Direct talks haven’t failed yet and the two sides have even set out a schedule for negotiations, so as our cautious optimism continues to grow, here’s some insight into the importance of peace for Israelis, and some discouraging thoughts on whether they actually care about a final settlement:
Hebrew U. Professor Gadi Taub says that Israel needs peace and a two-state solution now–or Zionism is doomed. [New York Times]
Meanwhile, Israelis live a charmed life in Tel Aviv as the world frets about terrorism and the occupation. [Time]
Back in America, Islamophobes don’t realize that they’re the new anti-Semites. [James Besser]
A lamp that survived Katrina may have been made of someone who didn’t survive the Holocaust. [NYMag]
And for comic relief, here’s a hilarious and true guide to the Jewish professional lexicon. [PunkTorah]
