Iran sanctions lightening mulled by U.S. after Geneva talks
(JNS.org) Following nuclear talks in Geneva, the Obama Administration is considering to lighten Iran sanctions by offering the Islamic Republic access to billions of dollars in frozen assets overseas in exchange for compliance with American requests to scale back its nuclear program, the New York Times reported.
The Obama administration is asking the Senate to push back the vote on a new Iran sanctions bill until after Nov. 7, the date of the next stage of nuclear talks with the West, since Iran in Geneva said it was ready to reduce sensitive atomic activities in order to secure sanctions relief. But Senate Republicans say Iran sanctions should not be delayed because Iran has not taken real steps to halt the enrichment of uranium.
“Given Iran’s refusal to halt its illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the Senate should immediately move forward with a new round of economic sanctions targeting all remaining Iranian government revenue and reserves,” U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) told The New York Times.
A senior Israeli official echoed Kirk’s sentiment in a message sent from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, saying after the Geneva talks that Iran “should be tested by its actions, not its proposals,” Israel Hayom reported.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee said in a memo Thursday that Iran has no “inalienable” right to enrich uranium, as the Islamic Republic said it has during the Geneva talks.
“The international community has spoken explicitly to that issue through United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions directing Iran to suspend enrichment,” AIPAC said. “These resolutions constitute the highest form of international law. Tehran must comply forthwith and halt all of its illicit nuclear activities.”
In a sign of Polish Jewry revival, new JCC set to open in Warsaw
(JNS.org) In a sign of the growing revival of Polish Jewish life, a new Jewish Community Center is set to open in Warsaw on Oct. 27.
The new JCC, which will be the second in the country after the JCC in Krakow, is funded by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Culture, the Koret Foundation, and other private donors. It will serve as a hub for the growing array of Jewish cultural, educational, and community programs as well as activities in Poland’s capital.
“The opening of the JCC is yet another chapter in the remarkable story of the revival of Jewish life in this country,” JDC CEO Alan Gill said in a statement. “It’s a testament to the perseverance of Polish Jews that they are continuing to rebuild their institutions after surviving near annihilation followed by decades of oppression. JDC is delighted to have teamed up once again with the Jews of Warsaw and esteemed funding partners and passionate activists like Tad Taube to help facilitate this new flagship for Polish Jews to be empowered, innovate, and create their own brand of Jewish identity.”
Once home to Europe’s largest Jewish community before the Holocaust, more than 25,000 Jews reside in Poland today. Since the end of communism, there has been a revival of the Polish Jewish community and greater recognition of Poland’s Jewish past.
Palestinian terrorist shot dead after infiltrating Israeli army base
(JNS.org) A Palestinian terrorist was shot dead on Thursday evening after infiltrating an Israeli army base near Ramallah with a tractor.
According to the IDF, a terrorist driving a tractor drove into the base and attempted to run over a solider numerous times. The tractor also hit and caused damaged to several military vehicles. Soldiers then approached the tractor and attempted to apprehend the terrorist. Eventually they were forced to open fire and killed the suspect.
The Palestinian terrorist was later identified as Younis Obaidi from Beit Hanina near Jerusalem. According to the Jerusalem Post, the terrorist’s brother also attempted an attack with a tractor in Jerusalem in March 2009. He was also shot to death by Israeli police.
“The terrorist succeeded in breaking into the base and was determined to hurt soldiers and vandalize military property. Soldiers at the scene operated quickly in order to halt the terrorist and deter the immediate life threat he posed for the other soldiers nearby,” IDF Spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said in a statement.
Rising anti-Semitism causes European Jews to hide faith
(JNS.org) A new survey shows that many European Jews hide their faith due to fear of anti-Semitism. The online poll by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights reveals that 27 percent of all respondents blamed rising anti-Semitism across the European continent on Muslims.
The online poll by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights reveals that 27 percent of all respondents blamed rising anti-Semitism across the European continent on Muslims. About the same percentage of respondents blamed anti-Semitism on individuals with left-wing political convictions, and 19 percent blamed those with right-wing beliefs.
“Preliminary findings already show that three-quarters of respondents feel that anti-Semitism has [gotten] worse in the past five years, particularly as [it] concerns anti-Semitic comments and hate speech online,” the report said.
About half of the 800 respondents from Sweden said they hide their faith in public, according to Swedish news website The Local.
Israeli president rewards U.S. company for brain signal reading implant
(JNS.org) Israel President Shimon Peres awarded a $1 million prize Tuesday to a U.S.-based research team developing the technology to allow people who are paralyzed to move items with their mind.
BrainGate is based at Brown University in Rhode Island and collaborates with Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as other institutions, to develop a brain implant capable of reading brain signals and allowing paralyzed people to move computer cursors or robotic limbs. The company wants to make Israel the global center for brain technology.
BrainGate has created ‘‘the technology to pick up the brain signal and get it to the outside,” said Brown University neuroscientist John Donoghue, who accepted the award, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
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