www.paulalster.com
Israel-based broadcast journalist
Twitter: @paul_alster
Member of BAJ - British Association of Journalists

Latest articles and media

Out now on Amazon.com 

I’m proud to announce that my first novel, Kin Or Country, is now available on Amazon. I’d be delighted if you ​buy the book and/or share the link to the Amazon page to help put the word out there. 

​I’m happy to give interviews and answer any media enquiries.

Set in 2048, Kin Or Country is a political thriller with a related murder investigation woven through it. It takes place during the febrile two-week countdown to an unprecedented referendum that proposes to split the State of Israel; one state for the Haredim and other ultra-religious groups, and one for the rest of Israeli society.

But what happens in the tiny Jewish nation, so often at the center of world attention, also has wider repercussions for the Middle East as others with vested interests in the region, such as the USA and Iran, seek to ensure an outcome that suits their own geopolitical agendas

More than anything else this is a thriller about the dangers of religious coercion, about flawed morality across the political spectrum, but ultimately about human emotions and family relationships that apply equally to people of all faiths, creeds and colors. First and foremost, I hope you find Kin Or Country an enjoyable, page-turning read. Second, I hope it prompts a wide-ranging debate on the subject that will ultimately benefit all the people of Israel.
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Here are some of the first Amazon reviews, all of which have rated the book 5 stars:

"Kin or Country by Paul Alster is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a well-crafted thriller with intriguing twists and turns that will captivate the reader from the first page to the last. Skillfully constructed and set against the backdrop of an alternate socio-political-religious scenario, this book will have you on the edge of your seat!

This suspense thriller takes the religious and cultural complexities of modern-day Israel to develop a plot filled with mystery and intrigue. The novel delivers all the excitement of a great thriller while also delving into provocative themes. It’s a masterful tale centered around secular and ultra-religious Israeli Jews in the year 2048. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me." - Píaras Ó Cíonnaoíth, Goodreads.com, July 17, 2020
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"This book is a highly involving political thriller, a story with a plot and well sculpted characters that could so comfortably become cinematic ... Sound a bit contemporary? That is one of the reasons KIN OR COUNTRY works so well- a story that provides a stage for a debate about the frustrations and contradictions that pepper Israel as a country. This is a superb book, and very highly recommended." - Grady Harp, Goodreads.com, July 16, 2020
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"The story seems like a fictional one, but as we hear the news you can easily imagine how those events can happen sooner than we think. Loved the writing and the careful attention to details, absolutley great book. 5 stars for me." - Niv, United States, July 15, 2020
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"I love thrilling complex novels which are set in a futuristic background and this book provided for a truly fantastic read! I got so fully involved in the dynamic perspectives which are explored in the story, and how conflict will forever yield uncertainty and mystery in pressing times. Totally recommend." - Aimee L.P - United States, July 13, 2020

​You can buy the book here.

A Postcard from Corona Israel
(Jerusalem Post/The Jerusalem Report - May 14, 2020)

​"I received amazing care and shared a room with a Jewish gardener who’d been bitten by a snake, and two Arab guys; one who had a wobble similar to mine, and the other who chose not to discuss his condition. The four of us got along famously well while attended by both Jewish and Arab-Israeli doctors and nurses at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera. They’re underpaid and understaffed but are stoical and marvelous in equal measures."

In-depth Cheltenham Festival
tips and analysis 
(GentingBet.com - Thursday 12 March)

"In a wide-open renewal, Alan King’s DEYRANN DU CARJAC is suggested as a value bet. It looks significant that connections run him for the first time outside novice chase company in this tough race, and ... he has twice been placed in Grade 2 company behind classy performers Champ and Midnight Shadow. "

2020 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, Seoul,
​South Korea, February 6-9

Always wonderful to provide live commentary on world class figure skating. Here's the short program of the great Chinese star Boyang Jin from last week's ISU Four Continents Championship in Seoul:

Muddy 1994 National was Just So exciting
(grandnational.org.uk - February 14, 2020)

"Then, quite out of the blue, “Just Slow” got a second wind and began to run on again – powerfully. Pulled to the centre of the run-in, he was galumphing his way relentlessly through the poached ground."

2020 ISU European Figure Skating Championships, Graz, Austria, January 22-26

A thrilling week commentating from the stadium on five day's high-class international figure skating. Here's one of my favourite performances from an event in which Russia totally dominated, winning 10 medals.


Crisp; the most glorious Grand National defeat
(grandnational.org.uk - January 2020)

"At halfway, as they jumped The Chair, Crisp was already around 20 lengths clear and continued to gallop powerfully away from the stands with ​a circuit to run."

Trump threat to Iranian culture is a big mistake
(Times of Israel - January 2020)

"Sadly, Trump doesn’t do nuance or differentiate between the many shades of grey. Like a cartoon character he sees just good guys and bad guys. But in Iran, like everywhere else, there are many, many people in between."

From Mafia ‘associate’ to Christian supporter of Israel
(Jerusalem Report/ Jerusalem Post - December 2019)

James Hall made millions from his playboy lifestyle acting as an 'associate' for the Chicago Mafia, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous during the heady days through the 1960's - 1980's. Then the law caught up with him - and he found God.

 Horse racing analysis and tips for
The Telegraph
(18th November, 2019)

My latest for the racing section of The Telegraph. Click below :​
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/betting/racing/2019-11-18-cheltenham-festival-2020-betting/

SHANA TOVA
​HAPPY NEW YEAR 5780
(29th September, 2019)

On Erev Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), I send very best wishes to family, friends, and all visitors to this website.  I'm currently overseas working on an Israel-related book that I hope will appear in 2020, hence the reduced number of articles I've presented of late. 
Hoping the year ahead brings peace, ​good health and happiness to all .

HIGH HOPES
The Hasidic Jew at the cutting edge of medicinal cannabis development
(The Jerusalem Report - March 29, 2019)

"SMART PHILANTHROPY" OPENS UP ISRAEL'S GALILEE AND NEGEV REGIONS
JNF USA's innovative project to boost housing projects away from central Israel
(JNF.org - 28th March 2019)

NO LONGER A PLACE TO RUN?
Fears abound over the direction
​of Netanyahu's far-right alliance
(Times of Israel - March 17, 2019)

A BEACON OF HOPE
Marking Holocaust Memorial Day, Paul Alster pays a belated first visit to the world's most famous Holocaust museum
(Jerusalem Report - January 2019)

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND MAKE A WISH
Israel's Make-A-Wish charitable organization makes the dreams of children with life-threatening illnesses come true
(Jerusalem Report - October 17, 2018)

THE AMAZING MISS VERTIGO
Rona Soffer’s autobiographical short film is an inspiration to people living with significant disabilities
(Jerusalem Report - August 22, 2018)

JOURNEYING THROUGH THE REAL ISRAEL
Polish and American teens experience an Israel not usually seen by tour groups
(Jerusalem Report - July 25, 2018)

GOOD GUYS, BAD GUYS
My views on the way the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is covered by the international media
(Times of Israel - May 15, 2018)

"Trying to get close to the root of the problem or the genuine motivation behind actions on both sides would take time, lots of time. It could be controversial. It might not sit comfortably with many of the viewers. And, most importantly, it wouldn’t fit into a three-minute time slot, so just keep it simple. Good guys, bad guys."


BRITISH JEWS' POTENTIAL LOSE-LOSE SCENARIO
Anti-Semitism in Britain goes much deeper than Jeremy Corbyn 
(Jerusalem Post - April 27, 2018)

"Corbyn, carried to the shock leadership of the Labour party by the far-left Momentum movement that seemingly contains many anti-Semites, made little effort to rein in the vile imagery and comments on social media perpetrated in their name against the Jewish community. Indeed, he posted and shared some of the anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli tropes doing the rounds among his supporters."


ANATOMY OF A DEMONSTRATION
Do Tel Aviv protestors have what it takes to end the reign of corruption?
(Jerusalem Report - February 24, 2018)

"The cafes and restaurants around me were jam-packed with young people drinking skinny lattes, eating designer hamburgers, busy looking cool. Well dressed youngsters enjoying the good things in life in this rich part of town. If they were concerned about corruption, bribery, one third of the population living below the poverty line, the erosion of civil liberties, they certainly weren't showing it."

OMERTA
Has the Israeli government adopted the infamous mafia code of ethics?
(Times of Israel - ​ February 16, 2018)

"That’s the mafia code. No matter what crime has been committed, or however innocent the victim may have been, you do not go outside “the family.” You do not cooperate with the police. If you have a score to settle, you settle it inside “the family”. 

​JERUSALEM REPORT

​ The 3rd Haifa Arab Food Festival
Food for thought and a journey through the stunningly
good Arab kitchen
​(Jerusalem Report - December, 2017)
"It won't grab any headlines because no one died. There was no violence, no threats, no tension. No “us and them.” If you’re choosing to read on, then maybe you’re one of the growing band of people who are fed up of always hearing negative news about the Jewish-Arab status quo in Israel. That’s not to say that much of the reporting isn’t justified; sadly, it is."​

ESPN U.S. RADIO

(Above) November 2017: Barry Abrams of ESPN interviews Paul about the impending demise of betting on horse racing in Israel, and the politics behind ​this bizarre decision

OTHER FEATURED REPORTS

NEW YORK POST

The face of Iran's military might be dying
(New York Post - 30 November, 2015)
"The secrecy surrounding Soleimani’s care could be the biggest clue that something is very wrong with the man voted “Man of the Year” in a national poll earlier this year. Were the nation’s most-decorated warrior to be injured critically, or even mortally, in battle, it would be a massive blow to the morale of Iran’s military — and a huge boost to that of the Syrian opposition."

INVESTIGATIVE PROJECT ON TERRORISM

How would you react to a terror attack?
(IPT - 7 March, 2016)
"Have you ever wondered how it feels to suddenly find yourself in the midst of a terror attack, and how you would react? It's everyone's worst nightmare, but for a growing number of people in Israel over the 5 ½ months since the latest Palestinian uprising began, it has been a shocking reality."
FOX NEWS.COM
Ukraine marks first 'Defenders Day'
(October 14, 2015)
"The Oct. 14 event was created by presidential decree in response to the ongoing dispute with Russia over territory in eastern Ukraine and Crimea in what has already been a bloody conflict. It has officially replaced the long-standing Feb. 23 holiday known as the "Defender of the Fatherland Day," due to that holiday’s connections to the Soviet era."