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Gil Samsonov

Gil Samsonov

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

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The Great European Slumber: From Hitler to Khomeinism

We are all watching—with a mix of astonishment and grief—what appears to be Europe’s slow-motion surrender to radical Islam. Like many of us,...

17.03.2026 30

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

The Myth of the Persian Chess Master: Why Tehran Was Actually Playing Backgammon

For years, we were fed the myth of the brilliant Iranian “chess master.” Commentators and analysts praised Tehran’s leaders as grandmasters of...

15.03.2026 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

Today’s Villain, Tomorrow’s Statesman: The Changing Faces of Israel’s Leaders

Political reputations are rarely permanent. In Israel especially, they tend to move in cycles — from admiration to rejection, from rejection to...

12.03.2026 50

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

From Restraint to Resolve: A U.S.-Israel Alliance Forged in the Fire of War

A week ago Saturday, the world entered a new era. With the elimination of the Iranian leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, the long-simmering “shadow war”...

07.03.2026 90

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

From Left to Right, Israel Is United for War

For the first time in decades, Israel is united not around a leader, not around a party, not around a reform — but around war. Not war as spectacle....

19.02.2026 60

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

Ben-Gurion to Netanyahu: Israel’s Enduring Strategy of Peace Through Strength

12.07.2025 60

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

Will Trump Choose Victory or Compromise with Iran?

31.01.2025 30

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

Churchill or Carter: Why Tough Leadership Prevails Over ‘Nice’ Leadership

Almost simultaneously, the passing of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and the release of Netflix’s Churchill at War brought a sharp contrast...

06.01.2025 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov