New York, NY
Joined June 2008
David A. Halperin retweeted
After October 7, the Israeli election shouldn’t be close, yet the likeliest scenario is deadlock. Bibi’s staying power is partially because of splits in the opposition, but also because many Israelis think he’s delivering what he long promised nytimes.com/2026/10/26/opini…
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Who is Gadi Eisenkot, the Israeli centrist seeking to defeat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tuesday’s elections? What would his election mean for Israel's policy toward the Palestinians? I asked @ShiraEfron of @RANDCorporation:
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Netanyahu today: Israel is in existential danger because of Iran’s nuclear program. Netanyahu 12 days ago: “We eliminated the Iran’s nuclear threat.”
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David A. Halperin retweeted
Written tributes are being requested in memory of Abdulaziz Alghashian, the Saudi political researcher and commentator who died suddenly in Riyadh on Oct. 18 arab.news/jyn5v
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נתניהו לפני עשור: אני אחזק את מעמד ישראל בעולם, תהיה לנו מדינה חזקה עם יחסי חוץ מעולים. נתניהו היום: נתבצר על הר קירח במדבר יהודה ונאגור מטבעות וירטואליים.
הראשון לזהות?: "צריך להתארגן בכלכלה עוקפת לסנקציות בנקאיות, הבלוקצ'יין הוא חלופה, ביקשתי להכין תכניות לזה". נתניהו בראיון לערוץ 10 על ההיערכות לחרם כלכלי בינלאומי וסנקציות כלכליות על ישראל
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David A. Halperin retweeted
Palestinian political renewal is essential to building a credible partner for peace. IPF Policy Fellow Ibrahim Dalalsha argues that sustained U.S. engagement is needed to strengthen accountable Palestinian institutions and support credible elections. israelpolicyforum.org/2026/1…
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David A. Halperin retweeted
Just how split are Israeli pollsters on the fate of small parties Reservists-Economy and Amcha Israel, bouncing around the 3.25% threshold? Based on the latest polls: - Both enter the Knesset: Channel 16 - Neither enter the Knesset: i24 and Channel 14 - Reservists-Economy enters, Amcha Israel falls below: Kan/Israel Hayom, Maariv/Walla, Channel 13, and Zman Israel - Amcha Israel enters, Reservists-Economy falls below: Channel 12 Five pollsters project Reservists-Economy entering and two project Amcha Israel entering. But at the threshold, tiny polling differences, whether signal or noise, are the difference between 0 and 4 seats. Neither party is in a safe place: when they cross the threshold, it is by inches.
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David A. Halperin retweeted
Farah Bdour: "The danger is that deteriorating political and social relations will eventually undermine security cooperation itself, weakening one of the treaty’s most important achievements: enabling Israel and Jordan to manage their differences without resorting to confrontation." Farah Bdour is a Jordanian political analyst, conflict resolution specialist, and peacebuilding practitioner working at the intersection of Arab-Israeli diplomacy, regional security, and Track II engagement. Her work focuses on dialogue, mediation, reconciliation, and advancing regional cooperation through policy and civil society initiatives across the Middle East. *The posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties, and don't necessarily reflect the views of The Times of Israel. Read more: blogs.timesofisrael.com/dear…
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David A. Halperin retweeted
"A March analysis by Israel Policy Forum found that there have been more attacks against Palestinians by Jews in the West Bank than by Palestinians against Jews. All of this is inexcusable. Yet the most pressing problem is not the sheer number of attacks; it is the Israeli government’s apparent disinterest in stopping them." - @yardenas in @TheFP: thefp.com/p/the-violent-sett…
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David A. Halperin retweeted
Peace with Jordan is a foundation of Israeli security, writes IPF Policy Fellow @TheFarahBdour in @TimesofIsrael—arguing stronger borders cannot replace the diplomacy and cooperation that have helped sustain it—and warns against taking it for granted. blogs.timesofisrael.com/dear…
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David A. Halperin retweeted
Interesting -- Channel 16's final poll going into elections (absolutely enormous sample size to have a 1.5% margin of error) shows both Amcha Israel and Reservists-Economy passing the electoral threshold. Even with a smaller margin of error, that still doesn't place either cleanly over the threshold, however. A bad result for Likud with 17 seats, but again no pathway to 61 for either bloc. A mainstream opposition + Ra'am + Reservists-Economy coalition (no sure thing) would have only 59 seats according to this poll, requiring reliance on the Joint List or some other faction for to backstop the coalition.
מעל 5,000 נשאלים: הסקר האחרון והגדול בישראל @RotemGolan_ @JacobEilon
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David A. Halperin retweeted
My latest convo with my favorite podcast partners @NeriZilber and @ShiraEfron
🎧🗳️Latest #IsraelPolicyPod w/ @mkoplow + @ShiraEfron previewing next week's Israeli election: —Reporter's Notebook (Heidi Levine) —How is Bibi still in this? —State of the opposition —Electoral threshold, Arab vote, Liberman —Can either side win? —Remembering @AzizAlghashian + more israelpolicyforum.org/2026/1…
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David A. Halperin retweeted
Seven Jewish organizations representing Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist Judaism have issued a joint statement condemning the detention of Israeli and American rabbis, alongside dozens of others, while helping a Palestinian family harvest olives. They call for the need to protect Palestinian farmers from violent settlers.
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David A. Halperin retweeted
So Netanyahu is making his closing argument that he and Trump will "finish the job" of changing the regime in Iran. Never mind that the war launched seven months ago has not come close to that goal. Never mind that the war has caused a global economic and energy shock that shows no sign of abating. Never mind that Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz, temporarily challenged at tremendous cost by the US military, will be a long-term outcome of this war. Never mind that regime change through air power has no chance of success. Never mind that an actual military regime change strategy would require major US ground forces and casualties, something deeply opposed by the American people. And Trump, for his part, is no longer focused on the illusion of regime change. He is looking for a deal. Something on Hormuz, something on Iran's nuclear program. Maybe after landing some additional blows, say at Pickaxe Mountain. Essentially something that will allow him to declare victory and walk away. And he hopes that Iran's retaliation for the blows don't completely upend the global economy. There are so many targets in the Gulf Iran has not struck yet -- energy, AI, infrastructure -- and the Saudis are tied up in a battle with the Houthis that could sink them. An attempt to "finish the job" will come at enormous cost. It's completely understandable that Israelis pine for the end of the Iranian regime, which for decades has called for Israel's destruction, and armed terrorist organizations, pursued a nuclear program, and rained missiles on Israel in pursuit of that goal. In that, Israelis share the goal of millions of Iranians. As soon as this stupid, failed war ends, all nations should recommit to helping the Iranian people free themselves from this tyranny. That is something that must come from within Iran. But an empty, last-minute pledge by a struggling prime minister to "finish the job", as alluring as it might sound, is just a promise of a forever war, one that the United States, even under Trump's misguided leadership, is not going to undertake, and one that Israel could not see through on its own.
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David A. Halperin retweeted
For anyone who thinks that it is fine for Israel to arrest Americans harvesting olives (which is a legit debate even as I strongly disagree), this is a former deputy attorney general of Israel. This govt can’t stop digging itself into a deeper and deeper hole.
כרגע אמרו לי שאני מעוכב באשמת מסיק זיתים. בדרך לתחנת משטרה. יצאתי יחד עם כמה עשרות ישראלים מטעם קול רבני לזכויות האדם והצטרפו גם כמה עשרות רבנים מארה״ב. אחרי כשעתיים וחצי עבודה הגיעו כוחות גדולים של משטרה, מג״ב וצבא. התבקשנו להפסיק וכולם נשמעו. לא היה חיכוך כלשהו עם מתנחלים או עם כוחות הביטחון. האמריקנים הועלו לאוטובוס אחד, והישראלים למיניבוסים. הזיה מוחלטת.
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Answer: A lot. But tune in for more
What’s at stake in Israel’s next election? Join our Israeli Elections webinar tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 2pm ET to hear @mkoplow, @ShiraEfron, and @RCBrandenburg analyze the policy implications of potential outcomes. Register: israelpolicyforum.zoom.us/we…
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David A. Halperin retweeted
What’s at stake in Israel’s next election? Join our Israeli Elections webinar tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 2pm ET to hear @mkoplow, @ShiraEfron, and @RCBrandenburg analyze the policy implications of potential outcomes. Register: israelpolicyforum.zoom.us/we…
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David A. Halperin retweeted
We are deeply saddened by the death of our friend Aziz Alghashian (@AzizAlghashian). Aziz was one of the leading researchers of Saudi-Israel relations and a genuine bridge-builder who dedicated his life and his work to fostering greater understanding and tolerance in the Middle East and beyond. He was a well-known presence in Washington, where many relied on his insights and expertise, and he was always willing and eager to engage with everyone with respect and good humor. He will be sorely missed, both as a scholar and as a friend. Below is a photo of Aziz (left) speaking alongside IPF's @dhalperin and @ReichmanShanie at Central Synagogue in NYC in June 2025.
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David A. Halperin retweeted
So very sad to lose @AzizAlghashian, far far too soon. He was a kind, gracious person and brave, astute analyst, who was honest yet optimistic and genuinely wanted to contribute to positive change. In DC a few weeks ago Aziz excitedly shared with me his hopes and plans for the year to come. He will be missed by so many. Thinking of his family in particular, and the friends and community he built near and far. May Aziz 's memory be an inspiration to us all.
إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون. ببالغ الصدمة والحزن، تلقّينا نبأ وفاة الدكتور عزيز الغشيان، ولا نزال نشعر بعمق الفقد والأسى. كان الدكتور عزيز عضوًا عزيزًا ومقدّرًا في فريق منتدى الخليج الدولي، وباحثًا مرموقًا، وتميّز بصدقٍ ونقاءٍ وطيبةٍ قلّ نظيرها. كان حضوره يضفي البهجة على كل مكان يحلّ فيه، وحتى عند تناوله أكثر القضايا تعقيدًا وحساسية، كان يثري النقاش بدفئه وكرمه وإنسانيته. وفي مجالٍ وعالمٍ كثيرًا ما تطغى فيهما المصالح الذاتية، كان الدكتور عزيز مثالًا نادرًا للإيثار والسخاء. بذل وقته وجهده بسماحةٍ وتواضع، وترك علمه وطيبته وإنسانيته أثرًا عميقًا في كل من حظي بمعرفته. نتقدّم بخالص المواساة إلى أسرته وأصدقائه وزملائه وكل من أحبّه. سنفتقده كثيرًا، وستبقى ذكراه الطيبة مصدر إلهامٍ واعتزاز لنا جميعًا. اللهم اغفر له وارحمه، وعافه واعفُ عنه، وأكرم نزله، ووسّع مدخله، واغسله بالماء والثلج والبرد، ونقّه من الخطايا كما نقيت الثوب الأبيض من الدنس. اللهم اجعل قبره روضةً من رياض الجنة، وأنر له فيه، وارفع درجته في المهديين، واخلفه في عقبه في الغابرين، واغفر لنا وله يا رب العالمين. اللهم ألهم أهله وذويه الصبر والسلوان، واجمعنا به في جنات النعيم.
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