Israel

Country: Israel

A sign reading "Get lost!" hangs on barbed wire outside the presidential palace in Cairo (photo: Reuters)

The Arab Spring and its enemies

The end of all hope

Ultimately, the Arab Spring was a failure because the movements fighting for freedom were faced with too many enemies who sought to quash the revolutions and thwart the efforts of the region's peoples to achieve greater democracy. An essay by the Syrian dissident Akram al-BunniMore

Three years after the Arab uprisings: Tyranny has gone unpunished Three years after the Arab Spring: Self-criticism and genuine dialogue required Dossier: Arab Spring

Vieux Farka Touré and Idan Raichel (photo: Jason Marck)

Album review: "The Paris Session" by The Touré-Raichel Collective

Expanding each other's musical horizons

An Israeli keyboard player/composer, a Malian guitarist and a chance meeting in an airport that resulted in an amazing meeting of musical worlds. Richard Marcus on The Touré-Raichel Collective's second album, "The Paris Session"More

Album review: "Mountain Melodies" by Quraishi: Keeping the voice of Afghanistan alive World music from Istanbul: Light in Babylon: Ambassadors of peace Website: The Touré-Raichel Collective Qantara dossier: Musical Worlds

Samaritan pilgrims on Mount Garizim (photo: samaritans-museum.com)

Samaritans in Nablus

The other "People of Israel"

They hold dual citizenship and speak both Arabic and Hebrew fluently. The small Samaritan community in Nablus sees itself as the custodian of the "true religion of the Israelites". Its members support a two-state solution, yet deliberately distance themselves from the Middle East conflict. Laura Overmeyer paid them a visitMore

Interfaith dialogue in Palestine: Reviving a heritage of peaceful co-existence Israeli-Palestinian relations: Dialogue in a time of conflict Website: Samaritans Museum

Professor Mohammed Dajani-Daoudi (photo: private)

Portrait: Mohammed Dajani-Daoudi

From hardliner to peacemaker

Mohammed Dajani-Daoudi is an unorthodox thinker. Despite the current hatred between Arabs and Jews, he continues to work for reconciliation and dialogue, attracting the ire of his fellow Palestinians in the process. By Ulrike SchleicherMore

Israeli-Palestinian relations: Dialogue in a time of conflict Topic: Israeli-Palestinian Dialogue Website of the "Wasatia" forum

Si Kaddour Benghabrit (photo: © Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Muslims who saved Jews during World War II

The forgotten Schindlers

During the Second World War, Muslims like Si Kaddour Benghabrit and Abdul Hussain Sardari risked their lives to save many Jews from deportation. Sadly, however, their selfless actions have long been forgotten. By Emran FerozMore

Mohammed Helmy: First Arab Honoured by Israel for Rescuing Jewish Family from the Nazis The Arab Righteous of the Maghreb: The Arab Righteous of the Maghreb Israeli-Palestinian relations: Dialogue in a time of conflict

Ibrahim Abu Shandi outside the Arab Jewish Community Center in Jaffa (photo: Ulrike Schleicher)

Israeli-Palestinian relations

Dialogue in a time of conflict

Arab cities in Israel, such as Jaffa and Tira, illustrate that Jews and Arabs do live together as good neighbours. Since the Gaza War, however, positions have become more entrenched and mistrust has grown on both sides. Nevertheless, a number of NGOs insist on continuing with dialogue projects. Now more than ever. By Ulrike SchleicherMore

Israeli–Palestinian dialogue in Germany: It is possible to work together The Gaza conflict: Can art heal in a time of war?Interview with the Jewish author Judith Katzir: Friendship across the divide

A rehearsal by students at the School of Acting in Ramallah (photo: Folkwang Universität der Künste)

The Gaza conflict

Can art heal in a time of war?

War alters societies, and art can serve to gauge the change. In the war-struck Middle East, artists are hindered in their work, and some are forced to emigrate. Some feel a sense of hopelessness, while others still firmly believe in the healing capacity of art. Ulrike Schleicher reports on different reactions to the current crisis within the artistic communityMore

Book review: Uri Shani's "Nemashim" theatre project: Creating a level playing field Drama school in the West Bank: Theatre of hope Interview with Daniel Barenboim: ''Mutual appreciation is essential''Pan-Arab youth orchestra: Music to combat hopelessness The "Gaza Monologues": What the war does to people

Germany's foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the gathering of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on 22 July 2014 (photo: picture-alliance/dpa)

Germany's shared responsibility for the Gaza conflict and its end

Déjà vu in Gaza

For months, there has been an intense debate about whether Germany should assume greater foreign policy responsibility. Yet when it came to the conflict in Gaza, Germany's politicians have once again slipped into the role of the horrified bystander. By Muriel Asseburg und René WildangelMore

The EU and the Gaza conflict: "Effective diplomacy needs engagement with all sides"Europe and the Gaza conflict: "The Europeans must conduct a direct dialogue with Hamas"Interview with Yehuda Shaul: "The treatment of the Palestinians is the biggest threat to Israel"

Yehuda Shaul, co-founder of the Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence (photo: Quique Kierszenbaum)

Interview with Yehuda Shaul

"The treatment of the Palestinians is the biggest threat to Israel"

Yehuda Shaul, a former soldier in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), is one of the founders of the Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence. Marian Brehmer talked to him about Operation Protective Edge and the link between the Gaza war and the occupation of the Palestinian territoriesMore

The Breaking the Silence website Photo gallery: Breaking the Silence The Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence: Former soliders criticizing practices of the Israeli military Interview with Norwegian doctor Mads Gilbert: "Nobody is safe in Gaza"

Interview with the Jewish author Judith Katzir

Friendship across the divide

Judith Katzir is one of the most interesting young authors in Israel. Her books deal mostly with strong women who undertake journeys into their own past. Her new novel, "Tzila", is based on letters belonging to her great-grandmother and describes her journey to Gaza, where her Jewish family once lived. Igal Avidan spoke to the authorMore

Interview with Amos Oz: "For Israel, it is a lose-lose situation"Israel's Social Media and the Gaza Crisis: Truths Come Through Israel and the Nakba: Coming to Terms with the Past or Simply Easing Consciences?Assaf Gavron: "CrocAttack": A Shrewd Insight into the Tragedy of Terrorism

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with his new government of national unity (Photo: Reuters)

Europe and the Gaza conflict

"The Europeans must conduct a direct dialogue with Hamas"

In light of the inability of those involved in the Gaza conflict to make peace, Europe cannot just stand on the sidelines and watch. If it does, the conflict will come here. The ostracisation of Hamas has proved counter-productive. A commentary by Abdel Mottaleb El HusseiniMore

Interview with Amos Oz: "For Israel, it is a lose-lose situation"Interview with Norwegian doctor Mads Gilbert: "Nobody is safe in Gaza"The EU and the Gaza conflict: "Effective diplomacy needs engagement with all sides"

Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority President (photo: picture alliance/dpa)

The EU and the Gaza conflict

"Effective diplomacy needs engagement with all sides"

While Europeans are focusing on Ukraine and Iraq, the oldest of the Middle East issues will haunt them for some time. The wider Israel–Palestinian conflict needs the full attention of Europe, writes Mattia ToaldoMore

Israeli military offensive in Gaza: Israel cannot win Interview with Raji Sourani in Gaza: "We are just soft targets: we are very cheap"The Israeli army in the West Bank: The punishment of Palestinian citizens

Interview with Amos Oz

"For Israel, it is a lose-lose situation"

Israel's ground offensive against Gaza is justified but excessive, says Amos Oz in this interview with Dennis Stute. However, the Israeli writer is also critical of the Hamas strategy of attacking Israel from within civilian areasMore

The Israeli–Palestinian conflict in Gaza: Propaganda war Israeli military offensive in Gaza: Israel cannot win Interview with Raji Sourani in Gaza: "We are just soft targets: we are very cheap"

A Palestinian boy sweeping up rubble outside a bombed-out building in Gaza (photo: AFP/Getty Images)

The Israeli–Palestinian conflict in Gaza

Propaganda war

The escalating conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas has been accompanied on both sides by massive propaganda drives. According to Joseph Croitoru, each side is attempting to speak directly to the opposing side through its propagandaMore

Israeli military offensive in Gaza: Israel cannot win Escalation in the Middle East: Provocation and violence Interview with Raji Sourani in Gaza: "We are just soft targets: we are very cheap"

Dr. Mads Gilbert tends to a child in al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza, 2009 (photo Getty Images)

Interview with Norwegian doctor Mads Gilbert

"Nobody is safe in Gaza"

Professor of Medicine at the University of Tromso, Norway, Mads Gilbert is currently working at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. He has been volunteering in Gaza on and off for the last 17 years and recently submitted a report to the UN on the state of the health sector in Gaza. In this interview with Roma Rajpal Weiss, Gilbert describes the present situation at the hospital and in GazaMore

Israeli military offensive in Gaza: Israel cannot win Escalation in the Middle East: Provocation and violence Interview with Raji Sourani in Gaza: "We are just soft targets: we are very cheap"

Ruined buildings in the Gaza Strip, 19 July 2014 (photo: DW/Shawgy el Farra)

Israeli military offensive in Gaza

Israel cannot win

All those whose opinions differ from the prevailing view are considered saboteurs. In this guest commentary, the Israeli writer Etgar Keret describes how the thought police are dominating his homeland and explains why the problems Israel faces cannot simply be bombed awayMore

Israel's crisis politics: On hope and despair in the Middle East Interview with Raji Sourani in Gaza: "We are just soft targets: we are very cheap"Etgar Keret and Samir El-Youssef: The Incursion of Politics into the Private Sphere Interview with Etgar Keret: The Ambivalence of the Wall

Country: Israel

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