James Ogunleye, at The Blogs

James Ogunleye

Jun 18, 2026, 11:12 PM

The MOU may end the war, but it has not ended the danger – and Israel knows the job is only half-done Few people expected the US-Israel war against Iran to end this way. I certainly did not. At the beginning,...

Jun 15, 2026, 6:21 PM

Shoulder-to-Shoulder with Israel’s Creatives

Boycotts will not heal Gaza; they will only silence the very artists still brave enough to build bridges The 43rd Jerusalem Film Festival is around the corner, and I find myself wishing, with unusual force, that I could be in...

Jun 11, 2026, 1:35 PM

Europe Wants Israeli Arms

Even as Western Europe scolds Israel in public, its armies still turn to Israeli systems when the threats become real

May 3, 2026, 9:10 PM

Three Salutes to MAFAT

The quiet engine preserving Israel’s technological edge – and shaping the battlefield of tomorrow I have written recently about Deep Tech as the way forward for Israel’s long-term security. I argued, with conviction, that artificial intelligence alone is not enough;...

Apr 21, 2026, 12:02 AM

Music or Politics? Eurovision’s Test

When a stage built for unity becomes a battleground, it risks losing not just fairness – but its very soul I have always loved the idea of the Eurovision Song Contest. Not just the glitter, the theatrics, or the occasional wonderfully...

Apr 13, 2026, 1:10 PM

Polanski’s War on Israel

Criticism is one thing; turning the world’s only Jewish state into a political punching bag is quite another There are moments in public life when disagreement is understandable, even necessary. And then there are moments when disagreement mutates into something...

Apr 7, 2026, 10:30 AM

Featured Post

Oslo’s blind spot: Making Jewish heritage negotiable

A 1,300-year-old menorah-decorated pendant was found at the Davidson Archaeological Park in Jerusalem, in a discovery announced on December 15, 2025. (Eliyahu Yanai/City of David)

In the pursuit of peace, Israel treated elements of its past as peripheral, leaving essential sites and stories vulnerable to neglect and reinterpretation

Mar 29, 2026, 4:46 PM

Before the Bombing, the Drones

The quiet eyes and brave hands that helped open Iran’s skies to precision, surprise, and Israeli resolve There is something deeply fascinating about the way Israel fights when it has no choice but to fight. Not merely with force, but...

Mar 19, 2026, 12:29 PM

Adir: Israel’s Mighty Wing

How the F-35I reshaped air supremacy in the US–Israel campaign against Iran Every nation has its icons. For Israel, some are human: soldiers, scientists, statesmen. Others are technological marvels that quietly stand guard over the nation’s survival. Iron Dome is one....

Mar 17, 2026, 10:31 AM

Yoni at 80: My Hero Still Leads

Nearly five decades after Entebbe, Yonatan Netanyahu still stands in my mind as the embodiment of courage, moral clarity, Jewish resilience, and the spirit that keeps innovating the future of Israel He was my hero before I knew enough history...

About Me

James Ogunleye, PhD, is a scholar, innovation strategist, and a historian of the IDF’s innovation ecosystem. He is the founder and editor of RenewingIsrael.org, and author of the book 'Resilience & Renewal: The Future of Israel – How a Nation’s Courage, Creativity, and Faith Rebuilt the Promise of Tomorrow'. He writes at the intersection of resilience, faith, innovation, and national renewal.