David Werdiger looks back at the Sykes-Picot agreement after World War I which was the blueprint for the modern Middle East. It put stability ahead of human rights, and managed to keep things reasonably stable because it reflected the nature of Arab identity. More recently, attempts to bring democracy to the region have failed because they didn’t understand Arab identity and tribalism [Algemeiner and Times of Israel (longer version)]
With a creative thought experiment, David Werdiger asks why the Muslim world has not been vocal in its opposition to the Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL). [Published on Times of Israel, J-Wire, Jews Down Under, and Algemeiner].
David Werdiger looks to the weekly Torah reading and the famous words of the gentile prophet Bilaam for a deeper understanding of what Judaism says about the dangers of Facebook and digital social media [Algemeiner].
Following a visit, David Werdiger reflects on changes in society in France and Turkey that make things uncomfortable for Jews, and how they are adapting to a new reality [Algemeiner]
© 2023 David Werdiger. Not to be reproduced without permission of the author. All Rights Reserved. Terms & Conditions - Privacy Policy - Disclaimer - Earnings Disclaimer - Support
