International

More financial aid to the Palestinians–what’s the rush?

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — The U.S. government is rushing an additional $150 million to the Palestinian Authority (PA) so that it can have a balanced budget. Funny, the United States doesn’t have a balanced budget and the same government doesn’t think that’s a problem. Moreover, the PA doesn’t really tax its own people. […]

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Middle East, USA

U.S. welcomes Israel’s decision to withdraw from Lebanese village

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — The United States State Department issued a news release on Wednesday welcoming an announcement by Israel’s Security Cabinet that it accepts in principle the proposal offered by the UNIFIL Force Commander, providing for the complete withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Lebanese territory in and around the village of Ghajar. “The

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Middle East

Gerda Weissman Klein, 14 others, to receive presidential medals

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — Gerda Weissmann Klein, A Holocaust survivor and educator, was one of 15 persons named by President Barack Obama on Wednesday as Presidential Medal of Freedom honorees. A White House announcement said “Gerda Weissmann Klein is a Jewish Holocaust survivor who has written several books about her experiences.  After Nazi Germany took over

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USA

Reform’s Religious Action Center criticizes Senate’s failure to invoke cloture in paycheck fairness debate

WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release)—In response to the Senate’s failure to invoke cloture on the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 3772), Barbara Weinstein, Legislative Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism issued the following statement: “We are deeply disappointed by today’s Senate vote failing to invoke cloture on the Paycheck Fairness Act. This legislation would

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USA

Netanyahu meets with Christians United for Israel delegation

JERUSALEM (Press Release) – A delegation from Christians United for Israel (CUFI), including 27 leading pastors from across the United States, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. The meeting was part of a six-day trip to Israel, organized and led by CUFI, intended to raise the pastors’ awareness about the issues facing

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Middle East

Public-interest group releases uncensored documents on U.S. protection of some Nazis

WASHINGTON, D.C ( Press Release)- The Department of Justice censored dozens of pages of a candid history of Nazi-hunting (and Nazi-protecting) by the U.S. government to such a self-defeating extent that former officials leaked the entire document to the New York Times this week, instead of fulfilling the Freedom of Information request and lawsuit filed

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USA

Shonda file: 3 more plead guilty in money laundering scheme in which rabbis also are accused

  TRENTON, N.J. (Press Rlease)– Three men who operated unlicensed money transmitting businesses inNew York pleaded guilty on Tuesday to operating the illegal businesses, admitting they transferredlarge amounts of cash to a cooperating witness and to Rabbi Mordechai Fish, the then-principal rabbi of Congregation Sheves Achim in Brooklyn, N.Y., United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced. Avrohom

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USA

Israel has friends with clout in the GOP-controlled House

By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA– Eric Cantor, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Allen West missed a fitting opportunity to challenge President Obama’s inconsistent approach to Israel. The occasion emerged in early November when the president clashed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again over East Jerusalem housing. Well, the Cantor/Ros-Lehtinen/West crowd has two years to assure Israelis

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USA

Susan Scher to leave White House position as chief of staff to First Lady

WASHINGTON, DC  (Press Release)- The Office of the First Lady announced on Tuesday, Nov. 16,  that Susan Sher, Chief of Staff to Michelle Obama, will be returning to Chicago after the first of the year, after nearly two years of service.   Sher started in the White House Counsel’s Office in January, 2009, to support the Office

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USA

Press secretary tells of Eric Cantor’s now controversial meeting with Netanyahu

By Brad Dayspring WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– On Nov. 10, Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Regency Hotel in New York. Early the next morning, after a handful of journalists asked for details, our office released a short readout divided into three different issue areas – Iran,

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USA

Commentary: Barack Obama an intellectual? An ideologue is more like it!

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — You’re traveling through another dimension–a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That’s a signpost up ahead: your next stop: the Twilight Zone! –Rod Serling’s introduction to the “Twilight Zone” television series Just when

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USA

Paucity of information on Netanyahu-Clinton agreement fuels rumors, confusion

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM– That seven hour meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Secretary of State Clinton in Washington D.C. produced a lot of talk, but less by way of clear documents. There are questions about the promise of 20 advanced military planes, whether the Americans are clear about excluding Jerusalem from the 90-day settlement

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

U.S. imam describes self as a ‘recovering anti-Semite’ following trip to Auschwitz

By Jeanette Friedman SOUTH ORANGE, New Jersey — The auditorium at Jubillee Hall was filled November 14,  as curious Seton Hall students, Jews (including Holocaust survivors and educators), Muslims and Christians came to hear Imam Abdullah Antepli describe how a trip he took to Auschwitz last August changed his life. He was one of the

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USA