What If? Sometimes, when considering the past, it is tempting to indulge in a “what if” thought experiment. 2017 is a year of milestones in the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is 50 years since the 6-Day War, 100 years since the Balfour Declaration,…
Israel a triumph over imperialism and adversity You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts. This saying has been around for some time, but it could have been directed at Janfrie Wakim’s column, ‘Arabs betrayed in war Kiwis fought…
Israel’s history part 3 – Zionism and the Balfour Declaration In this 4-part series, Professor Dov Bing examines the historic connections of Jews and Muslims to Israel and the more contemporary establishment of the State of Israel. Part 1 concerned the indigenous Jewish presence in the land. Part 2 examined…
A day to remember: Rabbi Goldstein and freedom As Jewish people celebrate Passover, a remembrance of deliverance from slavery and tyranny, it is easy to forget that the freedoms enjoyed in the 21st century have been relatively recent gains for Jews. Jews were not given fundamental rights of…