Sunday Reads: America’s fading footprint in the Middle East, The last Jews of Cuba

US

Yaroslav Trofimov discusses America’s fading footprint in the Middle East:

Despised by some, admired by others, the U.S. has been the Middle East’s principal power for decades, providing its allies with guidance and protection.

Now, however, with Russia and Iran thrusting themselves boldly into the region’s affairs, that special role seems to be melting away. As seasoned politicians and diplomats survey the mayhem, they struggle to recall a moment when America counted for so little in the Middle East—and when it was held in such contempt, by friend and foe alike.

Dennis Ross believes that President Obama should stop playing Iran and Russia’s game in Syria:

But if our response to what the Russians and Iranians are doing in Syria is limited to increasing our attacks on the Islamic State, which appears to be where we are headed, we will be playing the Russians’ and Iranians’ game. They will continue attacking the non-Islamic State opposition while we target the terrorist group, and we will, unfortunately, appear to be in league with them against the Sunnis. Any hope of having the Sunnis discredit the Islamic State will be lost under these circumstances.

Israel

Shlomo Avineri explains why the US is not the key to finding peace in the Middle East:

In face of the freeze in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians there are repeated calls, in Israel and abroad, for the U.S. administration to assume leadership over this issue and pressure both sides to resume negotiations. According to this conception, the key to peace lies in the hands of the United States, and specifically with President Barack Obama, who must make use of it. However, this notion could not be more mistaken.

Daniel Gordis describes the current sense of terror in Jerusalem:

I walk to morning worship each day at about 5:45 a.m. Jerusalem is beautifully quiet that time of day. The sun has yet to rise, the streets are still deserted, and except for the occasional chiming of church bells and the singing of the muezzin from local mosques, there’s nothing to be heard. That brief walk is my thinking time, a few moments of reflection before a busy day begins.

For the past few days, however, I’ve found myself walking more briskly, looking over my shoulder, somewhat discomfited by my solitude on the  street. What was once placidity has turned into danger. I’ve considered driving instead of walking. That is precisely why they call it “terrorism” – the terror is real.

Middle East

John Hannah writes about the alarming prospect of a Saudi collapse:

As if there weren’t already enough problems to worry about in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia might be headed for trouble. From plummeting oil prices to foreign-policy missteps to growing tensions with Iran, a confluence of recent events is mounting to pose some serious challenges for the Saudi regime. If not properly managed, these events could eventually coalesce into a perfect storm that significantly increases the risk of instability within the kingdom, with untold consequences for global oil markets and security in the Middle East.

Sonar Cogaptay discusses the shock following the massive terrorist attack in Ankara and the tense atmosphere that has been plaguing Turkey recently:

Saturday's attack in the Turkish capital is as close to Turkey's 9/11 as the country has gotten. Twin bombings in downtown Ankara, across from the city's busy central train station and only minutes from key government buildings, killed at least 95 people and injured hundreds more. It is, in short, the worst terror attack in the country's history.

Jewish World

The Atlantic just issued some wonderful photos of the last Jews of Cuba:

Before Castro’s revolution, there were roughly 15,000 Jews living in Cuba. Today, there are just about 1,500. For the decades in between, there was no rabbi on the island and just one kosher butcher. “To be Cuban and Jewish is to be twice survivors,” historian Maritza Corrales explained to The New York Times. It was that determination that attracted photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie, who has travelled the world documenting distant Jewish enclaves, to visit Havana and capture what remains of the community many believe landed with Christopher Columbus. On commission from the Anastasia Gallery, he spent much of his time at the Beth Shalom Temple, one of the largest on the island, as well as the Sefaradi Synagogue, photographing the traditions of the local congregations.

The Forward’s Nathan Guttman discusses the similarity between the complaints made by Jewish and Palestinian students on campuses when it comes to safety and free speech in the Israel debate:

“We’ve seen similar complaints from both sides, and we’ve noticed that both sides are willing to use institutional power to limit the debate,” said Robert Shibley, executive director of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, an organization that works to increase open speech on campus. According to Shibley, debate on college campuses has always been vibrant and aggressive, but in recent years students have become more sensitive to these types of expression. “They’ve learned to expect that they’ll never feel challenged and that feeling challenged is unsafe,” he said.