Sunday, May 06, 2007

Progressive/moderate blogs on Israel

I've been wondering if there are any blogs whose main subject (whether written by Israelis or others) that are somewhere in the middle politically on Israel, tending to the left - i.e., center-left. I have quite a few Israeli blogs on my blogroll - most don't touch much on Israeli politics, and the ones that do, tend to be fairly right-wing. The blogs I've seen that are left-wing on Israel are much too left-wing for me. I'd love to receive some suggestions for blogs to read on Israel that are both supportive of Israel and also critical of the occupation, calling for a two-state solution and displaying compassion for people on both sides of the conflict.

5 comments:

  1. Hi Rebecca, try Jewschool.com and http://pissedoffliberaljew.blogspot.com/

    I always go to these blogs for a more moderate perspective, as most Israeli blogs are either non-political or incredibly right-wing.

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  2. FYI, the writers at Jewschool are particularly admirable for their stance; they are pro-Israel but also very critical of the occupation which has led many to threaten the writers and call them "traitors," especially the site's founder, who goes by 'Mobius.' He said a lot of great things on that site which includes that being a Zionist doesn't mean that you disregard human rights or ignore the critical thing that has happened in Israel's name.

    I recommend it as a more level-headed source of info, especially since it's a group blog and you have a wide variety of perspectives present. I think you will like it. It's not always about politics but they'll bring up all the important political matters having to do with Israel.

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  3. Thank you, Esra'a - I have been reading Jewschool for a longtime and often like their perspectives. I'll try Pissed Off Liberal Jew too, which I haven't seen yet.

    I really like reading Mideast Youth. I don't necessarily agree with everything I read, but it's incredibly informative and a great source of alternative views.

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  4. Not limited to Israel, which he also gives good coverage to, but also bringing a wide-ranging and knowledgeable approach to numerous lesser-known international situations, I see you don't have Jonathan Edelstein's must-read Head Heeb on your blogroll, so there's one I'd recommend. Though, as I said, it's not Israel-specific.

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  5. I will certainly endorse The Head Heeb as a must read! However, he has been self-consciously avoiding Israel and Palestine lately. (Something about his blood pressure or other medical condition that has made him want to stay away.) But he will probably come back to covering the region. And in the meantime, there is great stuff in the archives on Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon, as well as ongoing fantastic coverage of human rights and democracy in other parts of the world.

    I also like This Normal Life, although it is only sometimes about politics.

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