Ronald S. Lauder

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People at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Monday light candles in memory of the 1,400 victims who were killed during Hamas attacks on Oct. 7. (Leo Correa/AP)

As Israel wages war against Hamas, it must simultaneously propose a path toward peace.

Clearly, it is difficult to talk about peace during wartime. Temperatures are running high, and an understandable sense of pain and outrage has overtaken even the soundest of minds. So much so that there are those who cannot see past seeking revenge. But a peace initiative is the only way Israel’s ultimate security can succeed.

Israel should vow that, once the war ends, it will aspire to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a two-state solution. To start this process immediately, it should reach out to Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian Authority, and offer to resume negotiations on an interim, or even final, agreement.…  Seguir leyendo »

On July 1, Yair Lapid became Israel’s 14th prime minister. Though he will serve only as caretaker until general elections are held on Nov. 1, he has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make history as he helps his nation grapple with a complicated reality: enormous economic and political success coupled with a rising demographic challenge.

The State of Israel is enjoying a golden age. For more than 15 years — since the Second Lebanon War of 2006 — it has maintained relative calm, strategic stability and prosperity. The economy is flourishing: over the past decade the average annual growth rate was more than 3.5 percent, accelerating to an astonishing 8 percent in 2021.…  Seguir leyendo »

Varias personas participan en una marcha neonazi en Madridel 13 de febrero de 2021.Jesús Hellín / Europa Press

A principios de este mes, en Madrid, el pueblo español presenció algo que en los últimos tiempos se ha transformado en demasiado común en toda Europa. En un tono de una época mucho más oscura, neonazis marcharon por las calles de Madrid para “honrar” a la División Azul, las tropas españolas que combatieron junto a los nazis. Piensen un momento al respecto: ¿a quiénes honran realmente esos manifestantes?

En la larga y lamentable historia de Europa, con sus numerosas guerras, plagas y hambrunas, no ha habido nada más inhumano ni destructivo que el periodo comprendido entre los años 1933 y 1945, cuando la Alemania nazi buscó propagar su odio por todo el continente apoyada en su extraña ciencia racial.…  Seguir leyendo »

Seventy-five years ago, the Soviet army reached Auschwitz-Birkenau, threw open the extermination camp's hateful gates and liberated those who had survived the Nazis' horrors. The complex's industry of death killed about 1 million Jews. This is an incontrovertible fact.

And yet, as eyewitness survivors age and pass away, we must focus on combating the passage of time's impact on remembering historical events. It's our collective responsibility to counter the dissemination of outright lies that threaten to dim the reality of the Holocaust's undeniable hatred.

According to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, a shocking 41% of US adults, and 66% of those between the ages of 18-34 do not recognize the name Auschwitz.…  Seguir leyendo »

Israel, This Is Not Who We Are

For many Israelis, Jews and supporters of Israel, the last year has been a challenging one. In the summer of 2017, Israel’s government withdrew from an agreement that would have created an egalitarian prayer area at the Western Wall and proposed a strict conversion law that impinges on the rights of non-Orthodox Jews. This summer the Knesset passed a law that denies equal rights to same-sex couples. A day later came the nation-state law, which correctly reaffirms that Israel is a Jewish state, but also damages the sense of equality and belonging of Israel’s Druze, Christian and Muslim citizens.

Last month, a Conservative rabbi was detained for the alleged crime of performing a non-Orthodox wedding ceremony in Israel.…  Seguir leyendo »

Las heridas autoinfligidas de Israel

Ante la proximidad del 70º aniversario de Israel, me llena de orgullo ver la evolución que ha tenido el vulnerable Estado judío de mi infancia hasta convertirse en el país fuerte y próspero que es hoy.

Como presidente del Congreso Judío Mundial, estoy convencido de que Israel ocupa un lugar central en la identidad de cada judío y yo lo considero mi segundo hogar. Sin embargo, me preocupa el futuro de la nación que amo.

El Ejército de Israel es el más poderoso de Oriente Próximo. Sus logros económicos tienen resonancia mundial: en China, India y Silicon Valley tienen veneración por la tecnología, la innovación y el espíritu emprendedor de Israel.…  Seguir leyendo »

New mobile homes being installed in Amichai in February. Credit Ahmad Gharabli/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

As the state of Israel approaches its 70th anniversary, I am filled with pride as I watch the vulnerable Jewish state of my childhood evolve into the strong and prosperous nation it is today.

As president of the World Jewish Congress, I believe that Israel is central to every Jew’s identity, and I feel it is my second home. Yet today I fear for the future of the nation I love.

True, the Israeli Army is stronger than any other army in the Middle East. And yes, Israel’s economic prowess is world renowned: In China, India and Silicon Valley, Israel’s technology, innovation and entrepreneurship are venerated.…  Seguir leyendo »

Who Will Stand Up for the Christians?

Why is the world silent while Christians are being slaughtered in the Middle East and Africa? In Europe and in the United States, we have witnessed demonstrations over the tragic deaths of Palestinians who have been used as human shields by Hamas, the terrorist organization that controls Gaza. The United Nations has held inquiries and focuses its anger on Israel for defending itself against that same terrorist organization. But the barbarous slaughter of thousands upon thousands of Christians is met with relative indifference.

The Middle East and parts of central Africa are losing entire Christian communities that have lived in peace for centuries.…  Seguir leyendo »