James Sorene, at The Blogs

Feb 25, 2020, 5:29 PM

Will Israel’s election trilogy complete the saga?

Bibi Netanyahu and Benny Gantz at the polls, but who will come out on top during the third straight election? (Jewish News)

Trying to make sense of Israel’s third election on 2 March I sought solace in film trivia to find a new mode of analysis. Three elections in 11 months defied all expectations and broke the paradigm, so I thought I’d give this one a go....

Jan 27, 2020, 11:32 AM

The postcard from Poland

The Jews of Jasionowska are rounded up in front of the church, 27 January 1943

In 1938, my great grandfather Abraham received a postcard in London from his older brother Chaim in Poland. Written with paragraphs in Yiddish and Hebrew, the card is a photo of Chaim seated in a chair with his wife Rachel standing by his side. Chaim...

Jan 21, 2020, 11:50 AM

Prince Charles’ Israel visit marks a new era in bilateral relations

To truly comprehend the long-term transformation in Britain-Israel relations, consider one idea. Decades ago, the British Government, rightly or wrongly, viewed overt intimate relations with Israel as a problem for British interests in the Middle East. In 2020, overt, close relations with Israel are part...

Dec 19, 2019, 12:59 PM

The Middle East in 2020

Tunisians celebrate of the first anniversary of the popular uprising that toppled their long-standing dictator and unleashed the Arab Spring (Jewish News)

Predicting the future is a fool’s errand. Trying to predict the future of the Middle East is even worse, but at BICOM we give it a go every December when we publish a forecast for the year ahead. Last year we predicted an early Israeli...

Dec 12, 2019, 11:51 AM

Labour antisemitism will destroy British democracy

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn giving his keynote speech at the party's annual conference, October 2018. (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire via Jewish News)

In a healthy liberal democracy, antisemitism is recognised as one of the most sinister and destructive forms of racism, confined to the darkest corner of the political spectrum, fiercely shunned by mainstream politicians and uniformly condemned. Because history teaches us that whenever antisemitism flourishes, freedom...

Dec 4, 2019, 6:43 PM

What does the great British public think about Israel?

UK politics is highly volatile, the Brexit vote and ensuing stalemate has unleashed a whirlwind of identity politics, but the curious thing about the results of our annual poll of UK attitudes to Israel and the Middle East is how little has changed. This despite...

Nov 13, 2019, 5:59 PM

Why this Gaza conflict is different from other Gaza conflicts

Burnt cars sit after a Tuesday's rocket firing from Gaza, in Sderot, southern Israel, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. Gaza officials say new Israel airstrikes have killed a few militants. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Hundreds of rockets were fired at Israel, schools and businesses shut and Israelis fled to air raid shelters. In response, the Israeli Defence Forces bombed military targets in Gaza. All horribly familiar to observers of Israel’s long war with Gaza since it withdrew from the...

Nov 7, 2019, 12:33 PM

Is China the real force behind Iran?

Chinese president Xi Jinping with Ali Khamenei (right) and president Hassan Rouhani. Ayatolla Khomeini is in the portrait on the wall
(BICOM/Jewish News)

Iran this week announced further violations of the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal. More advanced centrifuges will be developed, and it is reopening the notorious Fordow nuclear facility. Iran is steadily shaking off the strict controls imposed on its nuclear programme in response to President’s Trump’s...

Oct 17, 2019, 4:36 PM

As Netanyahu governs alone, is it time to bring Gantz into the room?

Benjamin Netanyahu with IDF chief staff Aviv Kochavi (BICOM / Jewish News)

The Israeli Security Cabinet met in early October for the first time in three months to discuss the threat from Iranian cruise missiles. That is extraordinary when you consider that Israel is dealing with a constant terrorist threat, is battling Hamas and Islamic Jihad in...

Sep 13, 2019, 12:13 PM

Once again, the Israeli election is too close to call

Arab-Israeli MK Ayman Odeh films Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu with his phone in protest at the proposed law to allow cameras in polling stations (BICOM via Jewish News)

The Israeli polls have for weeks predicted another stalemate, with Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party neck and neck. The current prediction is that neither will be able to form a 61-seat majority without Avigdor Lieberman. But this week Benjamin Netanyahu...

About Me

James Sorene is CEO of the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre, Executive Editor of Fathom Journal and an analyst of Middle East political and security issues. He appears regularly on UK TV and Radio and writes for numerous newspapers and websites. He was previously a Senior Civil Servant, Deputy Director of UK Government Communications and Head of Communications for Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg from 2011 to May 2015.

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