International

Netanyahu’s speech hints attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — In a speech before the Knesset, Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu compared himself to David Ben Gurion, who declared Israel’s independence in 1948 against the urging of foreign governments, and to Menachem Begin, who decided to attack the Iraqi nuclear facility in 1981, against the advice of the United States. To […]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Egypt’s Parliament reflects Muslim Brotherhood’s animus against Israel

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Barely eight months have passed since the “Arab Spring” has taken root in Egypt. At the time of his departure from power, President Obama and Hillary Clinton hailed Hosni Mubarak’s eviction from office as one of  President Obama’s crowning achievements. Nearly eight months later, the Muslim Brotherhood

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Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East

Many conflicting U.S. views ignore true nature of Iran’s regime

By Peter Huessy WASHINGTON, D.C. — Despite an ever-growing mountain of evidence conclusively indicating that Iran is hell-bent on obtaining nuclear weapons, many former and current officials in Washington continue to urge the Administration to use the lever of diplomacy to convince Tehran to “negotiate” a deal without conceding that Iran seeks to possess nuclear

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USA

Being an agent for change different than being a government agent for change

By David Bedein JERUSALEM — In February 1977, after four years of activity, the US based organization Breira held its first and only national conference in Washington, DC. I was  witness to the event, which convened only one month after Jimmy Carter was sworn in as the US President. The Israel Labor Party was then

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USA

Survivor Lou Dunst gives eloquent testimony to triumph of human spirit

By Joel A Moskowitz, M D LA JOLLA, California– Survivors, trauma, psychological effects, memories, depressive disorder, OCD (obsessive compulsive), bitterness, deniers, and more recently PTSD (a term which is much overused) and rarely victory”  These words have been associated with victims of the Holocaust. On assignment recently to cover the Seacrest Village gala for San

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International, Jewish History

Is Gaza-Negev flurry a harbinger of more violence to come?

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — So far it’s a mini-escalation in the south. As I begin this, some 60 rockets or mortars have been sent toward Israel in the last couple of days, several Israelis have been injured, one seriously. Twelve Gazans have been killed, including some ranking members of a fringe group sometimes allied

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Regarding Iran, did Obama and Netanyahu agree on red lines?

By Matthew RJ Brodsky WASHINGTON, D.C. — Iran’s steady march towards building a nuclear weapon dominated the 2012 American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) policy convention in Washington, DC. It also was the focus of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with President Obama on Monday afternoon, March 5. A day earlier, Obama declared at the

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Middle East

U.S. policy setbacks evident across the Middle East

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Mark Twain could return to describe the United States efforts in the Middle East. Democracy in Iraq, a remaking of Afghanistan, the establishment of a peaceful Palestine alongside Israel are only three of Washington’s efforts that have not gone well, despite considerable investment of high-ranking officials’ time, money, and the

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Ira Sharkansky, USA