Thank you for your openness in sharing your life's experience. I was in my early 40s when Tom Friedman's From Beirut to Jerusalem was first published in 1989, and have returned to it often to try to make sense of the Arab Israeli conflict in the decades since. Your insightful reporting on the current crisis, Tom Friedman's book, and a documentary about Shin Bet "The Gatekeepers" I saw at a film festival in 2012 have offered moments of clarity in the ever increasing confusion and volume of conflicting opinions. What a tragedy for us in America and the world that Harris lost!
Well written. Kudos! You explained well your wealth of both personal & professional experience. IMO right level of disclosure to support your positions. Interested in your thoughts on Trump's [stated] plans for the region.
Thank you so much for this. It's tempting to go to the extremes - either for the Israel and Palestinian sides, given how much bloodshed has resulted from this conflict, and I'm glad that if you - who's been so exposed to these horrors - kept your cool and still pines for peace, then we Gentiles should too, especially for me who's far away from this conflict.
I’m glad to hear that Harris was supportive of the Jewish community. That was not widely known by Israel supporters, many of whom voted for Trump, even those who previously considered themselves Democrats. Some of this was caused by the virulent antisemitism on the left, especially the pro-Hamas demonstrations on college campuses as well as the silence after 10/7 from groups with strong Jewish support (women’s groups, BLM, LGBTQ, Hollywood, etc.), if not outright hostility. I tried to convince my friends that Trump would not be good for Jews given the influence of right wing Christian nationalists. I am surprised to hear that the Jewish vote stayed at historic levels. There is still work to be done to remind especially Democrats that a strong US-Israel relationship is a bipartisan issue that keeps both countries safe and strong.
Yup. I'm an evangelical (or post-evangelical) Christian, and I hate that most people from my group are in bed with Christian nationalism - i.e., Christianity of the oppressor. And much of their support for Israel is because they want to bring on the apocalypse and pit Jews and Palestinians against each other. Not good.
And I'm so glad Jewish support for Harris was high. According to CNN even, 88% amongst Jewish women, almost the same as Black women (92%). They did more to bring peace to Israel and Gaza than the antisemitic left.
Thank you Ilan for your personal and professional narrative and access to two of your reports on Iran. I have made them accessible in the bibliography in my new Iran and Nuclear Disarmament Beat in my substack below.
Last year Barbara Slavin warned Iran and Hezbollah had the guided missile capacity to inflict major death and destruction on Israel. But since then US chicken hawks and Israeli hawks have claimed they have "degraded" that capacity. What is your view? Your post and recent reports from the J Street news roundup have prompted me to start a new substack Beat on this, cite own published 2025 op-ed in the Cleveland Plain Dealer letter calling for entering the Iran Deal and my February 2024 letter to the Cleveland Jewish news calling for re-entering the Iran deal: https://michaelalandover.substack.com/p/iran-and-nuclear-disarmament Do you think there is a chance Trump will actually do that, as he claims he might?
I enjoyed your essay and look forward to more of your work. I understand your metaphor about the negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians being like a divorce negotiation, but that leaves out an unfortunate complication -- it was an arranged marriage which one of the partners never agreed to.
Excellent piece. I learned a lot more about your experience. I wonder if you think the two state solution is still viable. I hope it is, but I have my doubts. I read Chuck Freilich's piece in Haaretz recently re a Palestinian - Jordanian confederation and what you thought about that. I know its idea that has been around for a long time, but maybe its time to re-think the peace paradigm.
Thank you for your openness in sharing your life's experience. I was in my early 40s when Tom Friedman's From Beirut to Jerusalem was first published in 1989, and have returned to it often to try to make sense of the Arab Israeli conflict in the decades since. Your insightful reporting on the current crisis, Tom Friedman's book, and a documentary about Shin Bet "The Gatekeepers" I saw at a film festival in 2012 have offered moments of clarity in the ever increasing confusion and volume of conflicting opinions. What a tragedy for us in America and the world that Harris lost!
Well written. Kudos! You explained well your wealth of both personal & professional experience. IMO right level of disclosure to support your positions. Interested in your thoughts on Trump's [stated] plans for the region.
Thank you so much for this. It's tempting to go to the extremes - either for the Israel and Palestinian sides, given how much bloodshed has resulted from this conflict, and I'm glad that if you - who's been so exposed to these horrors - kept your cool and still pines for peace, then we Gentiles should too, especially for me who's far away from this conflict.
I’m glad to hear that Harris was supportive of the Jewish community. That was not widely known by Israel supporters, many of whom voted for Trump, even those who previously considered themselves Democrats. Some of this was caused by the virulent antisemitism on the left, especially the pro-Hamas demonstrations on college campuses as well as the silence after 10/7 from groups with strong Jewish support (women’s groups, BLM, LGBTQ, Hollywood, etc.), if not outright hostility. I tried to convince my friends that Trump would not be good for Jews given the influence of right wing Christian nationalists. I am surprised to hear that the Jewish vote stayed at historic levels. There is still work to be done to remind especially Democrats that a strong US-Israel relationship is a bipartisan issue that keeps both countries safe and strong.
Yup. I'm an evangelical (or post-evangelical) Christian, and I hate that most people from my group are in bed with Christian nationalism - i.e., Christianity of the oppressor. And much of their support for Israel is because they want to bring on the apocalypse and pit Jews and Palestinians against each other. Not good.
And I'm so glad Jewish support for Harris was high. According to CNN even, 88% amongst Jewish women, almost the same as Black women (92%). They did more to bring peace to Israel and Gaza than the antisemitic left.
Great Title. So many of us do relate.
This first post is very interesting. I am looking forward to learning more from you.
Thank you Ilan for your personal and professional narrative and access to two of your reports on Iran. I have made them accessible in the bibliography in my new Iran and Nuclear Disarmament Beat in my substack below.
Last year Barbara Slavin warned Iran and Hezbollah had the guided missile capacity to inflict major death and destruction on Israel. But since then US chicken hawks and Israeli hawks have claimed they have "degraded" that capacity. What is your view? Your post and recent reports from the J Street news roundup have prompted me to start a new substack Beat on this, cite own published 2025 op-ed in the Cleveland Plain Dealer letter calling for entering the Iran Deal and my February 2024 letter to the Cleveland Jewish news calling for re-entering the Iran deal: https://michaelalandover.substack.com/p/iran-and-nuclear-disarmament Do you think there is a chance Trump will actually do that, as he claims he might?
Just excellent! Thank you!
Many thanks Ilan for this insightful and reflective piece.
I enjoyed your essay and look forward to more of your work. I understand your metaphor about the negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians being like a divorce negotiation, but that leaves out an unfortunate complication -- it was an arranged marriage which one of the partners never agreed to.
Excellent piece. I learned a lot more about your experience. I wonder if you think the two state solution is still viable. I hope it is, but I have my doubts. I read Chuck Freilich's piece in Haaretz recently re a Palestinian - Jordanian confederation and what you thought about that. I know its idea that has been around for a long time, but maybe its time to re-think the peace paradigm.