Published by The Philadelphia Inquirer PHILADELPHIA – I spent Monday between rage and a sense of loss. I watched the Israeli government and security forces make one decision after another to escalate an already bloody situation. My family’s WhatsApp text thread pinged again and again: – They are talking about red alert alarms and sirens
“Here we go again!” That was the heading of a post I wrote a few weeks ago about the general election, but heck, it works just as well for what I’m writing about today, the escalation of violence in Israel and Gaza.
The first time I realized that things were getting serious was when I was in my German lesson at the community centre near my house in Mevasseret Zion. “What’s that noise?” I asked the lady sitting next to me. “It’s the siren,” she said, whereupon we and the other participants (all elderly ladies like myself) got up and moved to the shelter, which happened also to house the toilets. We heard (and saw) fire trucks and ambulances racing past, and after hanging around for a while, we all packed up our things and went home to watch the news on TV. A rocket fired from Gaza had landed on a nearby hill, causing very little damage and no injuries, thank goodness. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Frightening sectarian violence within Israel Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East
If this book’s title, Out of the Many, One sounds familiar, it is the English translation of the Latin expression E pluribus unum, the unofficial motto of the United States, which can be found on the back of the $1 bill above the wings of the eagle. Former President George W. Bush decided to include 43 portraits within this book, a number that was not happenstance. He was the 43rd President of the United States. [Donald H. Harrison]
George W. Bush’s Warm Embrace for Immigrants to U.S. Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA
Published by DPA Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Wednesday that his country was ready to build close relations with its regional rival Saudi Arabia. Zarif was speaking after meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. The Syrian state news agency Sana quoted Zarif as saying that Iran had made contacts with Saudi
Iran’s foreign minister hopes for better ties with Saudi Arabia Read More »
Middle East
Things tend to run together in the Middle East. Right now, Sheikh Jarrah, Palestinian elections, the Hamas-Fatah civil war, the Abraham Accords, U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Iran sanctions, Jerusalem Day, the Meron tragedy, Israel’s electoral issues and American money and diplomacy are all tangled. [Shoshana Bryen]
Miscalculations by Hamas, Fatah Lead to Their Disaster Read More »
Middle East, USA
Published by Reuters MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that a meeting of four international mediators for resolving the intensifying Israeli-Palestinian conflict is urgently required. Israel said it killed 16 members of the Hamas armed wing in Gaza in a barrage on Wednesday. At least 56 people have been killed
Russia urges ‘quartet’ meet on Israeli-Palestinian conflict Read More »
International, Middle East
Whenever trouble erupted in Israel during the 1980s, “colleagues” in my newsroom in central Pennsylvania would gaze at me suspiciously. At a laundromat in the same small town, a Democratic city councilman complained about Israel’s oppression of the poor Palestinians and an Israeli gunboat raid on the Liberty, an American intelligence vessel discovered off the Egyptian coast during the 1967 war. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Israeli Right-Wingers Exacerbate Hostilities with Palestinians Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East
Here’s a quick response to those of you who are concerned about what’s going on in Israel right now. Among a number of emails/messages regarding the current warfare in Israel, we received this one from our friend Ann in Arizona. {Steve Kramer]
Israel v Hamas – Again Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer
JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS, OTHERS, RESPOND (SEE COMMENT SECTION BELOW ARTICLE) By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel said it killed 16 members of the Hamas armed wing in Gaza in a barrage on Wednesday and Palestinian militants rained rockets into Israel as Washington said it would send an envoy to try to calm
Israel strikes kill senior Hamas commander, Palestinians fire rockets Read More »
Middle East
Published by Reuters By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group that runs Gaza escalated on Tuesday as each side attacked the other with aerial bombardments that recalled their last major conflict in 2014. A 13-story residential block in Gaza collapsed after one of several dozen
Dozens dead as Israel and Hamas escalate aerial bombardments Read More »
Middle East
Regardless of how the current and future violent conflicts between Israel and the Palestinians in Jerusalem will end, there will be no Israeli-Palestinian peace unless East Jerusalem becomes the capital of a Palestinian state while the city remains united. [Alon Ben-Meir]
Jerusalem: Flashpoint or Microcosm for Peace Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East
Published by AFP Washington (AFP) – A US vessel fired warning shots at more than a dozen Iranian fast attack boats which buzzed close to a US Navy submarine and escort ships in the narrow Strait of Hormuz on Monday, the Pentagon said. In the second such incident in two weeks, 13 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
US ship fires warning shots at Iranian boats in Strait of Hormuz: Pentagon Read More »
Middle East, USA
Published by Reuters By Jeffrey Heller and Nidal al-Mughrabi JERUSALEM/GAZA (Reuters) – Violent clashes over Jerusalem escalated dramatically on Monday with Gaza health officials saying at least 20 people, including nine children, were killed by Israeli air strikes launched after Palestinian militant groups fired rockets close to Jerusalem Israel’s military said it carried out strikes
Allie Donahoo has always valued connecting with younger audiences. “I had been working at a Jewish summer camp for over 13 years and loved who I was there the most, and it dawned on me – why not be a part of that world all the time,” she said. [JD Krebs]
Meet JNFuture San Diego President Allie Donahoo Read More »
Middle East, San Diego County