International

Whitewashing FDR’s Abandonment of the Jews

Franklin D. Roosevelt is widely remembered as a strong leader who boldly led America out of the Great Depression and to the brink of victory in World War II. Yet when it comes to the Holocaust, some defenders of FDR’s record want us to believe he was not responsible for keeping Jewish refugees out of America—as if that was all the handiwork of the State Department, which supposedly ran U.S. immigration policy and foreign policy independently of the president’s wishes. Sorry, but you can’t have it both ways. [Rafael Medoff and Stephen H. Norwood]

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International, Jewish History, USA

Biden’s budget pick faces thorny Senate confirmation

Washington (AFP) – Neera Tanden, US President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to head the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), faces a potentially stormy Senate confirmation with opposition coming from the right and strained relations with the left.”Neera Tanden, who has an endless stream of disparaging comments about the Republican senators whose votes she’ll need, stands

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USA

Exporting Racism: The Latest Slander Against Israel

In April, leadership at Tufts University outside Boston was embarrassed when  it was disclosed that Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the toxic anti-Israel group with a sordid history of campus activism, had been given “The Collaboration Award” by the Office for Campus Life for the group’s role in exposing what they refer to as The Deadly Exchange—partnerships and cooperation between U.S. law enforcement and Israeli security forces. Tufts president Anthony Monaco immediately tried distancing the university from SJP’s award, saying that he “would be reviewing the awards process” to clarify why the divisive SJP—which promotes boycotts against Israel on the 200 or so campuses where it has chapters—should be hailed for collaborating at all, let alone winning an award.  [Richard L. Cravatts, Ph.D]

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Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Jared Kushner to lead a delegation to Saudi Arabia, Qatar

WASHINGTON – A White House delegation, spearheaded by senior advisor to the president Jared Kushner, will travel to Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week, The Jerusalem Post has confirmed. Special Representative for International Negotiations Avi Berkowitz, Brian Hook and Adam Boehler are expected to join the trip as well.In Riyadh, they will meet with Crown

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Middle East, USA

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Diego Maradona, RIP

Renowned Argentinian football (soccer) star Diego Armando Maradona died of a heart attack last week at the age of 60. Maradona is generally considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, and is particularly remembered for a goal he scored against England in the 1986 World Cup Quarterfinals that has been dubbed “The Hand of God” goal. He played in four World Cups, leading Argentina to victory over West Germany in 1986, and he was jointly awarded the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award along with Pele. What was Diego Maradona’s connection to Jews and/or Israel? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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International, Mark D. Zimmerman, Middle East, Sports & Competitions

It’s about far more than Biden – analysis

Friday’s assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh led to predictable hand-wringing from Obama administration alumni and their cheerleaders who midwifed the Iranian nuclear deal in 2015.Former CIA head John Brenner was furious: “This was a criminal act & highly reckless,” he tweeted. “Such an act of state-sponsored terrorism would be a flagrant violation

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Middle East, USA

FM Ashkenazi asks Swiss to urge Palestinians to negotiate with Israel

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi asked his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis to urge the Palestinian Authority to return to the negotiating table, when the two men met in Jerusalem on Sunday afternoon.“The decision of the Palestinian Authority to renew security and civil coordination with Israel is a step in the right direction,” Ashkenazi said. “But

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International, Middle East

Iran mulls response as it prepares to bury killed nuclear scientist

TEHRAN – Debate raged in Iran on Sunday over how and when to respond to a top nuclear scientist’s assassination, blamed on arch-foe Israel, as his body was honoured at Shiite shrines to prepare it for burial.Two days after Mohsen Fakhrizadeh died from wounds sustained in a firefight between his guards and unidentified gunmen near

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Middle East

Secret MbS, Netanyahu meeting ‘failed to reach normalisation agreement’: report

A secret meeting between Saudi’s crown prince and Israel’s premier in Neom was aimed at reaching a normalisation agreement but failed, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.Despite high hopes by Israel and the US, which brokered the Jewish state’s recent Abraham Accords agreements with Gulf countries, the plan fell through.Citing unnamed Saudi advisers and

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Middle East

Trump on Georgia Gov. Kemp: ‘I’m ashamed that I endorsed him’

ATLANTA — Mounting political strain between Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Donald Trump reached a new phase on Sunday when the president said he was “ashamed” that he endorsed the fellow Republican in a tight race for governor in 2018.Trump’s remarks came during a Fox News interview on his false claims of rampant voter fraud

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USA

EUCOM or CENTCOM for Israel?

The United States is Israel’s ally of first choice. And Israel remains one of the few countries the US can rely on to defend itself by itself and in coordination with American interests. Today, Israel lies in EUCOM – the United States European Command – while some analysts suggest it belongs in CENTCOM – the Central Command, encompassing the Middle East and parts of Southwest and Central Asia. [Shoshana Bryen]

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International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Iran assassination could undercut Biden’s diplomatic options

Washington (AFP) – The assassination of a top Iranian nuclear scientist, which Tehran has blamed on Israel, risks not only sharpening tensions across the region but also severely complicating plans by US President-elect Joe Biden to resume dialogue with the Islamic republic, analysts said Saturday.Iran has accused arch-foe Israel of seeking to sow “chaos” by killing

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Middle East, USA