By Isaac Yetiv, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — Gertrude Bell, the most famous British political writer about the Arab World in early 20th century, often wrote that “the Arabs cannot govern themselves.” If only she could see the American government now, one century later, in its splendid paralysis ! The alarming circus-like spectacle in Washington and the […]
Obama fails to lead domestically and in foreign affairs Read More »
USATerrorism doubles in Israel from August to September, Shin Bet says (JNS.org) The number of terror attacks and attempted terror attacks roughly doubled in Israel over the last month, rising from 68 in August to 133 in September, new data from the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) revealed Thursday, Israel Hayom reported. Two notable instances
JNS news briefs: October 4, 2013 Read More »
InternationalSAN FRANCISCO (Press Release)—The Helen Diller Family Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2014 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards, an awards program that recognizes up to 10 Jewish teens with $36,000 each for exceptional leadership and visionary actions that are helping to repair the world. Up to five teens from California and five from
Teens involved in tikkun olam eligible for $36,000 scholarships Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Politicians lie, do not tell all the truth, or exaggerate. One of the first lessons that a child in a politically alert family may learn is not to believe campaign promises. Years later that child may learn that politicians have to stretch the truth, or hide their intentions, in order to
Interpreting Obama and Netanyahu Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastRenowned Holocaust historian Israel Gutman dies at 90 (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) World-renowned Holocaust historian Professor Israel Gutman, a survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Auschwitz concentration camp and one of the founders of the Yad Vashem International Institute for Holocaust Research, passed away in Jerusalem on Monday night. He was 90. Yad
JNS News Briefs: October 2, 2013 Read More »
InternationalKnesset members slammed over attending J Street conference (JNS.org) Member of Knesset Ayelet Shaked (HaBayit HaYehudi) slammed the Israeli Knesset members for attending the Washington, DC conference of J Street, which she called “Israel’s loudest critic.” “Among its actions are the leading of a media campaign against the placing of sanctions on Iran by the
JNS news briefs: October 1, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — As he waited in the wings at the United Nations, President Obama was struck with this sledgehammer from Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff: Tampering… in the affairs of other countries is a breach of international law and is an affront of the principles that must guide the relations among them,
Dissecting Obama’s U.N. speech Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USAWASHINGTON (Press Release) –The National Jewish Democratic Council has announced the selection of Rabbi Jack Moline as its Executive Director. Rabbi Moline, who currently serves as the spiritual leader of Agudas Achim Congregation in Alexandria, Virginia, will assume direction of NJDC in January 2014. “Rabbi Moline brings a wide and exciting range of abilities and
Rabbi Jack Moline named as NJDC executive director Read More »
USANetanyahu to Obama: Pressure on Iran should not be lessened (JNS.org) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday, raising concerns about Iran’s nuclear program just days after Obama spoke to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the phone, the first such interaction between U.S. and Iranian heads of state in
JNS news briefs: September 30, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — We are at one of those junctions in policymaking–and maybe at a larger place in history–when officials and commentators are filling the inner offices and the media with their predictions about what is going to happen. Some of you may think I am talking about the financial hang-ups between Barack
Many scenarios possible in Israel, U.S., Iran Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Ben Kamin TACOMA, Washington–So nice of Iranian president Hassan Rouhani to have actually acknowledged the Nazi Holocaust of six million Jews and six million other innocents, including Gypsies, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholic priests, and assorted other subversives. This is noted on the Sept. 29 anniversary of the 1938 Munich Agreement, when European leaders
On the threshold of another Munich Agreement? Read More »
Middle EastBy Aryeh Savir TEL AVIV –A Belgian citizen spying for Iran was arrested on September 11th 2013 in Tel Aviv, this according to a statement released by Israel’s General Security Service (GSS). The man, named Alex Menes, aged 55, was arrested as he tried to leave Israel via Ben Gurion airport. In his interrogation it
Israel announces capture of Iranian spy Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It’s been almost 40 years since I moved from the US to Israel. I still write about the country where I was born, had my formal education, and spent about one-third of my professional career. Internet friends, some of them not so friendly, attack me from both left and right,
Obama is learning but still is no expert on Middle East Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Government is no less complex than politics. That should be no surprise, insofar government is the creation of politicians, and is worked, modified, and stymied as politicians deal with one another to get what some of them want, and to keep what some of them want from happening. Some of
On U.S. bureaucrats and ‘evolving doctrines’ Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USA