USA

Jews have had differences with each other throughout the centuries

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The Economist has joined a small crowd of commentators who have discovered a growing split between American Jews and Israel. It puts at least part of the blame on “declining bonds between an increasingly right-wing religious Israel and liberal American Jews.” No doubt that is one of the tensions between the two […]

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Middle East, USA

General Dynamics NASSCO guided by the tides of September 11th

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—This coming September 11, the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, General Dynamics NASSCO plans to christen and launch the USS Washington Chambers, named for the Navy officer who arranged a century ago for the first airplane flight from the deck of a Navy ship. Having

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Donald H. Harrison, USA

Israel Route 443: a challenge for the peace process

 By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Israelis’ preoccupation with security is focusing on Route 443. It is one of two four lane, high speed, divided highways that link Jerusalem with the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. It is the favored route for the northern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, and the best way to travel to the expanding complex of Modiin-Reut-Maccabeen-Modiin

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Old Globe’s ‘The Whipping Man’ grips and troubles

  By Carol Davis SAN DIEGO–That May is Jewish Heritage Month is evidenced by the two plays, both bearing Jewish content, now running in repertory at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park: William Gibson’s Golda’s Balcony is on the main stage and Matthew Lopez’s Whipping Man is in the theatre in the round or

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Carol Davis, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Whatever the stage, whatever the cause, absolute outcomes in politics are rare

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The glass of the political activist is never full. If it seems full, it is only a momentary surge of partial victory. The tea cups of the American extreme right might appear full after their man’s victory in Kentucky, but they are a long way from achieving their dreams. Barack Obama is

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

NJDC lauds agreement among Security Council's five permanent members to sanction Iran

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday announced that the five permanent members of the United Nation’s Security Council, plus Germany, have reached an agreement to impose “strong” new sanctions against Iran. David A. Harris, President of the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC), issued the following statement praising Secretary Clinton’s announcement: “The National Jewish

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Middle East, USA

J Street applauds congressional resolution calling for immediate release of Gilad Shalit

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–J Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami released the following statement Tuesday, May 18, in response to the introduction of House Resolution 1359: “J Street applauds the introduction of House Resolution 1359, calling for the immediate release of captured Israeli soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit.  Introduced by the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on

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Middle East, USA

Turkey bidding for greater influence in Middle East

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Turkey and Brazil announced they have “brokered” a “deal” to bring some percentage of Iranian LEU (Low Enriched Uranium) to Turkey. The “deal” is a fraud-without knowing how much uranium Iran has, you cannot know how much it “lent” to Turkey and how much remains in its weapons program. And

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Real estate developer Paul Amir to receive honorary doctorate from University of Haifa

HAIFA (Press Release)–The University of Haifa will award the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, honoris causa, to Paul Amir, businessman, philanthropist, and a leading figure in the Jewish community of Los Angeles, during the University’s 38th Meeting of the Board of Governors, which will take place on June 1-3. The honorary doctorate will be conferred

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Middle East, USA

A vision in a California olive grove of Mideast peace

    By Donald H. Harrison   AGUANGA, California—The olive groves in this rural Riverside County community about 20 miles east of Temecula may become one of the growing grounds for Middle Eastern peace if Israeli, Palestinian and American visionaries are successful in promulgating the idea that entrepreneurship and business cooperation between the Middle Eastern neighbors

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, USA

White House aides win favor with visiting rabbis

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–It is worth reading this item from the Jerusalem Post. http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?ID=175654 Senior Jewish advisors of the President, meeting with a selected group of American rabbis, said that the White House erred in its messages about Israel. Not only do they reiterate American support for Israel in general terms, but they express reasoning

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Middle East, USA

Arming our future opponents for the next go-around

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C–Following the dismantling of Saddam’s army, the U.S.-led coalition began training and equipping a new army and police force while we began building a new government. Even under Saddam, Iraq was a fairly modern country with a mid-20th century infrastructure including a governmental infrastructure, a relatively educated population including women, and

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USA