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Jonathan Shavit

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May 24, 2026, 12:31 AM

Sparta’s resurgence in Israel

It keeps returning in the Israeli public debate over and over again: Sparta. In fact, the discussion centers around “super-Sparta,” the comment made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year. It caused an immediate reaction, with markets responding negatively,...

Mar 29, 2026, 12:51 AM

When Baghdad bombings are used as a reference in the Netherlands

The recent attacks on Jewish targets are still being investigated by Dutch authorities. The new Prime Minister Rob Jetten denounced antisemitic attacks, the Minister of Justice David van Weel updated parliament, and many people expressed shock over the attack...

Mar 25, 2026, 6:33 AM

Tucker Carlson: the prophet of resentment

He said it during his interview with Mike Huckabee, a while ago: “Can you feel the resentment? Because it’s real.” Of course, resentment exists in every society and is based on different factors. But, when it comes to Carlson,...

Mar 16, 2026, 3:27 AM

An extended stay in Israel (Part V): family, cluster missiles, and the last day

Last weekend, I was sitting in my aunt and uncle’s living room in Ra’anana, when I received an e-mail from El Al. After the airline had canceled my flight back to the Netherlands due to the war, they were...

Mar 15, 2026, 12:11 AM

An extended stay in Israel (Part IV): a daily reality of war

The war has begun, but the first few hours are surprisingly calm. I shower, get dressed, and head downstairs for breakfast. People are talking about the war, scanning the news. I do a bit of reading as well. The hotel...

Mar 14, 2026, 10:08 AM

An extended stay in Israel (Part III): new members, friends, and family

I had already had dinner with my aunt and visited some sites. In addition, I had contacted some friends to let them know that I had arrived. Some were in Israel, others were not. In this post, I will...

Mar 12, 2026, 3:08 PM

Extended stay in Israel: food, memory, and sports

My aunt dropped me off at my hotel adjacent to the Tel Aviv boardwalk – or tayelet in Hebrew. After checking in and disposing of my luggage, I took her to dinner, which was the least I could do. That...

Mar 12, 2026, 4:31 AM

An extended stay in Israel: getting from A to B

This post is part of a series, more will follow. It concerns an overview of my visit to Israel and plans to visit family and friends. While I succeeded in my endeavor, my stay was extended due to the...

Feb 18, 2026, 3:12 AM

In Israel, my family found liberty

When it comes to the MENA region, there are plenty of myths that continue to be amplified without pause, such as: Israel is a Western colony; Mizrahim were duped into coming to Israel by Ashkenazim; Jews are not indigenous...

Feb 16, 2026, 6:14 AM

Election year and the importance of the Arab Israeli vote

The opportunity for Israelis to exercise their democratic right is once again upon them. While Israeli society has shown in the past two years that it succeeds in coming together in the most wonderful ways, at the ballot box...

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About Me

Born in Israel and raised in the Netherlands, I have studied history in the past. Though I still live in the latter, the former continues to amaze, frustrate, encourage, worry, enlighten, and move me. Whenever and wherever, Israel is on my mind.