A diplomatic crisis has erupted between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over a shipment of dates with pits. N12 Diplomatic Correspondent Yaron Avraham reports that the Israeli Agriculture Ministry recently banned the import of a 100-kilogram shipment of dates with pits from the UAE, insisting that only pitted dates are allowed. This … Read more
The Middle East appears to be perpetually at a crossroads. Several years ago, from 2017-2019, the region was on the verge of defeating ISIS and emerging from decades of extremism. At the time, it seemed that Iran and Turkey were ascendant and that the Arab states would have a hard time righting their ships … Read more
Every Israeli headline, along with important political statements, are picked up by regional media, including pro-Iranian ones like Al-Mayadeen, as well as media in the UAE like Al-Ain. The interest in Israel’s media landscape, along with domestic political discussions about what may come next on the Gaza and Lebanon fronts, are of intense interest … Read more
The Israeli government might not be in the position to proceed with Saudi normalization given that such a deal requires a pathway to Palestinian statehood, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “The Saudis have been very clear that [normalization] would require calm in Gaza, and it would require … Read more
In the late 1970s, the shah of Iran, a staunch ally of the West, found himself subject to frequent criticism from Western journalists. His significant efforts to modernize Iran, including substantial investments in education and healthcare through oil revenues, were often overshadowed by this disproportionate and critical media focus. This emphasis on perceived shortcomings … Read more
The shooting down of hundreds of drones, cruise, and ballistic missiles from Iran in the early hours of April 14 shows that an important element of the October 7 grand strategy against Israel failed: the regional alliance against the Islamic Republic did not crumble. It is unclear how much, if any, foreknowledge Iran had … Read more
Spanning over 300 members from 57 countries including its global members, advisories, and brand ambassadors, the Abrahamic Business Circle was established following the signing of the “Abraham Accords” in September 2020. This private sector-oriented club, whose members are entrepreneurs and businesspeople in the fields of venture capital, investment fund, biotech, fintech, technology, real estate, … Read more
One month ago, I published an open letter to Islam, in which I outlined Judaism’s view of Islam and extended an invitation to constructive dialogue. I identified points of commonality between the two religions, highlighted Islam’s moral and theological problems from a Jewish perspective, and suggested pathways for reform. The letter, published in Hebrew, … Read more
Since the Abraham Accords were signed in Washington by Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, and later by Sudan and Morocco, talk has run wild about a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia. But, though the Israeli prime minister at the helm remains the same the people that close normalization deals have slightly shifted, and so have … Read more
Iran is an American enemy already, a pal with China and Russia, economically up-and-at-’em, more than a little pleased about its missile and warhead accomplishments, capable of producing nuclear weapons in a hurry and now in a war with Israel making the world less safe every minute. Possible consequences include a second international cold war … Read more
