When a government appears brittle and its society restless, the temptation for outside powers is to accelerate history through sharp rhetoric and firm warnings. Iran’s current crisis has produced exactly this debate in Washington, including whether references to the possible use of force can help guide events toward a better outcome. The President has been very clear in his warnings to the Iranian leaders that force against the protestors will be met with force. The question

Last week, Israel quietly made history. For the first time in over three decades, a nation officially recognized Somaliland as an independent state. This move is far more than a diplomatic gesture. It is a strategic gem, a bold stroke that underscores Israel’s growing role as the regional superpower it has become. Somaliland, on the northeast tip of Somalia in equatorial Eastern Africa, is not just another name on the map. It declared independence in 1991 and has since functi

A few weeks ago, a British television host stopped a young couple at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. They had just moved to Israel from the UK, pushing a stroller, smiling in the winter sun. When asked how it felt, their answer was simple: for the first time in years, they felt safe walking around. The interviewer called it surreal – safe in a place the world still calls a war zone. But for me, and for many Israelis, it is not surreal at all. It is clarifying. Safety is not ab