Now that Joe Biden is the acknowledged President-Elect, we as Jews have a moral obligation, to pray for his success as we did for our outgoing President, Donald Trump. This is the Jewish way. [Ezra Friedlander]
Jewish Trump supporters should now pray for Biden Read More »
Jewish History, USA
President Obama viewed Israel as a colonial force, an outsider, occupying Arab-Muslim lands. And that perspective colored his foreign policy.That is not President-elect Biden’s perspective. He is not going to rush off to Cairo and make a big-splash speech. Israel and the Middle East will not be a top priority for action by a Biden
Why Joe Biden’s Middle East and Israel policy is not Obama’s Read More »
Middle East, USA
Lebanon’s president said Wednesday he wants maritime border talks with Israel to succeed and that disagreements during the last round of negotiations can be resolved based on international law.President Michel Aoun spoke during a meeting with John Desrocher, the US mediator for the negotiations, who was in Beirut for discussions with Lebanese leaders.The fourth round
Lebanon’s president expresses hope for Israel border talks Read More »
Middle East
Recently I had an opportunity to brief a group of European diplomats and journalists on a variety of conflicts, with a focus on the Middle East. During the Q&A I was asked which of the region’s conflicts Biden should tackle first. Without much hesitation I said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, not only because it is over seven decades old, but because it is an increasingly intractable, explosive, and destabilizing situation, which reverberates throughout the Mideast, and several regional powers are exploiting it to serve their own national interests, which sadly contributes to its endurance. [Alon Ben-Meir, Ph.D]
Biden Could End the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USA
WASHINGTON – US Attorney General Bill Barr said Tuesday that the Justice Department has found no evidence of voter fraud significant enough to reverse Democrat Joe Biden’s defeat of President Donald Trump in the November 3 election.“To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the
US attorney general says no evidence of decisive election fraud Read More »
USA
It makes headlines but is ultimately of no moment that Janet Yellen will, when confirmed, become the nation’s first female secretary of the treasury, just as she was the first female chair of the Federal Reserve. Women filling government’s top jobs is inching ever closer to becoming simply the norm.What matters about Yellen — born
Editorial: Madam secretary: In praise of Biden’s choice of Janet Yellen Read More »
USA
Washington (AFP) – The US Justice Department is investigating an alleged bribery scheme involving campaign donations to secure a presidential pardon, a court filing showed Tuesday.The document, which discusses the legality of searching communications and electronic devices of individuals, including attorneys, is highly redacted, with all identifying information blacked out.But it refers to a “secret
US probes ‘bribery’ scheme to seek White House pardon Read More »
USA
With Monday marking only 51-days until President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn into office, Dr. Scott Atlas, a controversial coronavirus task force member, announced his formal resignation as special adviser to the president.Atlas, a former Fox News contributor with no expertise in infectious disease, joined the Trump administration as a Special Government Employee (SGE) in
Dr. Scott Atlas, Controversial Trump COVID-19 Adviser, Resigns From White House Job Read More »
USA
The Islamic Republic of Iran has freed imprisoned Iranian Jew Mashallah Pesar Kohan, who was detained in 2017 for visiting his family members in Israel.George Haroonian, a prominent Iranian Jewish American, announced Sunday on social media that “Mashallah Pesar Kohan, a Jewish citizen, was released from prison in greater Tehran.”Karmel Melamed, an Iranian-American journalist and
Iran releases Jewish prisoner imprisoned for visiting Israeli family Read More »
Middle East
Lawyers representing the parents of one of the two people gunned down by a right-wing extremist in the German city of Halle last year made emotional pleas in court on Tuesday, as the trial enters its final stretch.”You robbed a mother of her child in the most disgusting and perverse way,” one attorney, representing the
Lawyers give emotional plea for victim of German synagogue attack Read More »
International
Israel’s Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz said on Tuesday his party will vote for an opposition bill to dissolve parliament, a move that could force a fourth election in under two years.Gantz’s centrist Blue and White party is currently the key partner in a precarious coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud.That coalition,
Israel’s Gantz says will back bill to dissolve parliament Read More »
Middle East
Wilmington (United States) (AFP) – President-elect Joe Biden presented his economic team on Tuesday and pledged they will lead the charge on a plan to provide more relief for the faltering US economy, which his future Treasury secretary called an “American tragedy.”The diverse group, with women and minorities in key roles, is set to inherit
Biden pledges help ‘on the way’ for US economy Read More »
USA
A war of words broke out in Israel’s Knesset (Parliament) between Avigdor Lieberman, who heads the Yisrael Beiteinu (“Israel Our Home”) party and MK Member Shlomo Karai, from the leading Likud (“Unity”) party. At issue was the alleged leak of security information on new weapons in the hands of Hamas, the militant Islamic Palestinian nationalist movement that has run the Gaza strip since 2007. Lieberman himself is a former Minister of Defense, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Infrastructure Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. Lieberman claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister (and deputy prime minister) Benny Gantz were covering up information about precision cruise missiles and cluster bombs being produced by Hamas. [Stephen D. Bryen]
Hamas Has Smuggled Cruise Missiles Aimed at Israel Read More »
Middle East, Stephen D. Bryen
A recent poll by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion shows strong sentiment against trusting Israel, but along with that various segments willing to cooperate.
• 38% would agree to returning relations with Israel to their former status, along with various reasons concerning their ability to work in Israel and other economic opportunities
• 40% would agree to the resumption of security coordination with Israel, which in fact has been agreed to by the Palestinian Authority.
• 43% would agree to the resumption of peace negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel [Ira Sharkansky]
Some Palestinians Taking Softer Line on Israel Relations Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA