Publications
Pompeo Busts the ‘Occupation’ Myth
The claim that Israeli settlements are illegal was flimsy in 1978 and is ridiculous in 2019.
Failing Grade: Israel’s Teachers Don’t Deserve a Raise
After two decades of granting wage hikes with little to show for them, the Israeli public has the right to make some demands of its own from the teachers’...
On anti-BDS laws, antisemitism and freedom of speech
Why the anti-BDS laws legislated in 27 states are not only permissible but also just and do not contradict freedom of speech
Birth preferences in Israel and their effect on poverty indices and welfare levels
Social and economic policy today generally ignores the broader meaning of welfare, according to which it must be determined whether it is right to subsidize certain population groups at...
Is government spending in Israel low by international standards, and should it be increased?
Understanding the institutional and demographic differences between countries is important for the media and public discourse in Israel, which often call for increased government spending based on a simplistic...
Take the Palestinians’ ‘No’ for an Answer
They’ve rejected every peace initiative. Their no-show this week in Bahrain should be the last
Democracy vs juristocracy
None of the constraints on the court taken for granted elsewhere exist in Israel—those who hysterically argue against any limitation on judicial review are actually trying to create a...
Where’s the real threat coming from in 2019?
Iran is a far greater danger to Jews, the Jewish state and Western civilization than a gaggle of rednecks wearing bed sheets over their heads.
Why Shirts Are Cheap and Groceries are Expensive: Consequences of Trade Barriers in Israel
In contrast to the cost of clothing which is low compared to other countries, the cost of food in Israel is relatively high. This pattern developed after the textile...
Not everything can be decided in court
The ruling by Justice Alex Stein is a recognition of the limits of the Supreme Court's authority to intervene in government policy
Is UNRWA’s hereditary refugee status for Palestinians unique?
UNRWA’s claim that their hereditary refugee status for Palestinians is not unique is simply untrue. There is no parallel and no precedent, even in protracted conflict situations, for the...
Basic income in Israel
The concept of “basic income” has been garnering a lot of attention in recent years, due to increasing concerns regarding inequality, economic growth, technological unemployment and the bureaucratic burden...
Airbnb’s Anti-Israel Hypocrisy
Two very different organizations took action last week against Jews owning property in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority sentenced two Palestinians to 15 years hard labor for selling...
Who Else Profits – Second Report
If business activity that “facilitates” or “profits” from settlement activity raises human rights issues, then the Commission’s current research program is unjustifiably narrow in its scope. The UNHRC’s Israel...
Kohelet holds conference on the Nation state Law
On October 9th 2018 The Kohelet Policy forum held a conference on the Basic Law: Israel as Nation-State of the Jewish People.
Why All the Outrage over Israel’s Nation-State Law?
After working its way through the Knesset for years, Israel’s nation-state law, whose official title is Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People, finally passed on...
The proof is in the protest
Asking demonstrators at Saturday’s so-called “protest for equality” not to wave Palestinian flags was a reasonable request, to be sure. Palestine is there, on the mountain, where demonstrators believe...
Concerned Jews of America, Here Are Answers to Your Pledge
A “Pledge” against Israel’s new nation-state law was recently put online (here) by eight organizations: T’ruah (the rabbinic call for human rights), the New Israel Fund, J-Street, Ameinu, American for Peace Now, the National Council of...
To American Jews – about Israel’s Nation-State law
There is Irony Surrounding American Jewish Criticism of Israel’s Nation-State Law. If Israel was not the “Nation State of the Jewish People” and instead just a random country, American...