Israeli High Court freezes funds for yeshiva students deferring IDF enlistment (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Israel’s High Court of Justice issued an interim injunction Tuesday that suspended funding to yeshivot for students who are deferring enlistment in the Israel Defense Forces. Widespread deferrals were issued beginning in August 2013 as the legislation process regarding the […]
JNS news briefs: February 5, 2014 Read More »
InternationalWASHINGTON, DC (Press Release)- The Republican National Committee (RNC) announced on Tuesday, Feb. 4, the launch of a new start-up lab called “Para Bellum Labs, America! The phrase “parabellum” was used by a German arms manufacturer as a name for its signature guns-first, the light machine gun used by the Kaiser’s best during World War I, and then its most
NJDC hits RNC on ‘parabellum’ word choice Read More »
USA
By Dmitriy Shapiro/JNS.org/Washington Jewish Week Efforts to keep a significant collection of artifacts seized from Iraq’s Jewish community by Saddam Hussein from being returned to that nation by the United States may be picking up steam on Capitol Hill. With just months to go before a June deadline mandates the return of the religious archive,
U.S. Senate ponders Iraqi Jewish archives legislation Read More »
InternationalIsraeli foreign ministry sets up team to combat boycotts (JNS.org) Israel has established a new inter-ministerial team to fight efforts to boycott the Jewish state and products manufactured beyond the Green Line, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced Monday. The creation of the inter-ministerial team, which includes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and International, Intelligence, and Strategic
JNS news briefs: February 4, 2014 Read More »
InternationalBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Is US Secretary of State stirring up trouble for Israel by speaking about – and perhaps thereby encouraging – the potentially crippling boycott of Israel because of the settlements, or is he warning us in good faith of what might happen if Israel doesn’t make peace with the Palestinians? Opinions are
Advice to Israelis: don’t despair, just worry! Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–What we hear are hints of American proposals, veiled threats of sanctions and violence, yet claims of salvation if everyone behaves reasonably. If this is a place for reasonable action, it would be a change of what has happened too many times since David sent Bat Sheva’s husband to his death alongside
Abbas: Palestine state will welcome Israeli citizens Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastDr. Barry Rubin, a Mideast scholar bassed in Herzliya, died Sunday, Feb. 2, at age 64 of cancer. Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) reports that he leaves his wife Judy and two children, Gabriella and Daniel. “Barry was a prolific scholar, and friend, who was fervently committed to the pursuit of truth
Barry Rubin, Mideast analyst and journalist, dies Read More »
Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release)– The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today issued an open letter to Secretary of State John Kerry in response to his comments February 1 at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, in which he described the price he believes Israel will pay if there is a breakdown in the peace talks between
ADL politely criticizes Kerry in open letter Read More »
Middle East
By Alex Traiman/JNS.org Egyptian Defense Minister and Field Marshal General Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Jan. 27 was cleared by the country’s army to run for president, one day after an interim government announced that presidential elections would be advanced to take place within 30-90 days. Now, just three years after a revolution that toppled longtime secular
El-Sisi presidency in Egypt would help Israel Read More »
Middle East
By Alina Dain Sharon/JNS.org With the Winter Olympics gearing up for their Feb. 7 start in Sochi, Russia, the Jewish debate on the games mirrors the discourse taking place in the broader international and athletic communities. While some Jews say they view the games purely as sport—with social or political issues not factoring into
Jewish world debates Soshi Olympics Read More »
InternationalWhile Roger Waters targets Johansson, SodaStream CEO ‘proud’ of Israeli factory (JNS.org) SodaStream CEO Daniel Birnbaum, whose company aired a Super Bowl commercial featuring Jewish-American actress Scarlett Johansson on Sunday, said he is “very proud” of his company’s presence in Israel. “We are very proud of our factory in Mishor Adumim,” Birnbaum said. “It is
JNS news briefs: February 3, 2014 Read More »
InternationalBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –Secretary of State John Kerry and special envoy Martin Indyk have been meeting and talking with groups of American Jews in an effort to “sell” the interim deal Mr. Kerry plans to put on the table for Israel and the Palestinians. With Mr. Kerry acting as the “bad cop” and
Indyk ‘good cop;’ Kerry ‘bad cop’ to Israel Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Lloyd Levy LONDON–This last week or so must rank as one of the most depressing weeks as far as Israel is concerned. This is despite the lifting of major military threats to its borders, with the collapse of Syria and Egypt in recent times. My wife and I have an apartment in Eilat, which we
BDS and bombs can spoil a week Read More »
Lloyd Levy, Middle East
Tazpit News Agency JERUSALEM (TNA) –For the first time in decades, enemy forces can attack all of Israel’s cities, Chief of the IDF Intelligence Directorate Major General Aviv Kochavi has reported. “About 170,000 rockets and missiles are pointed at Israel, and they are deadlier than ever,” the intelligence chief said on Wednesday, Jan. 29. “Many
Enemies can attack every Israeli city–IDF Read More »
Middle East