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Articles by Fred Maroun
There cannot be a national unity government without the Arab parties
In his speech to the Knesset after it was sworn in, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu aggressively made the case against participation by Arab parties in the Israeli government, and he declared, “We must do one thing: set aside every other consideration and form a national unity government”. I see this as a contradiction. In the same speech, Netanyahu said, “What do you think will be the real goal of these parties? Merely to improve the social welfare of Israel’s Arab public?
The Israeli right lives in la-la land
The Israeli right lives in la-la land, and I don’t mean Los Angeles. I mean that they are detached from reality. Yair Netanyahu, son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote after the election of October 27 that, “these elections proved that the greatest danger to the survival of the State of Israel, aside from the Iranian nuclear program, is what is called ‘Israeli Arabs.'” This is consistent with the Likud party’s extreme reaction to the election of 19 MKs from the two Arab parties.
Fred Maroun, at The Blogs
Fred Maroun is a Canadian of Arab origin who lived in Lebanon until 1984, including during 10 years of civil war. Fred supports Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state and to defend itself. Fred supports a liberal and democratic Middle East where all religions and nationalities co-exist in peace with each other, and where human rights are respected. Fred is an atheist, a social liberal, and an advocate of equal rights for LGBT people everywhere.
Britain’s trade ban should be blamed on the Israeli government
I do not support the boycott of Israeli goods from the West Bank, such as the boycott by Britain. At the same time, however, I believe that the Israeli government deserves much of the blame for these boycotts, even if most Israelis and even most settlers are not to blame.
Britain’s trade ban should be blamed on the Israeli government
Britain's trade ban should be blamed on the Israeli government - Fred Maroun
Trump: Who the heck is this man?
Is US President Donald Trump a master strategist and manipulator or a fumbling fool who has absolutely no clue what he’s doing? Is he the defender of Western values or is he the one destroying them? Is he Israel’s critical ally who will deliver great changes or is he using Israel and will leave it more vulnerable than ever? Is he a man with an important mission for our complex times or is he a self-serving crook who is using all of us?
Trump: Who the heck is this man?
Is US President Donald Trump a master strategist and manipulator or a fumbling fool who has absolutely no clue what he’s doing? Is he the defender of Western values or is he the one destroying them? Is he Israel’s critical ally who will deliver great changes or is he using Israel and will leave it more vulnerable than ever? Is he a man with an important mission for our complex times or is he a self-serving crook who is using all of us? Is he........ © The Times of Israel (Blogs)
Prime Minister Carney, YOU failed Canadian Jews AND you failed Canada
On June 1st, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech about antisemitism in Canada. He correctly identified the extent of the hatred directed at Canadian Jews, but he still failed miserably, not only Canadian Jews but all of Canada. Carney’s speech never once mentioned anti-Zionism, which is, by far, the most common form of hatred directed at Canadian Jews.
Prime Minister Carney, YOU failed Canadian Jews AND you failed Canada
On June 1st, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech about antisemitism in Canada. He correctly identified the extent of the hatred directed at Canadian Jews, but he still failed miserably, not only Canadian Jews but all of Canada. Carney’s speech never once mentioned anti-Zionism, which is, by far, the most common form of hatred directed at Canadian Jews.
Why the Left is Antisemitic, and Why that Will Not Change
As someone who has been a liberal all my life, I am saddened by what has happened to the left in the last few decades with regards to the Israel-Arab conflict. The left was once sympathetic to Israel. That was when Israel was poor and weak, barely able to stand up to its Arab enemies. Now that Israel can defend itself, the left is highly critical of Israel, to the point where it is demonization, not reasoned criticism.
Why the Left is Antisemitic, and Why that Will Not Change
As someone who has been a liberal all my life, I am saddened by what has happened to the left in the last few decades with regards to the Israel-Arab conflict. The left was once sympathetic to Israel. That was when Israel was poor and weak, barely able to stand up to its Arab enemies. Now that Israel can defend itself, the left is highly critical of Israel, to the point where it is demonization, not reasoned criticism.
Demonizing Israel is a Sign of Stupidity, Part 2
In a previous blogpost, I argued that anti-Zionists show their stupidity (i.e., lack of ability to process and analyze simple information) by demonizing Israel while giving a pass to enemies even though Israel’s behavior is far more ethical than its enemies’ behavior. One wonders, however, how can so many people blind themselves to the fact that Israel deserves support far more than its enemies do? The fact that these people cannot tolerate the idea of Jewish self-determination is obvious.
Demonizing Israel is a Sign of Stupidity
Israel isn’t perfect, and it has gone much farther right than a lot of reasonable people are comfortable with, especially Jews, but let’s keep things in a healthy perspective! One just has to look at any discussion on social media that involves Israel to see how many anti-Israel fanatics are out there. True, social media by its design attracts extremists, so this may not fully represent society, but the numbers are too large to be ignored.
Prosperity or annihilation: A tough choice for the Iranian regime
US President Donald Trump laid out the conditions for a peace agreement that he is ready to negotiate with the Iranian regime. At the same time, he is re-enforcing the US military presence in the Middle East to be ready for a ground operation. If the Iranian regime accepts Trump’s conditions, Iran’s future as an economic power would be bright, but its ability to support terrorism and to intimidate its neighbors would be gone.
The Blogs: When a villain is the hero
US President Donald Trump is a villain, no doubt about it. The list of all the awful things that he’s done as president, as candidate for president, and in earlier life, can fill books, which it has done already, but the most unforgivable is his refusal to accept his loss to Joe Biden in 2020 and the resulting riots on January 6 of the following year that caused ten deaths (including four by suicide as a result of the riots) and hundreds of injuries.
The Blogs: Israelis are exploited by both enemies and friends
Israelis feel worn down by a paradox that they experience every day: they are expected to stand on the front line against terrorists, yet they are simultaneously subjected to intense global criticism, suspicion, and even hatred. That tension creates a sense of exhaustion that is deeply personal. I have seen symptoms of this for many years when speaking with Israelis, but the symptoms have never been more apparent than they are now that a military confrontation with Iran may be approaching.
The Blogs: Under Trump, Israel has a government of Jews with trembling knees
It’s a story often repeated: On June 22, 1982, Joe Biden was a Senator from Delaware and confronted then Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin during his Senate Foreign Relations committee testimony, threatening to cut off aid to Israel. Begin forcefully responded, “Don’t threaten us with cutting off your aid. It will not work. I am not a Jew with trembling knees. I am a proud Jew with 3,700 years of civilized history. Nobody came to our aid when we were dying in the gas chambers and ovens.
The Blogs: Recognizing a Palestinian state at this time is the coward’s way out
First, let me state very clearly that I support the concept of two states, one Jewish and one Palestinian. I support it not because I am very excited about the prospect of one more Arab state that would most likely not tolerate Jewish citizens, but because it’s the only way to ensure that Israel remains a Jewish state.
The Blogs: The many faces of Israel
The feelings about Israel range from seething hatred to absolute devotion, and they include many other feelings in between. There are probably not many entities on the planet that inspire such a complex and extreme range of emotions, and it’s fair to ask why that is. It is undeniable that a large part of the reason is that much of the opposition to Israel is rooted in antisemitism, which often makes the criticism directed at Israel irrational and dishonest.
The many faces of Israel - Fred Maroun
The feelings about Israel range from seething hatred to absolute devotion, and they include many other feelings in between. There are probably not many entities on the planet that inspire such a complex and extreme range of emotions, and it’s fair to ask why that is. It is undeniable that a large part of the reason is that much of the opposition to Israel is rooted in antisemitism, which often makes the criticism directed at Israel irrational and dishonest.
The Blogs: Settler attacks are a symptom of a much bigger problem for Israel
The phenomenon of settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank is bad and getting worse. Illegal farming outposts are growing like mushrooms across the West Bank, and as reported in the Times of Israel, there is “no enforcement against them and they have become hotbeds for repeated attacks on Palestinians”. This isn’t the Israel that I support, but more importantly, this isn’t the Israel that Israelis need.
The Blogs: Netanyahu is not "f*cking negative", he is realistic
The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, was intended to take away from Israelis their sense of security, and it succeeded, at least for now. A few days after the attack, Yossi Klein Halevi wrote, “Even more than the atrocities themselves, what was so – yes – unbearable to many of us was the helplessness of our fellow Israelis”. He also wrote, “This is a war to restore Israeli deterrence”. But the restoration of deterrence is very much into question.
US President Donald Trump has been promoting his 21-point plan for Gaza that seems to satisfy most Arab and Muslim leaders, but there is little recognition that if this plan can be accomplished, it will be thanks to Israel.
The Blogs: Why is no pressure placed on Hamas’ friends and hosts?
The fact that Qatar hosts Hamas leaders is no secret, but what no one talks about is why there no pressure on Qatar to arrest the mass murderers that they host. This question became even more relevant after the massacre perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and it is even more relevant now that Hamas still holds hostages that it kidnapped on that day.
The Blogs: In Israel, the right to exist carries a heavy price
Part of the reason why the world treats Palestinians with kids’ gloves (in addition to antisemitism, which is likely the main reason) is that they feel guilty for the poor situation of the Palestinians. Western countries, in particular, may feel guilty because of their support for Israel (past and/or present). But if the world should feel guilty about anything, it is for something else. Through UN Resolution 181, the world recognized in 1947 the right of a Jewish state to exist.
The Blogs: Antisemitism signals the decline of liberal civilization
The attributes of modern liberal civilization, also referred to (not quite correctly) as Western civilization, include most notably respect for human rights and respect for human diversity (genders, sexual orientation, race, religion, etc). These values have evolved significantly over the last few decades. In 2025, in most liberal democracies, we like to think that these values have become a second nature for most of us. And yet.
The Blogs: Carney wants neither peace nor a Palestinian state
As a Canadian of Arab origin who voted for Mark Carney’s Liberals and even had their sign on my lawn, I feel the need to express my deep disappointment at his misguided recognition of a Palestinian at this time.
The Blogs: Recognizing facts would help the Palestinians enormously
The main obstacle to Palestinian prosperity and Palestinian statehood isn’t Israel. It isn’t even the Israeli extreme right or the extremist settlers. It is the Palestinians’ own inability to distinguish fact from fiction, and only they can overcome that obstacle. The mainstream Palestinian narrative is based on the claim that they are the tragic victims of colonization by “Zionists”.
The Blogs: Thanks to Trump, Israel played chicken with Hamas, and Hamas won
Soon after he won the 2024 election, US President Donald Trump started talking tough about the war in Gaza. As early as December 2, Trump threatened that “there will be ‘all hell to pay in the Middle East’ if hostages [held in Gaza were] not released by January 20”. As we know now, the hostages were not released by January 20.
With Trump, Many Arab Americans are Getting what they Deserve
Arab Americans are almost universally horrified by some of the things that President Donald Trump has said in his first two and a half weeks in office. Even the chairman of “Arab Americans for Trump”, Bishara Bahbah, is suddenly alarmed. And yet, there are reasons to believe that Arab Americans played a crucial role in electing Trump. News outlets reported that Arab Americans snubbed the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, to punish the Democrats for supporting Israel in Gaza.
The Blogs: With Trump, many Arab Americans are getting what they deserve
Arab Americans are almost universally horrified by some of the things that President Donald Trump has said in his first two and a half weeks in office. Even chairman of “Arab Americans for Trump”, Bishara Bahbah, is suddenly alarmed. And yet, there are reasons to believe that Arab Americans played a crucial role in electing Trump. News outlets reported that Arab Americans snubbed the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, to punish the Democrats for supporting Israel in Gaza.
The Blogs: Joseph Aoun should start by recognizing what he owes Israel
Lebanon’s new president, Joseph Aoun, promised the stars and the moon in his inaugural speech, and I wish him success, but even if he is only able to deliver a fraction of what he promised, he should remember that he couldn’t have done it without Israel. However, instead of recognizing that, Aoun’s speech repeated the same false narrative that we have come to expect from Lebanese politicians.
A lesson for the Arab world: Crash course in understanding the Jewish people
On October 7, 2023, Hamas military leader Yahya Sinwar ordered an attack against Israel that he hoped would weaken Israel by shattering the Israeli people’s sense of security, by making them question their ability to defend themselves, and by demoralizing them. The next day, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah opened a second front from Lebanon to support his ally Sinwar. Another five fronts followed: the West Bank, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran.
As an Arab, I am Sorry
I am writing this on October 7, 2024, but for Jews, it is still October 7, 2023, and it will continue to be for a while yet. As an Arab, there is nothing to say about October 7 in addition to what Jews everywhere have already said and are saying today much better than I could. But as an Arab, there is one thing that I can say on behalf of my fellow Arabs to Jews everywhere: I am sorry. I am deeply sorry.
As an Arab, I am sorry
I am writing this on October 7, 2024, but for Jews, it is still October 7, 2023, and it will continue to be for a while yet. As an Arab, there is nothing to say about October 7 in addition to what Jews everywhere have already said and are saying today much better than I could. But as an Arab, there is one thing that I can say on behalf of my fellow Arabs to Jews everywhere: I am sorry. I am deeply sorry.
The Lebanese government should grow a spine
With parts of Lebanon starting to look a lot like Gaza, it is time the Lebanese government grew a spine and did its job to protect the Lebanese people. That involves three steps: Start telling the truth about Hezbollah and Israel. Disarm Hezbollah. Make peace with Israel. Tell the truth Tell the truth about the calamity that Hezbollah brought on Lebanon, including the assassination of many Lebanese politicians, journalists, and other leading figures.
The Lebanese government and its backers are responsible for the war
The 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah was ended with United Nations Security Council resolution 1701. It was a good plan in theory, but in practice, a plan is only as good as its implementation. The Lebanese government and its backers failed miserably in implementing that plan, and now Israel and the Lebanese people are paying the price.
The purest form of self-defense
While the Lebanese puppet government complains to the United Nations about what they call “Israeli aggression on Lebanon”, as a Lebanese person, I tell you that every Lebanese person who isn’t brainwashed to hate Jews knows that Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s complaint is disingenuous. We all know that the reality is quite simple: Israel needs to protect its citizens and that requires ending Hezbollah attacks on Israel. As Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, “Israel does not seek war.
My fellow Lebanese, don’t be fooled by Hezbollah yet again
Many of you are angry by what happened yesterday with exploding pagers in Lebanon. Twelve people were killed, thousands were injured, there was panic and chaos, and the hospitals were overwhelmed. This incident has been widely attributed to Israel although no one has claimed responsibility. Today, walkie-talkie explosions are reported across Lebanon, causing more deaths, injuries, fear, and confusion.
In the West, the LGBT movement is dead - Fred Maroun
Columnists Actual . Favourites . Archive Aa Aa Aa - A + ..... © The Times of Israel (Blogs) visit website
In the West, the LGBT movement is dead
First, let me acknowledge that I am too old or perhaps too lazy to look up the latest combination of letters, digits, and special characters used in place of the good old LGBT abbreviation. And frankly, I don’t care. The LGBT movement was once a serious movement. I don’t recognize it today. The LGBT movement was once about stopping police violence against gay people. Now the police no longer persecute gay people, and they even have special units to fight anti-LGBT crime, as it should be.
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