At Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year – 2011 the Jewish Chronicle gathered 5 people for a discussion on being Jewish in Britain. For our coming secular New Year, we post this round-table which ranges, calmly and crossly, over identity, Israel, God, anti-semitism, parenthood, judgmentalism, Palestine, the diaspora and much else.

Fear that Iran has nuclear weapons, and is indifferent to world disapproval, has swung Israel towards the Gulf states – divided for decades over Palestine – with American envoys acting as go-betweens reports the Washington Post, 1. BICOM provides its briefing on why Israel is considering a military attack on Iran

John Dugard, author of ‘Human Rights and the South African Legal Order’ and former Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, will give evidence in Cape Town on what defines apartheid and whether the practices of the Israeli state fit the definition. For background to the Russell Tribunal on Palestine, http://jfjfp.com/?p=26270

Rumours that Israel intends a military attack on Iran have long been around and during Israel’s summer of discontent many suggested Netanyahu would incite a war to unify the nation. But now Israeli commentators are providing evidence for their fears of war with this volatile nation. Guardian 1, Haaretz 2, Ynet 3, Tikun Olam 4

Last week we posted a Washington Post opinion piece by Robert Bernstein attacking the UN and Human Rights groups for their attitude to Israel and Palestine, and a rejoinder by the Economist: http://jfjfp.com/?p=25704. Here Mouin Rabbani of Jadaliyya adds his voice to the outrage. Wikipedia’s entry on Palestine Media Watch is at the bottom

Israel does exist. The moral questions – exists as what, on what territory, for whom, remain unanswered. And as a state is not a living being, the question avoids the responsibility of those who run the state to the people living under its rule. Brian Klug explores what the question implies

As a mark of the severity of the new crisis betwee Israel and Turkey, we post reports from seven sources, from the Wall Street Journal to Islam online. There is repetition of the facts but each has different material on Israel’s isolation, the previous centrality of the arms trade, the effects of the Turkish army’s loss of hegemony, and Erdogan’s desire for leadership of the Islamic Mediterranean

The Italian NGO, Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), has published a set of MEDPRO reports on the sustainability of various Mediterranean states Its report on Israel/Palestine, ( below with footnotes etc stripped out) reaches a gloomy judgment because of Israel’s fixation on its status quo, isolation within its own region and failure of political leadership.

The dependence of Israel on Mubarak’s control is evident as Netanyahu’s government looks for ways to master the unruly peoples of Sinai and Gaza and the military regime in Egypt has, for the first time, to take into account popular Arab feeling. Adam Shatz in his LRB blog, first, and then Issandr El Amrani of The Arabist assess the change of power relationships

The arguments put forward by the US and Israel against the PA both asking for and being granted UN recognition of Palestinian statehood are utterly specious says Henry Siegman, President of the US/Middle East Project. Here he refutes their case

Yachad, a new website at least, aims to speak for UK Jews, but at first sight seems to be lagging behind critical and unhappy opinions among Britain’s diaspora Jews writes Antony Lerman. And what’s with that name?

A statement by the JfJfP executive adds Israel to the other governments of the region which have met legitimate grievance with deadly violence

In his speech President Obama merely cofirmed what is now established thinking on Palestine. He had no new moves to offer that would extend state and civil rights for Palestinians writes Chris Doyle

Fearing ‘the negative tide which is aiming to undermine the legitimacy of Israel’ people have been invited to gather at a London hotel to learn how to advocate for Israel. The conference invitation, list of speakers, and Reform Judaism’s statement of support are posted here.

Israel’s withholding of revenue transfers to the PA following the Fatah-Hamas deal prompts first the EU then France to give additional funds

The re-entry of Egypt as a pivotal player in regional politics has sidelined an (almost) friendless Israel argues Ramzy Baroud

‘As armies slaughter civilians in Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, I ask why good people have focused only on Palestine/Israel for more than half a century and not attended to the brutality and oppression endemic in the Islamic states.’

Insults fly over the proposed Boycott Law going through the Knesset. Behind them is the most serious issues of freedom of speech

Allegations of croneyism, profiteering and harming the national interest will be put to Egyptian Oil Ministry officials arrested over the terms of gas sales to Israel

A Yediot Acharonot round up on how sanctions against Israeli companies involved in the occupation are taking effect.