Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Articles written by Dr. Eric R. Mandel


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  • What would a Palestinian state look like the day after independence?

    Dr. Eric R. Mandel|Jul 19, 2024

    (JNS) — The Biden administration, as well as almost every nation in the world, is pressuring Israel to create an immediate pathway for a Palestinian state. In theory, separating from the Palestinian Arab population—if it could be done with all security safeguards in place—accepting Israel as a Jewish state and signing an end-of-conflict agreement would be a reasonable alternative to the present situation, if it were possible. But does anyone look at what a Palestinian state would be and how faithful its leadership would be to any signed agree...

  • What is a 'proportionate response'?

    Dr. Eric R. Mandel|Dec 1, 2023

    (JNS) — In the Western mind, proportionality in war is simply a numbers game. The side that inflicts more casualties is acting disproportionately, is in the wrong and may even be committing crimes against humanity. This has no basis in international law, but it is useful as a rhetorical weapon. Israel’s enemies make prodigious use of this numbers game, which is no surprise. After all, when Israel is fighting a terrorist entity that uses civilians as human shields in order to increase body counts, which are then used to manipulate jou...

  • Western Jerusalem is Israel's capital

    Dr. Eric R. Mandel|Nov 4, 2022

    (JNS) — This month, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong reversed the previous government’s decision to recognize western Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The question that should be asked is why that recognition was controversial at all. No fair-minded person who believes in two states for two peoples thinks Israel should not be entitled to at least the western part of Jerusalem in any future settlement with the Palestinians. This principle has been part of every peace proposal in recent memory and the area has been in possession of the Jewis...

  • The Palestinian Authority cannot meet the most basic requirement for statehood

    Dr. Eric R. Mandel|Oct 14, 2022

    (JNS) It is an article of faith among European leaders, the political intelligentsia and the Biden administration that “two states for two peoples” is the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Failure to achieve this goal is usually blamed on Israel, with many accusers going so far as to assert that Israel has no right to exist and accusing it of being an apartheid colonial entity perpetrating ethnic cleansing against the indigenous population of “Palestine.” With Israeli elections set for Nov. 1, the public debate is heating...

  • Senator James Risch: Israel will resolve the Iranian nuclear issue

    Dr. Eric R. Mandel|Jan 7, 2022

    (JNS) — In the estimation of U.S. Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, the future of the Iran nuclear deal “is going to be resolved by Israel” rather than by the world powers who are actually negotiating with Tehran. “The Israelis have sat across the table from me for years, looked me in the eye, and said, ‘Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.’ And I believe them,” he says. In the following interview with JNS, the former chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and currently its ranking member also shares his candid views on Israel’s righ...