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 […]
Iran mulls response as it prepares to bury killed nuclear scientist Read More »
Middle East
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
Secret MbS, Netanyahu meeting ‘failed to reach normalisation agreement’: report Read More »
Middle East
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]
EUCOM or CENTCOM for Israel? Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA
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
Iran assassination could undercut Biden’s diplomatic options Read More »
Middle East, USA
The November 29, 2020 edition of Good News from Israel includes such stories as the following.
• An Israeli-developed eye scanner can detect early signs of Alzheimer’s.
• Israel is the top country in the world for women entrepreneurs.
• Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2020 include 5 Israeli innovations.
• An Israeli supermarket chain is to grow fruit and vegetables at its stores.
• The 3-day Israel-Dubai business conference was a huge success.
• An Israeli judoka won Gold in the European championships.
• A 9-year-old boy found a 1st Temple period gold bead in Jerusalem. [Michael Ordman]
Good News from Israel (November 29, 2020) Read More »
Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
Iran’s arch-enemies, the United States and Israel, are behind the fatal attack on nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, President Hassan Rowhani said on Saturday.”Once again, imperialism and its Zionist mercenaries caused bloodshed and the death of an Iranian scientist,” he said.According to Rowhani, this “terrorist attack” merely proves the fear of Iran’s enemies about the country’s
Iranian president points finger at US, Israel for murder of physicist Read More »
Middle East, USA
Israel defeated Spain 95-87 thanks to a ferocious second half comeback to move their EuroBasket qualifying record to 3-0. After going down by 18 points in the first half, the blue-and-white used a massive third quarter shooting display from beyond the arc to pull within striking distance as Tamir Blatt and Gal Mekel couldn’t miss
Israel upsets Spain’s national team 95-87 in second half comeback Read More »
International, Middle East, Sports & CompetitionsWe’re rather familiar with “the Squad,” but what about “the Quint” and “the Quad?” For now, the latter two are more likely than the former to have importance to a potential Biden administration.With the announcement of Tony Blinken as secretary of State and Jake Sullivan as national security adviser, the anti-Israel far left is at bay for now — both men are known to be personally reasonably disposed toward Israel. But if the Quint has an impact on the administration’s Middle East policy, both regarding Israel and Iran, and the Squad joins in, the U.S. position in the region will suffer. [Shoshana Bryen]
‘Squad,’ ‘Quad,’ ‘Quint’ All Seek to Influence U.S. Foreign Policy Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA
Iran’s armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri warned of “severe revenge” for those behind the assassination Friday of a top nuclear scientist outside Tehran.”Terrorist groups and the leaders and the perpetrators of this cowardly attempt should know that severe revenge awaits them,” he said in a tweet reported by state news agency
Iran commander warns of ‘severe revenge’ for scientist assassination Read More »
Middle East
Joe Biden’s transition team has said that it continues to support the appointment of a Palestinian-American to a senior position after critics accused her of anti-Semitism.Arab-American organisations had hailed the appointment of Reema Dodin, formerly a Senate staffer, as deputy director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs and the first Palestinian-American to serve
Biden team stands by Palestinian-American staffer after backlash Read More »
Middle East, USA
President-elect Joe Biden’s first major foreign policy appointments are being hailed as centrists and experts. None of them are known as radicals, ideologues or Israel-bashers. News outlets have made much of the fact that the stepson of a Holocaust survivor is one of the key appointments. But a closer look at their backgrounds and associations raises disturbing questions about their views on Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict. [Moshe Phillips]
Biden’s Team Turns Blind Eye to Palestinian Terror Read More »
Middle East, USA
Valley of Tears, the dramatic series currently being shown on Israeli TV about events in the Golan Heights at the outbreak of the Yom Kippur war, has had me and many others spellbound each week. Although several of my friends and acquaintances have told me that they are unable to watch it as it brings back too many painful memories, I find myself compelled to watch. I quite understand their attitude, and am almost surprised at my own ability to persist through every graphic scene. I admit that I find it difficult to sleep afterwards, but some obsessive preoccupation with the events of that traumatic time brings me back to the screen every week. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
TV Series on Yom Kippur War drives home peace necessity Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Ethiopian-Israeli activists staged a demonstration outside the Prime Minister’s Office and even blocked the road on Wednesday morning in protest at the failure to bring those waiting in Ethiopia to Israel.In September, the government approved a plan to bring to Israel before the end of the year 2,000 of the remaining 8,000 members of the
Ethiopian-Israeli activists denounce PM for failure to fulfill aliyah vow Read More »
International, Middle East
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed travellers arriving at Tel Aviv’s airport on Thursday, on the first flight arriving from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Israel, authorities said.The flight was operated by the airline Flydubai and was the first scheduled flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv, according to authorities.Netanyahu spoke of an “historic flight”
Netanyahu welcomes passengers of first flight from UAE to Israel Read More »
Middle East