Alpher discusses what he thinks Secretary of State Kerry's peace plan might look like, whether either side, the Netanyahu government or the PLO, cold present a unified negotiating position, a possible "laundry list" of confidence building measures (CBMs) and gestures reportedly discussed or initiated by Kerry, whether Hezbollah's openly joining the fighting in Syria on the side of the Assad regime is a turning point, and if the Netanyahu government is making any significant progress on "burden sharing", meaning conscription of Haredi (ultra-orthodox) youth.

Alpher discusses Syria's civil war and Israel's possible involvement, the best Syrian end-game from Israel's standpoint, whether, as long as Assad holds onto power, can the Syria-Israel border remain quiet, whether there are any signs of progress in Kerry's effort to renew final status negotiations,

Alpher discusses Chinese Presiden Xi Jinping four-point peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the US and Russia's plan to convene an international peace conference to find a political solution to the civil war in Syria, and Kerry's investigation of ways to use the Arab Peace Initiative as a regional framework for a renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace process

Alpher discusses the Israel Air Force attacks on shipments of Iranian missiles near Damascus, the significance of Qatari PM Hamad bin Jassim having declared that the Arab Peace Initiative could involve "comparable and mutual agreed minor swaps of land" along the 1967 lines between Israel and Palestine, and Google's announcement that it had decided to include "Palestine" in its list of options for national pages.

by Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman

If you follow God's commandments, you will have peace (shalom) in the land of Israel. And you will dwell in security (la'vetach). And you when you chase your enemies, they will fall by your sword. What kind of 'peace' and 'security' is it if violence is still seemingly ensured?