Adam LeBor - wordsmith of all trades

A week after inconclusive election results that saw neither side win a large enough majority to form a government, Israel woke on Wednesday to two more major problems. President Trump announced in an interview with Fox News that the United States will stop military aid to Israel by the end of the year. Meanwhile in Michigan Abdul El-Sayed, America's first Muslim senator and vociferous critic of the Jewish state, swept to victory, spearheading the rise of the Democrats' progressive left. President Trump claimed that the terms of a supposed deal had been finalised months ago with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. 'We've already agreed that by the end of this year we won't be paying Israel.' ✍️ Adam LeBor Article | spectator.com/article/the-mi…

I don’t know, guys. If you don’t look at Arab politics and see fundamentally different rhetoric and strategies from 20 years ago, then you aren’t actually looking at Arab politics. You’re just reading Likud talking points about it. There’s a massive anti-Israel and anti-Zionist sentiment in the Arab street. Probably 60% of Arab political representation openly represents that sentiment. And also, there’s a powerful and growing demand to join coalitions, including with the right, to work with state institutions, to integrate into Israeli mainstream society, and so on. Arab political parties that leave aside their ideological uniqueness and unite in a demand for a seat at the table always improve turnout in the Arab street. Always. For eight elections in a row now, that rule has held. Raam has grown dramatically, specifically because it brought a Zionist Jew into its list as its crime czar and promised its voters to tackle real world problems by working *with* Israeli state institutions, instead of against them. It is entirely possible for the Arabs of Israel to both feel deeply Palestinian, deeply wary of Israel’s Jewishness, and deeply desiring of greater integration with their Jewish neighbors. Don’t let anyone make excuses for the many anti-Israel radicals in those lists. But also, it’s simply a lie to pretend that the new and growing desire to integrate isn’t happening. Welcome to real life, where two seemingly opposite things can be taking place at once.

I am deeply grateful for the many kind messages and positive feedback I have received, both online and in person, about my Second World War posts. It is heart-warming to know that so many of you find them informative and worthwhile!

As Israel prepares for its election on October 27, the most consequential in decades, I find myself missing my late friend Khamis Abulafia. Khamis was a scion of the famous Jaffa Abulafia dynasty. The fifth child of his parents, he was named for the Arabic word for five. The Abulafia bakery, overlooking Clock Tower Square, is a local landmark – and a symbol of co-existence, closing each year for eight days on Passover, when Jews are forbidden from eating leavened bread. Khamis was a beloved figure in Jaffa, a bridge between its Arab and Jewish inhabitants. ✍️ Adam LeBor Article | spectator.com/article/israel…

Great book. Should have bought yours, not that paperback

Burnham and Miliband have opted for a mess of virtue-signalling which will make life worse for the Palestinians. The Palestinian Monetary Authority does not yet issue a sovereign national currency. For now the Palestinian economy is 'so interlinked with the Israeli economy', says Daniel Abir, deputy governor of the Bank of Israel, that the shekel is 'the obvious choice of currency'. Thus the prospect of UK sanctions raises several key questions that would test greater minds than those of the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary. Most of all, how will these sanctions be able to impose meaningful pain on their targets while not impacting on the Palestinians? ✍️ Adam LeBor Article | spectator.com/article/sancti…

The right response is obvious - hence yr pleadings. But: A little bit of courage is required here surely @metpoliceuk @sirmarkrowley

Just had a guy on a bike almost crash into me on Marsham Street (maybe 8 mins walk from Parliament) as he was speeding along the pavement on an electric bike. 20s probably, Asian-looking I tell him to not ride on the pavement as I walk away - angrily, but no shouting or swearing etc He throws the bike down and comes after me and says "do you want me to shank you?" (aka stab). Tucked into his belt he has a longish piece of metal - seemed to be some sort of blade but I can't be 100% sure what it was in truth. Enough to scare me anyway I very hurriedly walk away and he yells "yeh run you posh cunt", and at some point he (I think) stops following I call the police (was in two minds between 101 or 999 ; ended up going for the latter). Operator asked me my name and then how to spell it (hardly seemed the priority) Tell her what happened. She asks if I am still in danger - I say well I've walked away but the guy is still around I think She says it's not an emergency so I need to fill out a form on the police website. She says she'll text me the link I say - there's a guy threatening to stab people and is that not a priority? She says no and to fill out the form. I try to interject but mid-sentence she cuts the call That's it Not sure what to think really but as someone who doesn't have many interactions with the @metpoliceuk I just didn't really expect it to be so..dismissive? Maybe they were having a busy Friday night who knows

Deeply concerned about the incident that occurred on the Flydubai flight to Israel and very relieved that the plane landed safely thanks to the actions of those on board. All of my thoughts are with those injured in the attack and all those on the plane, as well as their families.

@adamlebor Just finished reading The Last Days of Budapest which was gripping and harrowing at the same time. I’ve had a fascination with Budapest for a time and visited quite a few times pre-Covid. I also enjoyed District VIII. Looking forward to reading more of your ‘stuff’