve oneself in the coming year.

Yom Kippur is not about oppression like Passover or overcoming adversity like Hanukah. This festival is the one Jewish holiday focused on introspection and self improvement. The religion mandates that every Jew, and by extension the Jewish people and the Jewish state, must admit to wrong doings and subsequently pledge to change any undesirable behavior in the future.

Regardless of any accomplishments and good deeds by an individual or a state, avenues for improvement in the New Year exist.

For once, it is not about the Palestinians; it is not about the Arabs; it is not about double standards; it is not about anti-Semitism. For once, on this holiday, it is only about Israel and the Jews.

Within the country’s education system alone, many residents of Israel that theoretically have full citizenship rights receive substandard instruction compared to their white, Jewish peers. The state often spends more than double on Jewish Israeli schools than the schools attended by Israeli Arabs.

Even among Jews, educational disparities in the population often focus on irrelevant distinctions such as ethnic origin and skin color. For example, early this school year, some religious schools in the municipality of Petah Tikva refused to enroll Jewish Ethiopian children until the government embroiled itself in the controversy. While the eventual outcome of the incident concluded justly, the initial reaction from the religious establishment indicates the need for additional measures to remove discrimination from the educational system.

Equal protection under the law is a critical crux of any democracy. By fluctuating state services to citizens based on religion and race, Israeli policy stands at odds with the democratic value of equality.

As a democracy, Israel can do better.

Israeli officials defend the embargo on some humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as necessary means to protect Negev towns from Hamas-sponsored terrorist attacks. As Muslims in Gaza attempted to celebrate the holy Eid al-Fatr feast last weekend, the Israeli military refused to permit the importation into the Gaza Strip of dates, sweets, and other seemingly harmless products.

While some of the banned goods represent potential tools that terrorists could utilize, a bulk of the products would simply add a little happiness to over one million people whose lives remain devoid of very much joy.

Even the flawed and anti-Israel Goldstone report on the Gaza war identifies avenues that need reevaluation by the military.

The vast majority of Israeli military personnel legitimately attempted to prevent unnecessary civilian casualties in aerial raids on the Gaza Strip. However, some soldiers exhibited no restraint and judgment during the attack and deliberately caused the deaths of innocent civilians.

The blockade and recent war on the Gaza Strip included many regrettable and disappointing actions towards the Palestinians living in the territory. Negligibly more consideration could improve Gazans’ lives without endangering citizens in the Negev.

As a humane society, Israel can do better.

In synagogues throughout the globe, rabbis read a passage from the book of Isaiah that emphasizes empathy and understanding with the underprivileged.

Regardless of the reason for economic disparity between Israelis and Palestinians, the fact remains that residents of the West Bank lack the same standard of living as their Jewish counterparts.

Unfortunately, the world’s newspapers print images of the West Bank’s religious Jewish settlers attacking, insulting, and disrespecting their Muslim neighbors. For example, a recent New York Times photograph depicted a young settler pouring wine on a religious Muslim woman, an action particularly offensive because Islam forbids the consumption of alcohol. An analogous incident against Jews would involve a devout Muslim spraying pigs’ blood on a Hasidic man, an act that would undoubtedly receive condemnation form the religious Jewish community.

Because actions similar to those of the youth remain increasingly routine, outrage regarding this one particular event only symbolizes a much broader phenomenon in the territories.

Instead of empathizing and treating Palestinians with respect, some members of Israeli society rebuke their religious duties and obligations to belittle and dehumanize their Arab counterparts.

As a Jewish state, Israel can do better.

Even though Israeli society embarked on multiple initiatives to further human rights, expressed empathy towards the disadvantaged, and promoted democratic reforms in the region, there is still substantial room for improvement.

Far too many Israelis, albeit a significant minority of the overall population, commit heinous crimes against their neighbors. Instead of unfettered outrage against these individuals, society often provides political cover for these atrocities.

Many anti-Israel advocates condemn a statement they attribute to Israeli hero and the first Prime Minister of Israel David Ben Gurion due to its alleged anti-Muslim sentiment. The quote, “it doesn’t matter what the ‘goyim’ [non-Jews] say; what matters is what the Jews do,” regardless of its veracity as an actual statement from Ben Gurion, remains apt this Yom Kippur when Israelis must consider how their actions alone can build a more just and compassionate society in the year to come.

Photo of protest from Ynet.

Photo of woman from here.

Photo of settler youth from the New York Times.

Following months of mutual cooperation on anti-terrorism initiatives and attempts to secure the release of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, Israeli-Egyptian relations seem to be taking a hit this week as multiple events accentuated the perpetual tension between the two nations. The countries concluded their decades-long war under the guidance of U.S. President Jimmy Carter in 1979, although many analysts describe the peace as “cold” because of the continued border tension, minimal cooperation, and deep-seated distrust between the two countries’ citizens.

For starters, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Ghei penned a letter to the United Nations Security Council calling for international supervision of nuclear programs in the Middle East, including “Israel’s nuclear capabilities.” Even though Israel likely developed its first nuclear weapons at least 40 years ago, the country remains mum on its capabilities and refuses to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. A resolution passed at last week’s International Atomic Energy Agency general assembly calls for international inspections of Israel’s nuclear facility in Dimona. Versions of the resolution introduced at previous IAEA meetings failed primarily due to efforts from the United States and European countries to convince developing nations to oppose the motion.

In parallel to the nuclear issue, Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosny blamed the West, and Jews in particular, for his defeat in elections for the leadership role of UNESCO, the leading international cultural and education entity. Critics of Hosny questioned his ability to perform in the role due to excessive censorship in Egypt and Hosny’s previous comments that called for the burning of Israeli books. Upon losing, Hosny blamed ”European countries and the world’s Jews” for his defeat as opposed to considering how his comments on censoring the literature of other cultures would potentially conflict with his ability to serve as the world’s leading cultural liaison.

Lastly, the Israeli Foreign Ministry went into an uproar over a recent cartoon in Al-Ahram that depicts Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu with a large nose, pointy ears, and a scheming glare. Israeli Foreign Ministry Director General Yossi Gal summoned Egypt’s Ambassador to Israel Yasser Rida to admonish him over the cartoon and asked him to relay to Cairo Israel’s firm objections over the insulting depiction.

(Full disclosure: Even though I find the cartoon highly -highly, highly…. highly- entertaining, the caricature represents an anti-Israel and, more importantly, anti-Semitic sentiment. By highlighting Netanyahu’s nose and making him appear ‘evil,’ the cartoon taps into centuries-old stereotypes of Jews that were historically used to foster and breed anti-Antisemitism.)

Photo taken from Haaretz.

U.S. officials attempted to spin the tripartite meeting yesterday between President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as a success that managed to re-infuse urgency into a stalled peace process. Moreover, direct negotiations with no preconditions between Israeli and Palestinian officials may formally resume within the next couple of months.

Under this context, the trilateral meeting seems like a significant breakthrough that could lead to a lasting peace between Israel and a sovereign Palestinian state. However, the peace process could dissolve into another Oslo -at worst Annapolis-  or cease to even begin if Obama’s diplomatic tactics are dismissed by his Middle Eastern counterparts.

The U.S. President pinned his reputation and his clout on securing the three-way summit during the United Nations General Assembly. As both Palestinian and Israeli officials expressed a reluctance for face-to-face discussions with one another, Obama dispatched Ambassador George Mitchell to the region for a week-long session of shuttle diplomacy. Mitchell succeeded in luring Netanyahu and Abbas to the meeting, but not until both leaders grumbled about it to both domestic and foreign press.

Many analysts contend that both Netanyahu and particularly Abbas only agreed to attend the summit to prevent embarrassing Obama by rejecting him. Abbas repeatedly expressed his refusal to meet with Netanyahu until a full settlement freeze, a position he clearly retracted, or at  least had to amend, by meeting with the Israeli leader. The likely domestic fallout that Abbas will encounter potentially weakened his already low stature with the Palestinian people.

Israeli officials claim victory for attending the summit, with far-left Israeli politician Yossi Beilin dismissing the meeting as a “pathetic” attempt at restoring the peace process. Beilin previously served as the chairman of the left-wing Meretz party and is largely considered a “co-architect” of the Oslo Accords.

From observations of Obama’s perspective, the meeting likely increased U.S. officials’ frustrations with the peace process and may not have accomplished anything. The meeting was largely cast as “business like” as opposed to friendly, with some media accounts describing the atmosphere as “cold,” leaving the peace process in a “deadlock” and “deep stalemate.” Some news reports even described Obama as “impatient,” “grumpy,” and “fed up” following yesterday’s meetings likely due to no apparent breakthroughs in the process. Obama generally attempts to use his charisma and penetrating personality to obtain concessions from both political allies and opponents, a strategy that seemed to fall short of his expectations with Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

By calling the summit, Obama used up some of his clout and any future concessions to Obama by Israeli and Palestinian officials, but particularly Abbas, would require significantly more accomplished than yesterday’s meeting.

Moreover, the Obama Administration’s position on an unconditional settlement freeze, including East Jerusalem, has yet to come into fruition. Even tentative indications of an Israeli halt to settlements would only be temporary and exclude East Jerusalem, a compromise favoring the Israeli position far more than Obama’s stance. Similarly, Netanyahu even attacked the U.S. insistence of a settlement freeze as “costing us a great deal of time” as Obama called for urgency in the overall process. Instead, it seems that Obama will dial down his rhetoric on settlements to focus on other issues in the peace process in order to attain minor victories in Middle East diplomacy.

That said, the true fruit from yesterday’s meetings will only be seen in the months to come as either the parties resume negotiations, the situation remains the same, or an all-out war commences. While heralded as an opportunity to restart the peace process, yesterday’s meeting may have cost Obama more than he would have liked.

Along with Obama, Netanyahu, and Abbas, other officials attended the tripartite meeting, including:

• Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
• National Security Advisor General James Jones
• Ambassador George Mitchell
• Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman
• Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak
• Israeli National Security Advisor Uzi Arad
• Palestinian Advisor and PLO Executive Committee Member Yasser Abed Rabbo
• Long-time Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat
• Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki

Photo taken from the New York Times.

A recent op-ed in Al-Ahram is not notable for any intellect in the writing, unmatched analysis, or strong arguments proving any one particular point. Instead, the shear, unbridled hatred is the only noteworthy aspect of the article, which concludes that Israel perpetrated an unprecedented hoax during 9/11 to blame Islamic fundamentalists for the terror attacks and embed the United States military in Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein.

Unfortunately, this sentiment seems prevalent in anti-Israel circles. As opposed to producing actual evidence to support the conspiracy theory, the author and his compatriots only soil the memories of thousands of innocent people.

What’s more startling, although not surprising, is Al-Ahram’s willingness to publish such an absurd and baseless libel.

To get a feel for the hate, read the excerpt below:

“America is far less safe than before 9/11. Tel Aviv clearly intends to continue its serial provocations, as evidenced by its ongoing expansion of settlements. Israel has shown no sign of a willingness to negotiate in good faith or to take the steps required to make peace a possibility. To date, Barack Obama appears unwilling to name senior appointees who are not either Zionists or are strongly pro-Israeli. The greatest threat to world peace is not terrorists. The greatest threat is the US-Israeli relationship.

In the same way that a decade of pre-staging was required to plausibly induce the US to invade Iraq, a similar strategy is now underway to persuade the US to invade Iran or to support and condone an attack by Israel. The same duplicity is again at work, including the high- profile branding of the requisite Evil Doer. From its very outset, the Zionist enterprise focussed on hegemony in the Middle East. Its entangled alliance with the US enabled this enterprise to deploy American might for that purpose.

Only one nation had the means, motive, opportunity and stable nation state intelligence required to take the US to war in the Middle East while also making it appear that Islam is the problem. If Obama continues to defer to Tel Aviv, he can rightly be blamed when the next attack occurs in the US or the European Union featuring the usual orgy of evidence pointing to a predetermined target. Should another mass murder occur, that event will be traceable directly to the US-Israeli relationship and the failure of US policy-makers to free America from this enemy within.”

Even though Palestinian and Israeli officials announced their refusal to meet at this week’s United Nations General Assembly, the obstinate statesmen reluctantly agreed to tripartite talks between President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Special Envoy George Mitchell spent all of last week in negotiations in the Middle East to secure the meeting, considered an early success for Obama. Originally, Abbas declared that he would not meet with any Israeli officials until there is a complete settlement freeze in the West Bank. Netanyahu continues to refuse to freeze settlements, although a temporary freeze agreement is likely in the works.

Separate meetings between Obama and each of the two other leaders will precede the three way discussion. While officials do not expect the brief meeting to result in the resumption of the peace process, the encounter represents a breakthrough that could soften the ground for additional negotiations.

Both the Palestinians and Israelis agreed to the meeting in order to avoid being blamed for refusing to even begin some sort of reconciliation. Further, any refusal to meet would result in a diplomatic blow to Obama, who has called for the meeting.

Meanwhile, Palestinian officials took a hard-line approach against Israel, with Jordanian King Abdullah joining a growing chorus of Arab leaders ahead of the UN summit that urge a settlement freeze. A statement issued from Amman said:

“The two leaders [Abbas and Abdullah] believe that the world community must now take responsibilities by preventing Israel from scuttling current efforts aimed at relaunching serious and effective negotiations that can lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

“They warned that losing the opportunity currently available for achieving peace will jeopardize security and stability in the region.”

This video is pretty telling of Israeli humor. It’s more a combination of confusing and awkward as opposed to roll-on-the-floor laughing.

The video mocks the recent diplomatic rifts between Israel and some northern European countries. Norway recently cut ties with an Israeli firm after objections to the border barrier (wall and fence) between mainland Israel and the West Bank. Previously, a Swedish news article on alleged harvesting of Palestinian organs by IDF troops led to cries of anti-Semitism and fear of a new blood-libel.