"Such assessments are important, former US Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro told me. Israeli officials believe that if those advanced centrifuges were ever installed and operated at full capacity, it 'might allow Iran to break out not with just one bomb, but with an arsenal' of nuclear weapons, he said. Delaying that possibility, then, is certainly a clear and vital Israeli goal... "As Shapiro, the former American ambassador to Israel, explained it to me, the concept 'reflects the Israeli philosophical approach [...]

"'This is going to be a new long-term feature of the U.S.-Israel relationship,' said Daniel Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel. 'Israel adjusting to the strategic competitive relationship, while trying to sustain its close partnership and take advantage of opportunities with China...'” Read the full article here: Full Article

"Daniel Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel in the Obama administration, said the current moment reminds him of the challenges he faced talking about the inability of the U.S. to confront gun violence and the epidemic of school shootings. “‘It really was — humiliating is an accurate phrase but doesn’t fully capture it. It’s more a feeling of shame, of our inability to address our own problems,' he said. "Shapiro noted that the protests actually show instances of hope and inspiration, [...]

"Opponents of Israel unilaterally annexing portions of the West Bank frequently couch their concerns in terms of the infringement on Palestinian rights and aspirations for statehood. Those concerns are real. Yet we would add another reason for opposition: the damage that would be done to American security interests. "Each of us has devoted a significant portion of our personal and professional lives to advocating — and acting — in support of Israel’s security. We have worked closely with Israel’s leaders and [...]

"But the scope of annexation, which was envisaged in the Trump peace plan, has yet to be determined. It is unclear whether Gantz, who says he supports annexation if enacted as part of the entire plan that also provides for a Palestinian state, will try to reduce the scale of an action that could spark violence in the territories and roil diplomacy in the region. Diplomats face changes in Jerusalem in any case, said Dan Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to [...]

"His own State Department remains on lockdown, with most employees working from their homes. The entire world is subject to a Level 4 'Do Not Travel' warning. White House officials who have attended West Wing meetings with him have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days. "Yet with all that, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will touch down in Israel for a brief visit on Wednesday, where he will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Speaker of Knesset Benny [...]

"Netanyahu may want to rush through a vote on the annexation plan ahead of the November U.S. presidential election. But this mapping committee could throw him off schedule, notes former U.S. ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro. "'Leaving aside technical aspects, like whether the work can even be done right now because of the coronavirus restrictions, the mapping committee is likely to encounter a dynamic in which the leaders of the settlement communities will lobby for expanded definitions of their boundaries, and [...]

"The Israeli coalition government agreed to by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leader of a shrunken Blue and White party, Benny Gantz, will make its first priority addressing the health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak. In fact, for the first six months, at least according to its own declarations, it will deal with fallout from the pandemic almost exclusively, as an emergency government. "But one unrelated issue is carved out for potential consideration during this period: Israel’s unilateral [...]

"'[Netanyahu] has received fairly high marks from the public for his handling of the crisis because of the relatively low number of fatalities and the fact that the hospitals have not been overwhelmed,' said Daniel Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel. 'It may be harder to sustain that support if there is a second wave, or if the economic recovery proves difficult. But for now, he has benefited from it...'" Read the full article here: Full Article

"We skip the update on the spread of the coronavirus itself and instead focus on the impact it’s having on governments and people. For example, 2019 was the year of the protestor, but how do protestors continue if they can’t gather safely or legally? How can we stop leaders from using the coronavirus to consolidate power, stifle the press or jettison privacy protections? And with the news that the virus has temporarily sidelined a US aircraft carrier, how do we refocus [...]