Uri Dromi (Continuación)

MundoOriente Próximo

Judge Micha Lindenstraus is concluding a remarkable term as Israel’s state comptroller. Those in government who had welcomed him when he was elected six years ago, hoping to get a tame civil servant who would leave the executive branch alone to roam around free, were up for a bitter surprise.

Although he was often accused of trumpeting his reports to gain media headlines, the Israeli democracy was served well by his unremitting quest for the cleaning of the stables. Now he is leaving his job with a bang. Actually, with three bangs.

This week Judge Lindenstraus issued a damning report on the big fire which, in December 2010, killed 44 people and destroyed huge parts of Carmel Forest, one of the most beautiful areas in Israel.…  Seguir leyendo »

MundoOriente Próximo,

Some of us still have to work for our living, so with all due respect to writing this column, in my other hat I’m the Director General of Mishkenot Sha’ananim, the lovely guest house and conference center in Jerusalem, established by the great Jewish British philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore, more than 150 years ago.

Two weeks ago we ran our biannual International Writers Festival, with some 15 guest writers from all over the world dialoguing with the greatest Israeli authors: Amos Oz, David Grossman, Meir Shalev and others, to the delight of the local book enthusiasts. The mutual respect — at times even admiration — between writers, surpassed borders and politics.…  Seguir leyendo »

MundoOriente Próximo

Readers of this column frequently urge me to write more good stories about Israel, which I’m very happy to do. Israel is a great country indeed, and there is no shortage of success stories to write about, be it high-tech ingenuity, cultural excellence or human endeavor. People who love Israel like these kinds of stories; they strengthen the image of the ideal Israel they want to maintain.

However, when I write something that isn’t so flattering, I get responses like, “Why air our dirty laundry in public?” Why? Because while I love my country with passion, I can’t remain indifferent to its flaws.…  Seguir leyendo »

MundoOriente Próximo, ,

The exchange of more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners for one Israeli soldier was brokered by a German mediator and by Egypt, because Israel regards Hamas as a terrorist organization with which it will not negotiate.

But the fact remains that this was a deal Israel cut with Hamas. The question now is whether this show of pragmatism can lead to further developments, with broader ramifications for the Arab-Israeli conflict.

When Hamas took power more than five years ago, I wrote on these pages that the development had a potentially positive side: “Things might now become much clearer. There will be no whitewashing, no Arafat-style double-talk, or endless Abbas impotence.…  Seguir leyendo »