Semitic Semantics
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pope Francis engaged in a brief, cordial exchange over the language spoken by Jesus. “Jesus was here, in this land,” Netanyahu...
Vatican City
The U.N. Assault on the Catholic Church
In the name of protecting children,the United Nations is now preaching to the Vatican. A report on the Holy See—released by a U.N. committee last week to much media fanfare—alleged th...
Op-eds
Protecting the World’s Christians
Co-authored by Danny Eisen As the winter holidays wind down for another year, Canadians can reflect on the blessing of their democracy, which enables its citizens to celebrate o...
Op-eds
What to Do With a Dead Nazi
Predictably, the death of one of the last living war criminals from the Nazi era has triggered the usual emot...
Op-eds
State of Confusion Over State of Palestine
Has the Palestinian-Israeli conflict finally entered the post-Oslo Accords era? In the Middle East, nothing is dead until it’s buried, but several troubling signs are pointing in that direc...
Op-eds
Palestine’s Strangely Stubborn State of Mind
Half a century of lost battles taught mightier powers to change their mindset – think of Germany after two world wars.
Op-eds
Will Egyptians Put an End to Morsi’s Power Grab?
Last week, Egypt’s elected president Mohamed Morsi gave himself more power than even deposed president Hosni Mubarak had under decades of military dictatorship. Morsi, a form...
Op-eds
From al Qaeda in Italy to Ansar al Sharia Tunisia
Two convicted members of an al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group in Italy are now senior members of Ansar al Sharia Tunisia. The pair, Sami Ben Khemais Essid and Mehdi Kammoun, were arrested in 20...
Op-eds
Al Qaeda Responsible for 4 Attacks on US Embassies in September
On and around September 11, 2012, al Qaeda attacked multiple American assets around the world. The attack that has received the most attention is the deadly attack on the American consulate in Be...
Op-eds
If at First You Don’t Succeed…
The Palestinians may appeal to the United Nations for statehood. Again. That was the message out of Ramallah on Sunday, June 24, when Fatah, the dominant Palestinian faction in the West...
Op-eds
Germany Starts to Clamp Down on Salafists
BERLIN, Germany - Last week the German interior ministry stepped up its efforts against a growing Salafist network in the Federal Republic, stating that "[t]he organization acts in opposition to...
Op-eds
What’s Islam Got to Do with It?
To prohibit the question is to invite disaster.
Op-eds
Shroud of Turin
Turin, Italy — The Turin book fair this year features Israeli literature, and Israeli president Shimon Peres is coming to the opening ceremony next weekend. Lots of others will be there, to...
Op-eds
The Meaning of Another Lebanese Murder
The Syrian regime would seem to be right on program. That much was clear from the assassination of parliamentarian Antoine Ghanem on Wednesday, six days before Parliament is scheduled to meet to...
Op-eds
Our Friends, the Saudis?
Last week, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah was welcomed to the White House by President Obama. According to the Washington Post, their meeting provided an opportunity “to demonstrate the...
Op-eds
How to Stifle Speech
There's an old Soviet joke in which an American tells a Russian: "In my country we have freedom of speech. I can stand in front of the White House and yell, ‘Nixon is an idiot!' a...
Op-eds
Where We Fight
It's of little consequence to most of us what historians of the future will say about George W. Bush. More important is whether there will be historians in the future who can work in freedom...
Op-eds
Profile of an Ideologue, Abu Yahya al-Libi
Op-eds
Bin Laden’s Threat Uncovers Jihadist Message for Europe
In an audiotape posted on the Internet, Osama Bin Laden threatened Europe with punishment because of its "negligence in spite of the opportunity presented to take the necessary measures" to...
Op-eds
Admit We’re Peaceful…or Else
Last week, speaking to a packed audience in St. Peter's Square, Pope Benedict XVI revisited his September 12 lecture to academics at the University of Regensburg. The pontiff explained that...