Lahav Harkov
@LahavHarkov · Israeli English-language press & book authors
Lahav Harkov is Jewish Insider's senior political correspondent, previously The Jerusalem Post's diplomatic reporter.
I keep seeing tweets saying “finally!” Have the humility to realize that there is a lot happening in Israel that you don’t know about if you’re not reading Hebrew. Mainstream Religious Zionist Rabbis have been condemning the violence all year. Of course the crazies don’t care what normie rabbis think, anyway. So it ends up being more like a “not in my name” statement. But that also has value.
Israelis’ top or second-highest priority in next month’s election, according to a new @IDIisrael poll: Foreign affairs and security: 39% Economy and cost of living: 38% Haredi IDF conscription: 27% Religion and state: 26% The identity of the head of the party: 23% The reform to the judicial system: 18% Broken down by political orientation among Jews: Left: religion and state 39% Center: economy and cost of living 40.5% Right: Foreign affairs and security 47%
My grandmother was a teacher (and a writer for Olam HaIsha) in Tel Aviv in the early 60s. Yesterday she brought my daughter, who started fourth grade, a gift: a reader for third-grade children in the state religious education system from 1964.
Translated from HebrewThere was a Charedi women’s party that ran in the recent past (didn’t make it in) and a Charedi woman MK in Meretz, Zvia Greenfield. They were all more or less disowned by the broader Haredi public… like this new party is likely to be.
Whenever we cover Netanyahu's visits to Washington, the Shin Bet goes through all of our luggage for security reasons, and often leaves it a mess. One time, I opened my suitcase at home and it had a large Trump bobblehead doll inside, which I had not purchased. It turned out to be Bardugo's.
Netanyahu appointed seven people to the Likud list. In realistic slots are - Talik Gvili, mother of the last hostage to have his body returned from Gaza - Channel 14 commentator and Bibi booster Yaakov Bardugo - Elisha Madan, who was severely injured in combat in Gaza - David Peter, the lawyer who has represented the government before the Supreme Court many times in recent years, an outspoken opponent of judicial activism Another appointee who may be familiar to readers is Amir Avivi, head of the Israel Defense and Security Forum (Habithonistim)
Tucker's going to retract when he learns that Arabs invented Algebra.
Excellent essay by Rabbi Steven Abraham on a week in which public figures on the American right and left spoke with confidence about antisemitism — but didn’t actually know what a blood libel is. “We are told when opposition to Zionism has crossed a line and, more frequently, that the line Jews believe they see does not actually exist. We are told that certain rhetoric has nothing to do with centuries of anti-Jewish imagery. And increasingly I find myself wondering: Based on what knowledge? What exactly have these people studied? What history have they read? What Jewish memory are they drawing upon? Because if you do not know what a blood libel is, perhaps you should exhibit just a little humility before telling Jews what antisemitism is.” https://t.co/LsTC7B8lzE
Adi Altshuler is running in Eisencot's party, and is his candidate for education minister. I interviewed Altshuler for @jewishinsider about her Holocaust remembrance initiative, here: https://t.co/XDfkwER7NN
Natasha Lyonne, star of the 1989 Israeli children's movie Echad B'April? Natasha Lyonne, who as an adult bought the rights to adapt a hit Israeli comedy? https://t.co/3TRkAXUvGm
Is the idea of this ad that we’re supposed to think Netanyahu is like a bullied child and give him our vote out of pity? I don’t see that message working for him.
American oleh and longtime Knesset aide and Bennett adviser @TheJeremyMan running for Knesset.
The party is going by “Amcha Israel” in English
Props to this guy for at least being creative in naming his Israel-hate account
I looked up Juval Aviv - not a well-known intelligence commentator in Israel - and he was last in the Mossad in 1979. Too bad they couldn’t ask the ghost of Rafi Eitan for his thoughts.
When the soldier comes home, he says to his brother in Haredi garb: “you learned a lot this week, huh?” And the brother responds “for you and all of the soldiers.” Video ends with a message that 30,000 soldiers and IDF workers voted Shas in the last election.
She’s upset that investigators knew that Palestinians and their sympathizers were behind about half of the high-casualty attacks on planes prior to the one the show is about. If only the characters were ignorant or liars!
With all the reports that Ofer Winter is going to announce his own political party next week, here’s my profile of him from a couple of years ago: The hawkish departing IDF officer that right-wing parties are competing to recruit https://t.co/DmLzKLSIHq
I’m a nagging reservist’s wife and would love an explanation: how is this possible as early as 2027 if they haven’t yet recruited a mass of Haredim?
Translated from HebrewThis has been happening to me for years, such that I have learned to recognize it, plus Iranian hackers have impersonated me. For example, over the weekend I got this message from a former Knesset member that he’s working on a research paper for the INSS. There’s often this double appeal to authority: Knesset member + prominent think tank.
Connected stories
- Nechumi Yaffe Becomes First Woman on a Haredi Party’s Knesset Slate
- Netanyahu Reserves Ninth Likud Slot for Talik Gvili
- Adi Altschuler Joins Yashar as Its Education Minister Candidate
- Ofer Winter Billboards Point to August 25 Launch of a New Right-Wing Party
- Smotrich Unveils Plan to Cap Annual Reserve Duty at 30 Days by 2027