France’s Recent Threat to Israel Violates the Oslo Accords and International Law
And it preemptively blames Israel.
February 4, 2016
Was the Medieval Blood Libel Rational?
Blaming Jews was a way to get out of debt.
The accusation that Jews murder Christian children for ritual purposes can be traced back to Roman times, but the form of the libel that has persisted to this day first emerged in 12th-century England, when the death of young William of Norwich was blamed on local Jews. In a recent book on the subject, E. M. Rose argues that the accusation tended to originate with individuals who had a vested personal interest (usually in the form of large debts owed to Jewish moneylenders) in the outcome. In a review, Madeleine Schwartz questions the underlying thesis:
February 4, 2016
The West Should Care about the Torture of Palestinians
Especially when committed by the Palestinian Authority.
Why the Western Wall Compromise Matters—If It’s Implemented
A model for compromise on religious issues.
Was the Medieval Blood Libel Rational?
Blaming Jews was a way to get out of debt.
Saul Bellow’s Last Interview
Some thoughts on 20th-century American literature.