From Soros to Saudi Arabia: Coronavirus conspiracies and economic warfare

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Esther Solomon

The effects of the coronavirus crisis – political and economic - will be felt long and far. Converging with a war over the price of oil, between Russia and Saudi Arabia, some of those repercussions are already being felt. Sebastian Catelier considers the fate of the Gulf sultanate of Oman, a key maverick mediator between Israel, the U.S. and Iran, and for Dmitriy Frolovskiy, it means a systematic freeze on Putin’s grand ambitions for Mideast influence.   In Israel, the tragically high rate of infection within the ultra-Orthodox community is a key issue. Anshel Pfeffer sees it as the greatest challenge to the Haredi lifestyle since the Holocaust; Jessica Apple thinks the community should adopt the #masksforall global movement.   Despite Israel’s messy, competitive, constantly reconfiguring politics, Israel’s stuck with Benjamin Netanyahu for the duration of coronavirus, writes Eric Yoffie. Evan Gottesman warns that the incoming government seems determined to prioritize West Bank annexation – while the world’s attention is occupied with the pandemic. Former ambassador Daniel Carmon wonders how the government could even have thought of designating the foreign ministry as a ‘non-essential agency.’ Allyn Fisher-Ilan writes that, for the first time, she feels safer in Israel than her native America.   Every world event that triggers fear is fuel for conspiracy theorists, Cecile Guerin tracks how far right anti-Semitic theories – including coronavirus as a George Soros-produced ‘bio-weapon’ - have migrated from the dark corners of the net into mainstream Republican politics.

Double Whammy Could Cost Israel and Iran Their Key Gulf State Contact Sebastian Castelier | 06.04.2020

Coronavirus, and Saudi Arabia, Force Moscow to Freeze Its Plans for Middle East Domination Dmitriy Frolovskiy | 06.04.2020

Coronavirus, the Greatest Challenge to ultra-Orthodox Jewish Life Since the Holocaust Anshel Pfeffer | 02.04.2020

Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jews Face Coronavirus Devastation. They Need Face Masks Jessica Apple | 01.04.2020

With the World Pre-occupied With Coronavirus, Israel Pushes a West Bank Land Grab Evan Gottesman | 02.04.2020

Netanyahu Is a Colossal Failure. But Against the Coronavirus, He Is All Israel Has Eric H. Yoffie | 02.04.2020

Coronavirus, the 'Soros Bio-weapon': How Far Right anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories Are Infecting Mainstream Politics Cécile Guerin | 01.04.2020

In This War, I Feel Far Safer in Israel Than in America Allyn Fisher-Ilan | 06.04.2020

Israel's Systematically Sidelined, Budget-slashed Foreign Ministry Is Doing Heroic Work on Coronavirus Daniel Carmon | 06.04.2020

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