At Last, a Novelist of Everyday Israel

March 13 2015

The Israeli novelist Irit Linur has translated books by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens into Hebrew, and crafted a TV mini-series based on Pride & Prejudice. She also famously canceled her subscription to Haaretz in an open letter blasting its “radical leftism” and “anti-Zionism . . . often turned into malevolent and stupid journalism.” Her own novels, although sometimes set to the backdrop of war, avoid the issues of politics and identity so often associated with Israeli literature. Noga Emanuel writes:

Incontestably, the triumvirate of the greatest [living Israeli] authors consists of Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua, and David Grossman. Their novels and writings are read in America, Europe, and beyond, perhaps because a certain Israeli existential angst is organic to their oeuvre. As Tolstoy and Dostoevsky explored the darkest and deepest recesses of what it means to be Russian, so these authors of the Hebrew canon bore into the battered identity of the Israeli psyche. . . .

Perhaps this is why, when I stumbled upon Irit Linur’s first novel Shirat ha-Sirena (“The Siren’s Song”), it felt like I’d been touched by the Greek god Zephyr, that bringer of the fresh wind and the spring rains. In the irreverent voice of its mischievous thirty-something female lead, here was a novel—finally!—about the daily lives of Israelis as they pursue their own all-too-human projects.

Irit Linur’s novels have not been translated into English. Perhaps that is because her Israeli characters are thought not to be interesting to a readership weaned on the Yehoshua-Oz-Grossman school of national soul-searching.

Read more at Fathom

More about: Arts & Culture, Charles Dickens, Haaretz, Israeli literature, Jewish literature

Kuwait Should Be the Next Country to Make Peace with Israel

Feb. 13 2025

Like his predecessor, Donald Trump seeks to expand the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia. But there are other Arab nations that might consider taking such a step. Ahmad Charai points to Kuwait—home to the Middle East’s largest U.S. army base and desperately in need of economic reform—as a good candidate. Kuwaitis haven’t forgiven Palestinians for supporting Saddam Hussein during his 1990 invasion, but their country has been more rhetorically hostile to Israel than its Gulf neighbors:

The Abraham Accords have reshaped Middle Eastern diplomacy. . . . Kuwait, however, remains hesitant due to internal political resistance. While full normalization may not be immediately feasible, the United States should encourage Kuwait to take gradual steps toward engagement, emphasizing how participation in regional cooperation does not equate to abandoning its historical positions.

Kuwait could use its influence to push for peace in the Middle East through diplomatic channels opened by engagement rather than isolation. The economic benefits of joining the broader framework of the Abraham Accords are overwhelming. Israel’s leadership in technology, agriculture, and water management presents valuable opportunities for Kuwait to enhance its infrastructure. Trade and investment flows would diversify the economy, providing new markets and business partnerships.

Kuwaiti youth, who are increasingly looking for opportunities beyond the public sector, could benefit from collaboration with advanced industries, fostering job creation and entrepreneurial growth. The UAE and Bahrain have already demonstrated how normalization with Israel can drive economic expansion while maintaining their respective geopolitical identities.

Read more at Jerusalem Strategic Tribune

More about: Abraham Accords, Kuwait