By changing the discourse about settlements, the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for realistic negotiation. Even if you think that Israeli settlement should be rolled-back in the context of a sensible peace arrangement, applying the demonizing epithet “illegal” makes for a destructive narrative that distances, not advances, peace.

Old habits, it seems, die hard. European countries have a historic knack for judging Jews, depriving Jews of scholarships, restricting Jews to specific pales of settlement, and tagging, branding and labeling them.

For Jews everywhere, this has been a depressing year – with antisemitic and anti-Israel activity on the rise. Thankfully, Stephen Harper and others are there to defend Israel.

The organization’s new knavery: cutting US military aid to coerce Israel into withdrawals. J Street is now less protective of Israeli security than Obama was.

The IDF must return to the fundamentals: ground maneuver to achieve “hachra’a” – decisive outcomes.

An unconventional theological-strategic thought: When Israel is strong socially and spiritually it earns the respect of friends and successfully deters its foes (and draws the support of the Heavens). On the link between Israel’s national security and its national decency.

A roundup of deep-think articles on America’s long goodbye from global involvement, the coming Mideast wars, Israel and the liberal order, protecting and preserving Area C, why Arabs hate Palestinians, anti-Semitism in the Democratic Party, American Jews’ failure of imagination, and life choices.

Prolonged political uncertainty poses two different dangers: that Israel’s enemies will be tempted to take advantage of Israel’s infirmity, and that Israel will be unable to take advantage of emerging grand diplomatic opportunities.

A pre-Rosh Hashana political quiz: Calculate what Israeli and Jewish future you need to be prepared for in 5780…

The diplomatic, security, societal and economic challenges ahead necessitate a national unity coalition in Israel. Ten commandments for forming and running Israel’s next government.

Freedom of and from religion is what we’ll get if a defiantly secular, left-of-center Israeli government is formed later this fall, comprising Blue & White, Israel Beytenu, Labor-Gesher, the Democratic Union and the United Arab List. Just imagine…

Incitement against religious Jews and religious parties disfigures this election campaign. It’s hunting season on Jewish tradition, the traditional Jewish family, Jewish scholarship, displays of religious belief, the Rabbinate, rabbinical courts, Shabbat legislation, even religious cultural events.

With 18 days to go, I say that Israelis deserve better than the empty invective and detached sloganeering served-up by its politicians in this election campaign.

Israeli democracy is not “shattering” nor are we facing the “darkest days Israel has known.” These are venal, absurd claims – spewed from the mouths of desperate politicos on the extremist fringe.

For Tisha Be’Av: Isn’t it time to re-energize our national spirit with a measure of historical perspective, and our societal morals with some fine-tuned lessons from Jewish tradition?