Category
Commentary
The Jewish Seat
Seven American Jews have served on the Supreme Court of the United States of America.\n\nMake that eight — if you include Sandra Day O\’Connor.\n\nO\’Connor, who announced her retirement from the bench last week, isn\’t Jewish (you read it here first). But her legal opinions have had a profoundly positive effect on American Jewish life, which underscore the potential impact of the person President Bush nominates to replace her.\n\nAppreciation is pouring in for O\’Connor from streams of Judaism that rarely flow together. Orthodox groups have lauded her for her moderation, while more liberal denominations have praised her swing vote on issues dear to them.
Disengagement Now — No Way to Peace
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon\’s plan for an Israeli pullout from Gaza and a few more settlements in the Shomron has found extensive initial approval among Jews in the Diaspora.
At first glance, this is understandable. The absence of a credible Palestinian negotiating partner, combined with Israel\’s vigorous desire to create a more peaceful atmosphere in the Middle East, has made a partial segregation from the Palestinian Arabs appear to be a step in the right direction.
But before we leap, let\’s look. Let\’s pay attention to the serious voices of dissent.
U.S. Mistakes Worsen Iran Situation
The recent runoff election in Iran catapulted the ultra-conservative mayor of Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, onto the international stage and set off a blaze of speculation. But while the face of the presidency may have changed, the soul of the regime has not.
From the vantage point of the United States and Israel, the Iranian government remains a repressive autocracy at home and a sponsor of terrorism abroad. It\’s also a regime they view as close to developing nuclear weapons. With Ahmadinejad as president, Iran\’s government is now dominated by hard-liners, with the reformists marginalized. This development certainly does not augur well for the future of relations between Iran and the United States and Iran and Israel, or for the cause of freedom within Iran. However, the added problem is that the regime now asserts that the election (with its high turnout) affirms the regime\’s legitimacy and validates its system of government.
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