Western policy-makers grow increasingly-reconciled to co-existence with a nuclear Iran. They assume that, notwithstanding the radical rhetoric, the Iranian leadership is pragmatic, cognizant of its limitations, unwilling to expose its people to devastating Western retaliation and considering nuclear capabilities as a tool of deterrence – and not as an offensive weapon – against the US, NATO and Israel.

However, a nuclear Iran would constitute a clear and present danger to global security and peace, which must not be tolerated. In order to avert such peril, it is incumbent to disengage from illusions and engage with realism.

1. Faith, Morality, Commemoration and Optimism Underlining National Jewish Fasts:

* Jewish fasts commemorate critical historical and value-driven junctions, highlighting moral clarity, which constitutes a prerequisite to operational and existential clarity. Memory is Deliverance; forgetfulness is oblivion.

1. The Bio-Jerusalem Initiative has been established, in order to transform Jerusalem into the capital of Israel’s bio-med. 43% of Israel’s bio-med research is conducted in Jerusalem. 12% of Jerusalem’s workforce is engaged in bio-med and healthcare. Jerusalem’s Hebrew University is ranked 12th in the number of bio-med patents.

1. The views of David Ben Gurion – The Founding Father of the Jewish State – on Jerusalem are particularly pertinent at a time when President Obama entices illegal Arab construction in Jerusalem (by threatening Israel against demolition of illegal Arab homes), while pressuring Israel to refrain from legal Jewish construction in the Capital City of the Jewish People.

Tell me who initiates the meeting and who wants a photo opportunity, and I’ll tell you who has the inferior position. The July 2010 meeting was initiated by Obama, who is concerned about the outcome of the November election and his declining support by Democrats and Independents. He hopes that a jovial photograph with Netanyahu would obscure severe disagreements, while enhancing his image among Israel’s friends in the USA. He presumes that Netanyahu will not leverage his (Obama’s) political predicament and the significant support for Israel among constituents and legislators, and will once again commit Israel to concessions.

Obama is an ideologue, determined to change the USA and the world, irrespective of his declining fortunes internally and externally. Obama’s reaction to Netanyahu’s about-face on the “Two State Solution” and the de-facto freeze of construction in eastern Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, demonstrates that concessions do not improve Obama’s attitude toward Israel; they intensify pressure. Netanyahu’s concessions have not diverted Obama from the following “Ten Commandments” of his world view:

A dramatic decline in Israeli Arab fertility rate has been documented during the last 15 years, while secular Jewish fertility rate has surged.
In addition, there has been a drastic increase in the rate of returning expatriate Israelis, due to the positive performance of Israel’s economy in face of the global meltdown. The number of Olim (immigrants) has grown due to the same economic reason. The conclusion is clear – in defiance of politically correct demographic dooms day projections - the proportion of Israeli Arabs, within Israel’s overall population, is expected to decline.

The sweeping Capitol Hill support of the Jewish State is a rare bi-partisan consensus during the current US political polarization.

The active role played by Democratic leaders in the pro-Israel display, exposes the significant gap between President Obama’s and Congress’ attitudes toward Israel. It sends a loud and a clear message from the Legislature, which is equal in power to the Executive and constitutes a systematic bastion of support of the Jewish State.

1. 400,000 Uzbek refugees, and 2,000 fatalities, during June 11-18, 2010 riots in Kyrgyzstan; 3 million refugees in Pakistan during 2009 and 600,000 refugees in the Philippines during 2008; No international investigations; No UN special sessions; No UN special agencies set – such a UNRWA for the 350,000 1948/9 Palestinian refugees – for assistance, protection and advocacy of these refugees.

1. The 1948/9 War of Independence, the 1956 Sinai Campaign, the 1967 War, the 1969/70 War of Attrition, the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the 1981 US Military Embargo and global condemnation following the bombing of Iraq’s nuclear reactor, the 1982 war against the PLO in Lebanon, the 1987-92 1st Intifadah, the 1994-2000 Palestinian Suicide Bombers, the 2000-2002 2nd Intifadah, the pre-1948 and the 1948-2010 systematic Palestinian terrorism, etc. have been bumps on the path of unprecedented Israeli economic, technological, medical, agricultural and cultural growth!

Would NATO allow a “humanitarian aid” convoy, organized by the radical Islamic anti-Western IHH, to travel unchecked to a Taliban stronghold?! Would Germany, Italy or France allow such a convoy to reach “Baader Meinhoff”, “Red Brigade” or “Action Direct” terrorist strongholds?

Tell me who are your supporters/organizers and I’ll tell who you are!

1. The radical Islamic, anti-Western IHH - the chief supporter of the flotilla to Gaza - poses as a humanitarian relief fund (Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation), while supporting Hamas and several Jihadist organizations in Bosnia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Algeria, Chechnya, etc..

President Obama is Right
Yoram Ettinger
YnetNews, May 28, 2010

 More Muslim terrorist cells were exposed in the US in 2009 than in any year since 9/11. Islamic terrorism constitutes a real and present danger to the US in spite of – and inflamed by – President Obama’s appeasement of Islam, as demonstrated in his most significant speeches at the Turkish Parliament on April 6, 2009 and at Cairo University on June 4, 2009.

1. Shavou’ot commemorates the bestowing of the Torah upon the Jewish People, which shaped the nature of the world in general and Western democracies in particular. The bestowing of the Torah took place over 3,300 years ago, setting the Jewish People on the Road Map to the Land of Israel. It also highlights the eternity of the Jewish People. Thus, the first and the last Hebrew letters of Shavou'ot ((שבועות constitute the name of the third son of Adam & Eve, Seth (שת), the righteous ancestor of Noah, hence of all mankind. The Hebrew meaning of Seth is מתן, which is the Hebrew word for the bestowing of the Torah (מתן תורה) at Mt. Sinai.

1. According to TopForeignStocks.com (May 2, 2010), some of the reasons to invest in Israel are:
 

The assumption that Israel is facing an imperial and an omnipotent American president, who supposedly benefits from a health reform-driven political tailwind, is refuted by the April 21-22, 2010 Quinnipiac University Polling Institute findings. The Institute is quoted often by the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN and FOX.

Since 2007, US foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority and to PA-controlled NGOs reached nearly $2BN, in addition to $3.7BN contributed by the US to UNRWA since 1950. Has American foreign aid to Abu Mazen advanced moderation, the pursuit of peace and US national security interests?

With the advent of the Washington Nuclear Summit, it is incumbent upon Prime Minister Netanyahu to refute the notion that a linkage exists, supposedly, between the campaign to deny Iran nuclear capabilities on one hand and the Palestinian issue on the other hand.

Intel-Israel's exports surged 145% in 2009, reaching a record $3.4BN. The record was facilitated by the completion of Intel's $4BN sixth plant in Israel. Intel is currently negotiation with Israel's government a possible $2.7BN expansion of the plant. Intel employs 6,340 persons at its two plants and four R&D centers in Israel.

1. "Next year in the Reconstructed Jerusalem" concludes the annual reciting of the Passover Saga. How pertinent in March 2010?!

2. How central is Passover in Judaism and in the context of Judeo-Christian values? "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." The first of the Ten Commandment refers to the Exodus and not to the creation of the world or to God's Covenant with Abraham or Jacob.

Hillary Adds Fuel to the Fire
Yoram Ettinger
YnetNews, March 25, 2010

Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, exposed worrisome aspects of President Obama's policy toward Jerusalem in particular and toward Israel in general, during her March 22, 2010 AIPAC speech. Clinton ignored the Texas colloquialism: "The first thing to do, if you find yourself in a deep hole, is stop digging." The former Senator and aspiring presidential candidate is, apparently, determined to learn from mistakes by repeating – rather than avoiding – them.

Jerusalem Deserves Better
Yoram Ettinger
Jerusalem Post, March 16, 2010

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s apology to Vice President Biden – for authorizing the construction of Jewish homes in Jerusalem during Biden’s visit – departs sharply from the assertive legacy of all Israeli Prime Ministers from Ben Gurion (1948) to Shamir (1992). It is consistent with the retreating Oslo state of mind, which has afflicted all Prime Ministers since 1993.

The Iran Threat
Yoram Ettinger
Jerusalem Cloakroom # 234, March 7, 2010

The Sanction Delusion plays into Teheran's hands: Russia and China consider the US their major long-term rival. Their assessment of Iran is dramatically different than the US assessment. Therefore, they (as well as some European countries) will not implement effective sanctions against Iran.

The Obama-American Public Israeli Disconnect
YoramEttinger Jerusalem Post, February 28, 2010

The findings of the February 19, 2010 Gallup poll put President Obama at odds with the US public, when it comes to attitudes toward the Jewish State, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Arabs, Muslims and Islamic terrorism.

Purim 2010 Guide for the Perplexed
Yoram Ettinger, February 25, 2010
Assembled from various Jewish Sages

1. Purim is the holiday of contradictions and tenacity-driven-optimism: Grief replaced by joy, Esther's concealment replaced by the disclosure of her national/religious identity, Haman's intended genocide of Jews replaced by redemption, Haman replaced by Mordechai, national and personal pessimism replaced by optimism.

Admiral Mullen's Visit: The Mutually Beneficial US-Israel Relations
YnetNews, February 22, 2010

The February 2010 visit to Israel by Admiral Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff, sheds light on the larger context of US-Israel relations, which transcends the Arab-Israeli conflict, leverages Israel's unique capabilities, and benefits both the US and Israel.

Toxic Demographic Assets
News First Class, February 8, 2010
Haim Rozenberg, former Head Long-Term Planning, RAFAEL (Israel Defense Ministry's Armament Development Authority)

In 2010, there is a solid 67% Jewish majority in the combined area of pre-1967 Israel and Judea and Samaria. However, some Israeli politicians employ toxic demographic assets. They inflate the number of Arabs in Judea and Samaria in order to scare the Jewish State into a retreat from a most critical area, historically and security-wise.

The following OpEd addresses the issue of toxic demographic assets...

Obama Excludes the Arab-Israel Conflict
Yoram Ettinger
YnetNews, January 30, 2010

The exclusion of the Arab-Israeli conflict from President Obama's 2010 State of the Union Address reflects a US order of priorities and, possibly, a concern that mediation in the Arab-Israeli conflict does not advance – but undermines – Obama's domestic standing. In fact, Jerusalem should impress upon the US to reduce its mediation profile, minimize tension between Israel and the American broker, while enhancing strategic cooperation between Israel and its American ally…

Israel's Economy Exceeds OECD Countries
Straight from the Jerusalem Boardroom #140, Jan. 25, 2010

London Economist (January 2010): Israel's 2009 economic performance, in face of global meltdown, suggests impressive growth in 2010. Israel's GDP grew in 2009 by 0.5%, compared to an average 3.5% decline in OECD countriesLondon Economist (January 2010): Israel's 2009 economic performance, in face of global meltdown, suggests impressive growth in 2010. Israel's GDP grew in 2009 by 0.5%, compared to an average 3.5% decline in OECD countries

President Obama's First year- The Writing Was on the Wall
"Makor Rishon" weekly, January 15, 2010

I am not surprised by President Obama's performance – since January 2009 - in face of
unprecedented and simultaneous economic, social, national security challenges, domestically
and internationally. I am not surprised by President Obama, who was elected to the most...

Senator Mitchell's Wake-Up Call
Yoram Ettinger,
YnetNews, January 13, 2001

The threat issued by Special Presidential Envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, to withhold US loan guarantees, in order to extract excessive concessions from Israel, constitutes a wake-up call for wishful-thinkers…

Israeli Security Requirements and Inter-Arab Violence
Straight from the Jerusalem Cloakroom #232
January 8, 2009

1. Galal Nasser, a prominent columnist in Egypt's "Al Aharam Weekly," Dec. 23, 2009: "Violence
has become the norm in Arab life, both on official and non-official levels...
There are many types of violence besetting the domestic scenes...

 In Defiance of Demographic Fatalism 
Jerusalem Post, December 31, 2009

In 1948, Prime Minister Ben Gurion declared independence in defiance of demographic fatalism,
which was perpetrated by Israel's leading demographers.
He rejected their assumptions that Jews were doomed to be a minority... 
 

Chanukah 2009 Guide for the Perplexed
Yoram Ettinger, December 11, 2009
Assembled from various Jewish Sages

1. The historical context . Alexander The Great - who held Judaism in high esteem and whose Egyptian heir, Ptolemy II, translated the Torah to Greek - died in 323BCE following 12 glorious years. Consequently, the Greek Empire disintegrated into five, and thirty years later into three, kingdoms: Macedonia, Syria and Egypt. The Land of Israel was militarily contested by Syria and Egypt. In 198BCE, Israel was conquered by the Syrian kingdom. In 175BCE, a new king assumed power in Syria, Antiochus (IV) Epiphanies, who viewed the Jews as pro-Egyptians and held Judaism with contempt. In 169BC, upon his return to Syria from a war against Egypt, he devastated Jerusalem, massacred the Jews, forbade the practice of Judaism (including the Sabbath, circumcision, etc.) and desecrated Jerusalem and the Temple...

A Palestinian State Is a Threat to America's National Security
Front Page Magazine, August 26, 2009

The idea that a Palestinian state can lead to enduring peace in the Middle East has become a
diplomatic obsession for American policy makers. Bringing such a state into being has become
the equivalent of finding the Holy Grail...

The Debacle of Demographic Fatalism
News First Class, March 23, 2009

Demographic scare campaigns have always been conducted against Zionist leaders.
Demographobia – the illogical fear of Arab demography – has become a central element shaping
Israel's national security policy, even though it is groundless. Thus, all projections...