There are prosaic works filled with their own form of poetry, and then there is poetry itself. Two of the greatest Hebrew poets by any standards were Solomon Ibn Gabirol and Moses Ibn Ezra (not to be confused with his cousin, the Bible commentator and poet Abraham Ibn Ezra). Both products of the Jewish cultural efflorescence of medieval Spain, the two men adapted Arabic stylings into Hebrew verse, described both sacred and profane subjects, and authored learned treatises as well as poems. Tamar Marvin writes:

Ibn Gabirol is a true original; you won’t find another medieval person of his particular flavor anywhere in Jewish history. There are others, of course, of whom this is true, but the singular voice available to us through Ibn Gabirol’s poetry allows us a particularly intimate glimpse into his personality, while his philosophy surprises us with its detachment from Jewish tradition (which also caused it to become detached from him for centuries).

Moses ben Jacob Ibn Ezra (also called Abu Harun) (c. 1055–after 1135), a younger near-contemporary of Ibn Gabirol, ended his life with a hefty dose of the tragedy that infected the elder poet’s. However, Moses Ibn Ezra was, temperamentally speaking, much more in tune with the cultural power brokers of al-Andalus. . . . Moses Ibn Ezra exhibits heights of technical proficiency in his poetic creations along with an evident love of classical Hebrew, but perhaps most of all, joyfulness in language and unmitigated beauty in expression.

On Tuesday, representatives of Hamas met with their counterparts from Fatah—the faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) once led by Yasir Arafat that now governs parts of the West Bank—in Beijing to discuss possible reconciliation. While it is unlikely that these talks will yield any more progress than the many previous rounds, they constitute a significant step in China’s increasing attempts to involve itself in the Middle East on the side of Israel’s enemies.

By contrast, writes Tuvia Gering, Taiwan has been quick and consistent in its condemnations of Hamas and Iran and its expressions of sympathy with Israel:

Support from Taipei goes beyond words. Taiwan’s appointee in Tel Aviv and de-facto ambassador, Abby Lee, has been busy aiding hostage families, adopting the most affected kibbutzim in southern Israel, and volunteering with farmers. Taiwan recently pledged more than half a million dollars to Israel for critical initiatives, including medical and communications supplies for local municipalities. This follows earlier aid from Taiwan to an organization helping Israeli soldiers and families immediately after the October 7 attack.

The reasons why are not hard to fathom:

In many ways, Taiwan sees a reflection of itself in Israel—two vibrant democracies facing threats from hostile neighbors. Both nations wield substantial economic and technological prowess, and both heavily depend on U.S. military exports and diplomacy. Taipei also sees Israel as a “role model” for what Taiwan should aspire to be, citing its unwavering determination and capabilities to defend itself.

On a deeper level, Taiwanese leaders seem to view Israel’s war with Hamas and Iran as an extension of a greater struggle between democracy and autocracy.

Gering urges Israel to reciprocate these expressions of friendship and to take into account that “China has been going above and beyond to demonize the Jewish state in international forums.” Above all, he writes, Jerusalem should “take a firmer stance against China’s support for Hamas and Iran-backed terrorism, exposing the hypocrisy and repression that underpin its vision for a new global order.”