I closely follow some English and Russian media, and can tell you for sure: more and more people travel to Israel to find out the truth and, as a consequence, more and more people realize: how badly they were deceived by blatant propaganda at home about the "Israeli-Palestinian conflict".

As an American Zionist Jew, my honest opinion of Livni if expressed here, would not be allowed. I recall an interview on local US TV, when she contradicted her boss at the time, the then P.M.. She was silent at Annapolis, and had no answer to the Arabs preference for Hillary. She was blacklisted in Cairo..and had no real reponse. Her actions during Israel's miniature but failed wars against terrorist groups (not armies) are well known. She blames Bibi for Israel's bad PR, difficult in the best of times, when the world is against you. This entire conflict is about oil..Israel is fighting to get some, and the Muslim world has it. Lets fact the turth, we Jews are not exactly the world's chosen people.... Polls show most Pales want one state..not 2, with the area Judenrein, with most killed hiding "behind rocks and trees". Livni reminds me of our Newt or Sarah Palin..lots of mouthing..and little real substance. She is plainly aweful. "You are no Golda Meir"...is what I have to say to her.

i guess it is. but is this the calm before the storm? certainly looks like it. rich get richer, and poor get poorer and the arabs are just getting angrier. open your eyes, hanoch.

who decided that they are fascistic? The MKs who proposed and passed the bill, that's who. the law is fascist from a political science perspective. maybe not completely, but takes on an auhtoritarian tone. maybe terms Ynet is not familiar with?!

that as the total opposite of these laws being "fascist", the time has long past to highlight the TRUE and uncontestable FACT that these old disgusting men and their influential puppet master cohorts are the real behind-the-scenes fascists of Israel. They always were. That's all. The only important thing for the "sane majority" of Israel is to reject this fascist nexus of failed, spectacularly untalented men and the political left, including the pro-Palestinian Kadima.

famously said, "If not for the murder rate, we have a safe city." If not for the fact that ever-increasing numbers of people and nations, including traditional friends and supporters, are turning against us, finding our policies abhorrent, racist, and/or oppressive, yes, everything is very rosy here.

I agree with the author's specific descriptions, but not with his total assessment that this is a great period. Unless and until someone stops Iran from getting nukes, our situation is not good. I know, our lefty media doesn't dwell on it much if at all. It treats the latest Katzav scandal as 50 times more important. But the connection between the local lefty media and the truth is close to zero. I have spoken.

what the hell are you talking about? On the recent failed flotilla we had more understanding and cooperation from many other countries than we've ever had. Dovid, take off the lefty blinders and get interested in the real world. This way you'll never understand anything--a pity to go through life like that.

that's probably why the arabs are going more nuts than usual. Cutting the crap, Israel's poor are rich compared to arab nations that think nothing of gunning down peaceful, unarmed, protestors in the street while their people have no food. Yes, Israel is doing very well indeed. No wonder G-d chose Israel look at the 'neighbors' and appreciate Israel all the more.

There are a lot of alarmist tones coming out of the mainstream media about the boycott bill and the subsequent bills to come before the Knesset. The issues have become obscured. Israel as a liberal democracy has a right to define the consensus and ideological project of their government. There is nothing "racist" or "fascist" about it.

You clearly represent the PAST, not the future of Israel. You, like, the TV clowns are probably nostalgic about the 1960s. Too bad for you that those uniform Communist times are over. You are part of the laughable - or pitiable, subject to PoV - '68 generation, a generation that is, fully warranted, with one leg in the grave. That's the only thing that gives comfort and joy to middle Israelis. 10 years and your (plural) whining is over. Time will take care of that thankfully.

not much different than the boycott organizers and the bills they're trying to get passed in foreign capitals. This anti-boycott bill is just in response to that action. You fail to internalize that point.

Besides a few govt figures, and a boat load of fanatics working on false information, who is against Israel? If our policies were considered racist or the accusations of war crimes was credible, wouldn't INTERPOL issue red letters against our leaders? Wouldn't Israelis be barred from travel in the world? Besides at the behest of a very limited amount of groups with an agenda, nothing like that has surfaced. Infact, I'm seeing a change in that negative stance against Israel, most recently because of the Palmer report in favor of Israel. Look how fast govts worked to stop the flotilla from happening. In the US, support from average Americans has actually increased in the past year. In Europe...well, they have their own agenda and its usually tied to oil money, or else the UN sanctions on certain nations would have worked.

... the level of isolation and toxicity between various segments of Israel's population, Israel's neighbors, and, indeed, the Diaspora, has never been higher. But, yes - for you Hanoch Daum and your right-wing colleagues, everything is "fine".

Mediocrity is the norm in Israel today. And the writer stated that everything is good in Israel? Yeah right...

There are voices about Israel, which are contradictory. Is Israel's GDP of over 200b (USD),anything to dismiss as irrelevant? Israel now is feuding with Lebanon over trillions of square meters of oil and natural gas, future mined.Trillions I said. Israels pop.is over 7.5m.Its Jewish growth pales in comparison the diaspora, whose Jews are assimilating faster than a piece of bacon fries.Israel's army, is the 5thmost powerful planetwide...it has 500 nukes over 1 megaton ( 1m lbs of TNT). One fly by with F16s (over 200) Hez/Hamas are history. Its Knesset is robust to a fault..and passes bills which is not within its perview ( boycotts). 2,500 USA Jews moving to Israel, is pathetic. Id like to see 500,000 as a 10 year goal and not all on charity. Israel needs to reach out to the developing world more: India, China, Brazil and come to terms with Turkey. It needs to end the religious monopoly over life, and put the Charedi to work, or send them back to Monsey.Now that would be progress.

It's strange that so many people hate to hear anything good. Even if the glass is not completely full, there are enough good things happening in Israel not to dwell on gloom and doom all the time. How about newly discovered oil and gas, how about the failed flotilla, low unemployment, technological successes and the list goes on and on... Kudos to the writer.

The UN? Turkey? France? The Arab League? the PA? Organisation of Islamic countries? The western academics bought and paid for by mass-murdering Arab and Iranian dictators?

very convincing

(cannot really say much about internal Israeli affairs). Reaction to Flotilla-2 and fly-ins surprised me the most - complete apathy not only on the part of the rest of the World, but even on the part of the Arabs.

We cant say the same of Livni. She Betrayed Olmert, she deliver us in the Hands of Condolesa Rise with resolution 1701.Hesbollah is (it seems) Stronger than before. Livni was a complete puppet, and blaimed everything on Perez and Olmert she washed her hands of all responsability. She is discusting. What a difference with Pailin.

May Livni remain the leader of Kadima long eough to destroy the worthless party. Livni's political career consists only of a long series of fiascoes. Her disastrous cease fire in Lebanon, which cost Israel victory there. Her disgraceful performance at Annapolis. Her attempt to divide Jerusalem etc. However, Livn is ruining Kadima. That is the only good thing she will ever do for Israel.

It is no coincidence that things are getting better for Israel as the left is being wiped off the electoral map and the Patriotic Right rises to power. The source of almost all Israel's major problems is retreat. For instance, Israel's last two wars, in Lebanon and Gaza, are 100% direct results of Israeli retreat. Had we stayed where we belong; in South Lebanon and Gaza, we'd never have had to fight them. Almost all the terror from which Israel suffers is also the direct result of Israeli retreat. The stronger the Patriotic Right; the better off Israel is.

Now that Shabbos has concluded, I can respond to you clear "thinkers" (who don't honor our Shabbos, I note). There are numerous examples of the people and nations who have turned against us. But I will only waste my time on you (since you are obviously too obtuse to grasp much) with two of the starkest examples. Two nations kept their embassies in Jerusalem for many years after all other nations had removed theirs- El Salvador and Costa Rica. These two countries have loved Israel for decades. They have both already- even before September- recognized the Palestinian state. As I said, there are countless other examples. Shavua tov, good Jews.

How dumb can you be taking fakes like "Dovid" seriously? Anyone believe I'm really from Saudi Arabia? DUMB + DUMBER

Egypt's army is 1m.Syria has 500,000 regular and 1m in reserve. Little Libya is defeating NATO and its own insurgents. Arabia now is getting 1400 US tanks, has hundreds of F-16s, as does Egypt. Israel's most awesome enemy is Iran, with 7m including home guards, reservists, Republican National Guards, etc. Even Hamas/Hez have 50,000 trained militia with arsenals larger than most countries. Yes, Israeli borders are for the most quiet..the calm before the storm. Look to Sept for things to heat up. Yes 3m tourists to Israel..and a thriving economy. But the entire area is potently a disaster. That is why Turkey is backing off and the IAEA is admonishing Syria. Yes,had Israel stayed in Lebanon, or reentered Hamastan to remain, things migh be different. Hed Israel NOT given back the Sinai in 56,well, thats conjecture. Israel's 500 nukes ( Dolphins,F-16s and Jerichos) are keeping the peace.W/.O which...Egypt would have tried to reverse the parting of the RedSea. Abbas is cute. and clever. But he has overplayed his hand and put in too many chips. OneF16 flyby by Israel, (Damascus, Cairo, Beirut, Jedda, Gaza..Sidon..and its all over with.(using those 1megaton that is).

yes, academic cultural sporting boycotts are good for israel; the worldwide boycott of everything from israel after sept is good too; greece will buy lots of stuff on credit

Kadima, namely Dalia Itzik and Majali Wahba, are ones who proposed the anti-boycott law.