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Barry Rubin is one of the world’s foremost experts on Turkey and the director of the Global Research for International Affairs Center (GLORIA Center) in Herzliya. When Barry speaks, people listen. 

In fact, a Turkish newspaper based in Istanbul interviewed Prof. Rubin to get his views on the latest Turkish elections. You can read the interview here:

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=117857

It makes for unsettling reading. The Islamic party (the AKP) that won the elections more than a week ago is the smiling face of Islam. They are moderate. They are democratic. They are fiscally conservative. They are efficient. They are less corrupt.

Barry Rubin is one of the world’s foremost experts on Turkey and the director of the Global Research for International Affairs Center (GLORIA Center) in Herzliya. When Barry speaks, people listen. 

In fact, a Turkish newspaper based in Istanbul interviewed Prof. Rubin to get his views on the latest Turkish elections. You can read the interview here:

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=117857

It makes for unsettling reading. The Islamic party (the AKP) that won the elections more than a week ago is the smiling face of Islam. They are moderate. They are democratic. They are fiscally conservative. They are efficient. They are less corrupt.

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With all the hubbub and ballyhoo over Iraq and Iran, we aren’t hearing much about Turkey. That’s a problem.

For instance, did you know that Justice and Development Party (AKP) won the Turkish elections on the 22nd of July? Did you know that they are a moderate Islamic party? Did you know that, over the last few years, Turkey has been creeping towards Islamism? Did you know that Turkey is no longer considered an ally of the US? (Although, it is not considered an opponent.)

Most people wouldn’t have known this, so you have an excuse if you didn’t.

With all the hubbub and ballyhoo over Iraq and Iran, we aren’t hearing much about Turkey. That’s a problem.

For instance, did you know that Justice and Development Party (AKP) won the Turkish elections on the 22nd of July? Did you know that they are a moderate Islamic party? Did you know that, over the last few years, Turkey has been creeping towards Islamism? Did you know that Turkey is no longer considered an ally of the US? (Although, it is not considered an opponent.)

Most people wouldn’t have known this, so you have an excuse if you didn’t.

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Israel is special.

Really.

(I heard that gasp of surprise and will ignore it.)

Unfortunately, Israel Outlook doesn’t capture more than a fraction of that special quality. My blog is all about terrible people doing terrible things to a country that I care deeply about. But, terrible people have done terrible things to other countries since there were countries to do terrible things to.

It says very little about your uniqueness when the terrible hate you.

That’s why you should turn to other blogs when you want a ‘slice of life’ look at Israel. I’ve already profiled Marallyn’s blog Shalom from Jerusalem, but there’s another blog that should also have your attention.

Israel is special.

Really.

(I heard that gasp of surprise and will ignore it.)

Unfortunately, Israel Outlook doesn’t capture more than a fraction of that special quality. My blog is all about terrible people doing terrible things to a country that I care deeply about. But, terrible people have done terrible things to other countries since there were countries to do terrible things to.

It says very little about your uniqueness when the terrible hate you.

That’s why you should turn to other blogs when you want a ‘slice of life’ look at Israel. I’ve already profiled Marallyn’s blog Shalom from Jerusalem, but there’s another blog that should also have your attention.

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The fourth thing that I do every morning is turn on my computer and go through my tabbed list of start pages on Internet Explorer. First, it’s the Jerusalem Post, and they’re good for at least one article idea – at least one.

Then, I go to Marallyn’s blog, Shalom from Jerusalem. She has a ‘view from the street’ kinda blog – more human, more positive, more… Israel. It’s required reading by yours truly every morning.

Then, I go… but, I didn’t. I didn’t go on to the next tab in my start list because Marallyn had said this:

The fourth thing that I do every morning is turn on my computer and go through my tabbed list of start pages on Internet Explorer. First, it’s the Jerusalem Post, and they’re good for at least one article idea – at least one.

Then, I go to Marallyn’s blog, Shalom from Jerusalem. She has a ‘view from the street’ kinda blog – more human, more positive, more… Israel. It’s required reading by yours truly every morning.

Then, I go… but, I didn’t. I didn’t go on to the next tab in my start list because Marallyn had said this:

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Today is Tisha b’Av, the ninth day of Av - a month in the lunar Hebrew calendar.

It is the saddest day in the Jewish year because it marks the day in which the first and second temples were destroyed by the Babylonians and then by the Romans. Both temples were destroyed more than five hundred years apart, yet on the same day of the Hebrew calendar: the Ninth of Av.

There are other tragic events that coincide with the Ninth of Av, but none of them equal the tragedy of the destruction of these two temples.

Today is Tisha b’Av, the ninth day of Av - a month in the lunar Hebrew calendar.

It is the saddest day in the Jewish year because it marks the day in which the first and second temples were destroyed by the Babylonians and then by the Romans. Both temples were destroyed more than five hundred years apart, yet on the same day of the Hebrew calendar: the Ninth of Av.

There are other tragic events that coincide with the Ninth of Av, but none of them equal the tragedy of the destruction of these two temples.

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