Ron Skolnik
@ronskolnik.bsky.social
Consultant, writer, speaker, Hebrew->English translator. Posting mostly on Israel-Palestine, plus some US politics. I'm all for conversation and nuance. If you're here for snark, simplism, slogans, don't follow me.
Unfortunately, he's only echoing what too many Jewish people have said on various social media sites. That's not to excuse him - we must resist the low bar of the Trump presidency - but it is important context.
November 4, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Unfortunately, he's only echoing what too many Jewish people have said on various social media sites. That's not to excuse him - we must resist the low bar of the Trump presidency - but it is important context.
30 years since the political murder of Yitzhak Rabin at the end of a massive "Yes to Peace. No to Violence" rally in Tel Aviv.
A lot of the takes in remembrance of him are ahistorical, fixing his beliefs in time, assuming to know what he would or wouldn't believe today. 1/
A lot of the takes in remembrance of him are ahistorical, fixing his beliefs in time, assuming to know what he would or wouldn't believe today. 1/
November 4, 2025 at 1:59 PM
30 years since the political murder of Yitzhak Rabin at the end of a massive "Yes to Peace. No to Violence" rally in Tel Aviv.
A lot of the takes in remembrance of him are ahistorical, fixing his beliefs in time, assuming to know what he would or wouldn't believe today. 1/
A lot of the takes in remembrance of him are ahistorical, fixing his beliefs in time, assuming to know what he would or wouldn't believe today. 1/
Trump endorses Cuomo.
November 3, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Trump endorses Cuomo.
"Trump Press Secretary’s Text Feud Goes Public"
It doesn't seem romanticizing the past to say that, even 10 years ago, a Press Secretary who responded "your mom did" to a journalist's "Who suggested ...?" question would've resigned in disgrace.
www.msn.com/en-us/politi...
It doesn't seem romanticizing the past to say that, even 10 years ago, a Press Secretary who responded "your mom did" to a journalist's "Who suggested ...?" question would've resigned in disgrace.
www.msn.com/en-us/politi...
October 31, 2025 at 12:28 PM
"Trump Press Secretary’s Text Feud Goes Public"
It doesn't seem romanticizing the past to say that, even 10 years ago, a Press Secretary who responded "your mom did" to a journalist's "Who suggested ...?" question would've resigned in disgrace.
www.msn.com/en-us/politi...
It doesn't seem romanticizing the past to say that, even 10 years ago, a Press Secretary who responded "your mom did" to a journalist's "Who suggested ...?" question would've resigned in disgrace.
www.msn.com/en-us/politi...
The East Wing as national metaphor.
October 24, 2025 at 12:36 PM
The East Wing as national metaphor.
Party leaders Lieberman, Gantz, Lapid voted for the bill. MKs of HaDemocratim did not (though the party leaders isn't an MK of course). Image from @avishaybsg.bsky.social
October 22, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Party leaders Lieberman, Gantz, Lapid voted for the bill. MKs of HaDemocratim did not (though the party leaders isn't an MK of course). Image from @avishaybsg.bsky.social
Wikipedia has a decent entry tracking the polls en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion.... The only poll in which HaDemocratim are consistently stronger is that of Channel 14, which is rather suspect. But mostly they've actually been trending downward in 2025 (hard to see, but it's a dark blue line).
October 21, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Wikipedia has a decent entry tracking the polls en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion.... The only poll in which HaDemocratim are consistently stronger is that of Channel 14, which is rather suspect. But mostly they've actually been trending downward in 2025 (hard to see, but it's a dark blue line).
"The history of the present King... is a history of repeated injuries ... all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny" - the U.S. Declaration of Independence
Opposing tyranny is quintessential American patriotism.
Find a #NoKings rally near you: www.nokings.org
Opposing tyranny is quintessential American patriotism.
Find a #NoKings rally near you: www.nokings.org
October 18, 2025 at 2:29 PM
"The history of the present King... is a history of repeated injuries ... all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny" - the U.S. Declaration of Independence
Opposing tyranny is quintessential American patriotism.
Find a #NoKings rally near you: www.nokings.org
Opposing tyranny is quintessential American patriotism.
Find a #NoKings rally near you: www.nokings.org
Egyptian president at #SharmelSheikhSummit: The ceasefire plan "generat[es] the necessary political horizon to realize the Two-State Solution, as it remains the sole viable path to achieving the legitimate aspirations of both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples." sis.gov.eg/en/media-cen...
October 13, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Egyptian president at #SharmelSheikhSummit: The ceasefire plan "generat[es] the necessary political horizon to realize the Two-State Solution, as it remains the sole viable path to achieving the legitimate aspirations of both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples." sis.gov.eg/en/media-cen...
Journalist, Netanyahu biographer Anshel Pfeffer on the other site (x.com/AnshelPfeffe...)
October 13, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Journalist, Netanyahu biographer Anshel Pfeffer on the other site (x.com/AnshelPfeffe...)
This is a positive first step. It's crucial that this not remain the only step.
October 8, 2025 at 11:30 PM
This is a positive first step. It's crucial that this not remain the only step.
This isn't the breaking news, of course. But it's so telling about the reality on the West Bank.
October 8, 2025 at 10:25 PM
This isn't the breaking news, of course. But it's so telling about the reality on the West Bank.
No brief statement can be perfect (because 'brief' means there can be no real historical treatment - and, even if you offered one, the jumping-off point would be a bone of contention), but this one by @sanders.senate.gov is very, very good. bsky.app/profile/sand...
October 7, 2025 at 8:55 PM
No brief statement can be perfect (because 'brief' means there can be no real historical treatment - and, even if you offered one, the jumping-off point would be a bone of contention), but this one by @sanders.senate.gov is very, very good. bsky.app/profile/sand...
I have certain criticisms of @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social's statement - but the lambasting it's been receiving in some parts of the Twitterverse has been way over the top. And compared to the simplistic effort of #andrewcuomo, it clearly has the upper hand.
October 7, 2025 at 7:32 PM
I have certain criticisms of @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social's statement - but the lambasting it's been receiving in some parts of the Twitterverse has been way over the top. And compared to the simplistic effort of #andrewcuomo, it clearly has the upper hand.
"... Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza ..."
October 3, 2025 at 10:36 PM
"... Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza ..."
Israel's Defense Minister, Yisrael Katz, says Palestinian noncombatants will be treated as "terrorists and terror supporters" if they don't agree to be expelled from Gaza City.
October 1, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Israel's Defense Minister, Yisrael Katz, says Palestinian noncombatants will be treated as "terrorists and terror supporters" if they don't agree to be expelled from Gaza City.
Point 19 in the plan, regarding Palestinian statehood, seems to completely contradict the very foundation of Netanyahu's government, its first guideline being that the Jewish people have an "exclusive and inalienable right to all parts of the Land of Israel".
September 29, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Point 19 in the plan, regarding Palestinian statehood, seems to completely contradict the very foundation of Netanyahu's government, its first guideline being that the Jewish people have an "exclusive and inalienable right to all parts of the Land of Israel".
Even if we get a ceasefire today, Trump still needs to explicitly take back his "Gaza Riviera" remarks, since they spread the feeling in Israeli public opinion/discourse that the US might eventually support the mass expulsion of Palestinians - that the Transfer plan is feasible. (Feb. 25 JPPI poll)
September 29, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Even if we get a ceasefire today, Trump still needs to explicitly take back his "Gaza Riviera" remarks, since they spread the feeling in Israeli public opinion/discourse that the US might eventually support the mass expulsion of Palestinians - that the Transfer plan is feasible. (Feb. 25 JPPI poll)
Underscoring the Golan problem is veteran RW Settler leader Israel Harel, who cites the arguably anti-2SS remarks made by the HaDemocratim leader in order to make an argument for annexation of 82% of the West Bank. www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025...
September 29, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Underscoring the Golan problem is veteran RW Settler leader Israel Harel, who cites the arguably anti-2SS remarks made by the HaDemocratim leader in order to make an argument for annexation of 82% of the West Bank. www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025...
What @demmaj4israel.bsky.social doesn't seem to get, or is choosing to ignore, is that the French/Saudi initiative, and the New York Declaration it produced, are a package deal. Removing Hamas and recognizing Palestine are intertwined; they're not "a la carte".
September 26, 2025 at 2:35 PM
What @demmaj4israel.bsky.social doesn't seem to get, or is choosing to ignore, is that the French/Saudi initiative, and the New York Declaration it produced, are a package deal. Removing Hamas and recognizing Palestine are intertwined; they're not "a la carte".
The Israeli media, reflecting/reinforcing society, has normalized the idea that the Netanyahu bloc needs only ~42% of Knesset seats (~50) to prevent a new government from being formed because predominantly-Arab parties are excluded from the Opposition bloc. Israel News12 poll today.
September 11, 2025 at 7:09 PM
The Israeli media, reflecting/reinforcing society, has normalized the idea that the Netanyahu bloc needs only ~42% of Knesset seats (~50) to prevent a new government from being formed because predominantly-Arab parties are excluded from the Opposition bloc. Israel News12 poll today.
- @thejerusalempost.bsky.social should not be giving a platform to this explicit call for ethnic cleansing through mass expulsion (beyond the euphemistic "encouraged emigration") by convicted spy Jonathan Pollard.
September 11, 2025 at 1:24 PM
- @thejerusalempost.bsky.social should not be giving a platform to this explicit call for ethnic cleansing through mass expulsion (beyond the euphemistic "encouraged emigration") by convicted spy Jonathan Pollard.
Ministry of Defense/Settlement Administration annexation map, submitted by Smotrich (timesofisrael.com/smotrich-pro...).
Wouldn't be surprised if Netanyahu were to push through a map with slightly larger Palestinian municipal control zones and present himself as a 'moderate'.
Wouldn't be surprised if Netanyahu were to push through a map with slightly larger Palestinian municipal control zones and present himself as a 'moderate'.
September 3, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Ministry of Defense/Settlement Administration annexation map, submitted by Smotrich (timesofisrael.com/smotrich-pro...).
Wouldn't be surprised if Netanyahu were to push through a map with slightly larger Palestinian municipal control zones and present himself as a 'moderate'.
Wouldn't be surprised if Netanyahu were to push through a map with slightly larger Palestinian municipal control zones and present himself as a 'moderate'.
