The 'Post' now has an advertising slogan claiming that the 'best newspaper in Israel(Where the principal language is Hebrew) is in English.' In my judgment though I do not particularly like this kind of 'fluff' their claim is true.The 'Post 'is now edited by David Horowitz, the former editor of 'Jerusalem Report'. He has in my opinion and to my surprise done an outstanding job as editor. He has broadened and deepened the paper, introducing new writers. He has not as I thought he would, radically changed the political line of the paper so as to bring it in line with that of the former 'Jerusalem Report' or even worse 'Haaretz'.
The 'Post' has some truly outstanding writers and reporters. Judy Siegel is as fine a 'healthreporter' as I know. Arieh O'Sullivan is an excellent military correspondent. Caroline Glick is now , in my opinion, the strongest political writer on IsraeliMiddle East subjects in the world. I may find her a bit gloomy at times, but she provides the information and analysis in a most forceful and convincing way. Evelyn Gordon covers judicial matters with great knowledge and insight. Barbara Sofer is one of the best columnists now writing on the broad range of issues in Israel and the Jewish world. There are many others of high quality.
Horowitz likes a divergence of views, and so brings in voices whose opinions are far indeed from mine. But there is 'balance'.
The paper has also recently greatly improved its domestic coverage.
Also I believe that its weekend Shabbat magazine has improved, especially the bookreview section.
The Letters column is one of the most generous , and certainly most ablyedited. This by one of the Post's outstanding editorwriters Judy Montagu.
On the whole I would say anyone who truly cares about Jewish issues, and about Israel would do well to be a regular reader of the 'Post'.
The Tulkarem-born reporter is a rare commodity --a man with access to Palestinian leaders in all factions, who is not afraid to regularly detail the corruption, graft and other problems rife in the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. He is also well aware of the daily barrage of anti-Jewish hatred aired over the PA media and is not afraid to expose it. "An entire generation has been lost," he told me a little over a year ago.
After the most recent suicide bombing in Hadera, Abu Toameh took to the streets of Kabatiya, south of Jenin, to report on thousands of Palestinians celebrating the attack. He reported on the celebrations unflinchingly.
"Chanting Allahu Akbar (God is great)," he wrote, "some 3,000 people, including Fatah and Islamic Jihad gunmen, converged on [Hasan] Abu Zeid's home to "congratulate" his family on the success of the attack, which killed five people [as of Nov. 7, 6] and wounded more than 30."
But the paper has other stellar columnists and reporters as well, including Arieh O'Sullivan, Caroline Glick and Saul Singer.
And then there are the simple statistics and details that never show up in the international media. For example, the fact that 15 explosives have been found along Israel's border with Gaza since the Israeli withdrawal last summer. And the fact that Israel has suffered more than 20,000 terror attacks since 2000. And the names of the victims of suicide and other attacks.
If you want a balanced perspective from Israel--one that includes viewpoints across the political spectrum, from Arab and liberal to right--read the Jerusalem Post daily.
--Alyssa A. Lappen
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