We're living with the Arabs; we have to understand them... Through knowing the Arabs, you know yourself better.

Israel is too attached to America, too influenced by America. It should be connected to Europe. America is based on mythology - the free man, the individual, the open frontier. Europe is more conscious of history. Take Britain and Shakespeare. You shape your identity through history.

Let us not forget: The Palestinians in Gaza are our permanent neighbors, and we are theirs.

At the heart of anti-Semitism lies Moses. He made a catastrophic error, a terrible mistake, and all anti-Semitism for two thousand years stems from his misjudgement. Moses said we Jews could remain a people without having a land. He said we don't need territory to hold onto our Jewish identity. This was a disaster.

It's not what the rabbis say that defines Jewishness but what we Israelis do every day - our actions and our values.

We have to rethink the two-state solution.

The malady of the Jews is that they don't see territory as part of their identity.

In my own view, Hamas's frustration derives from a lack of legitimization by Israel and by much of the world. It is this frustration that leads them to such destructive desperation. That's why we need to grant them status as a legitimate enemy - before we talk about an agreement or, alternatively, about a frontal war.

Jews outside Israel live in permanent contradiction. I think they should come home.

I come from two parts of the oriental community - Jerusalemite and North African Jews.