Robbie Sabel

Water and Diplomacy in the Jordan River Basin

Eliahu Rosenthal is a former lecturer and researcher in hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry at the Department of Geophysics and Planetary Research, Tel Aviv University and at the Israel Hydrological Service. Professor Rosenthal was an expert for UNESCO, the FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization] and WMO [World Meteorological Organization]. Robbie Sabel teaches international law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Faculty of Law and Department of International Relations. Dr. Sabel is the former legal adviser and deputy director-general of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both authors participated in the informal dialogue with Jordan on the management of flow in the Yarmuk River before the peace treaty with Jordan was signed and were members of the Israeli delegation negotiating the Israeli–Jordanian Peace Treaty. This article is dedicated to Yaakov Vardi, formerly of TAHAL, Water Planning for Israel. For over two decades he built up and maintained a continuous dialogue on water issues with Jordan. His absolute personal and professional integrity created an atmosphere of mutual confidence and cooperation.

The Only Language They Understand: Forcing Compromise in Israel and Palestine

The premise of this book is one to which most of us would ascribe, namely, that Israeli and Palestinian leaders will not make difficult decisions or painful compromises unless they feel that the alternative stalemate is untenable. The author, political analyst Nathan Thrall, postulates this bluntly: “Forcing Israel to make larger, conflict-ending concessions would require making its fallback option so unappealing that Israel would view a peace agreement as an escape from something worse” (p. 71). He bolsters this thesis with meticulous scholarship.

East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity

Sands, an eminent professor of international law at University College, London, has written an engrossing book based on meticulous research, delivered with lucid, gripping prose. I may, previously, have been professionally stimulated by books on international law, but this is the first on the subject that I actually could not put down. The book ties together a description of Sands’ family history, including its secrets; stories of love and intrigue; a historical paean of praise for the cosmopolitan city of Lviv; and a legal history of the genesis of the crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Israel's Public Diplomacy: The Problems of Hasbara, 1966–1975

In international disputes, what one’s own side distributes is information; what is distributed by the other side is, of course, propaganda. Israel has an all-encompassing word, “hasbara” [explaining], for both. Jonathan Cummings writes that the word was first introduced by Nahum Sokolow, a rather neglected figure in the pantheon of early Zionists. Cummings defines Israeli hasbara as “an instinctively defensive and tactical, persuasive, and Jewishly rooted attempt to obtain and maintain international support for Israeli policy” (p. 8). Israelis tend to take their hasbara very seriously and the common feeling of the Israeli public and among Israeli politicians is that poor hasbara is usually to blame for Israel’s international problems. As Cummings writes, Israelis feel that if only they could explain themselves better, surely the world would support settlements in the West Bank and side with Israel on other controversial subjects. Cumming’s book on Israel’s hasbara provides both an historical survey of the subject and an analysis of its effectiveness, or lack thereof. Therefore, it is timely and welcome.

Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn

A book like Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn, by definition covers Israel’s history from a bird’s-eye view. Every event, issue, and personality discussed in these pages has been the subject of much investigation and writing. There are many wonderful books that, by focusing on subjects much more specific, are able to examine the issues the issues covered in this book in much greater detail. The following are my rather idiosyncratic recommendations for a few that will be of interest to the general reader interested in delving more deeply into some of the issues raised in this book. There are many other superb books, not listed here, equally worth reading.

The EU Policy on Goods from “the Territories”

The November 2015 “Interpretative Notice” of the European Commission refers to the need to mark goods originating from “territories occupied by Israel since June 1967.” According to the “Notice,” the need arises in order not to “mislead the consumer.” The “Notice,” however, is clearly not a technical document dealing with consumer protection but, I believe, a clear example of the use of trade regulations for political purposes. The connection between the political goals of the EU and the “Interpretative Notice” is underlined in the more recent “Council Conclusions on the Middle East Process,” which states that the “EU and its Member States are committed to ensure continued, full and effective implementation of existing EU legislation and bilateral arrangements applicable to settlement products.”

A Role for International Law in Combating Antisemitism

International law is a strange creation. It is accepted as a legal system, yet it possesses none of the normal attributes of such a system. In the international world there is no sovereign; there is no international legislative parliament, no court, no international police force, no international bailiff, or prison. There is not even a unified code of international law. Nevertheless, most states, most of the time, comply with international law. They do so motivated by the desire for reciprocity, by the desire to maintain friendly relations with other states, the possibility of sanctions if they do not comply, and the fact that, at least in democracies, national court systems enforce international law. Most states want an orderly world. A leading early twentieth century English international lawyer put it succinctly in saying that individuals and states comply with the law since they “believe order and not chaos is the governing principle of the world.”

Uncivil War: The Israel Conflict in the Jewish Community

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.