Obama just commanded Israel to facilitate a 1967-borders-state for the Palestinians including Hamas – without an end-of-conflict situation for Israel.

Strategic fatigue, ideological indolence and policy confusion mark current American Middle East policy.

Should Israel embark on a new diplomatic initiative? Is Israeli-Palestinian peace within reach? Democracy or dictatorship in the Arab world: Which is safer? Does the Obama Administration know what it’s doing? Snippets from this year’s Herzliya Conference on the Balance of Israel’s National Security, which ended yesterday.

The widely held presumption that splitting Jerusalem will lead to prosperity for the city and to peace for Jews and Arabs is an egregious error. Partitioning Jerusalem will destroy the city. It will die, in every way – culturally, religiously, economically and more. And it will turn into a Belfast-style battlefield.

This Shabbat sermon, delivered on the eve of Rosh Hashana, dwells on the growing campaign to criminalize Israel through “lawfare” and its meaning for Israel and world Jewry.

If His Royal Solicitude, King Abdullah, really wanted to lead the Arab world towards peace with Israel, he could find a way or two to express his “moderation” more clearly and make things happen. But no. The sang-froid Saudis always seem to hew to a self-serving p.r. minimum.