An officer of Mazon, the Jewish Response to Hunger, says while a House-Senate conference committee-approved 3.1 percent raise for military personnel is welcome, “it doesn’t make up for nearly 10 years that pay raises for military personnel did not keep up with inflation and cost of living increases. [Donald H. Harrison]
Davis, Mazon, seek food for military dependents Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
There are, roughly speaking, two ways to use a large, modern military force. The first is to enforce international “rules of the road,” guaranteeing freedom of the seas or punishing gross violations of international law and treaties, or keeping the peace by backing up treaties with capabilities. This includes rescuing Kuwait from invasion and occupation by Saddam’s Iraq. It includes retaliating for Syria’s use of chemical weapons. The second way a large and capable country can use its forces is to try to settle other people’s problems. This could include the Vietnam War, 18 years of war in Afghanistan, or centuries-long animosities engendered by 400 years of Turkish anti-Arab colonialism called the Ottoman Empire. [Shoshana Bryen]
Defining U.S. defense policies in the Middle East Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA
There is no doubt that ending the impasse between the US and Iran would markedly reduce tension and mitigate some other conflicts in the region, as the discussion between the two sides, according to US sources, will not be limited to Iran’s nuclear program. The US will insist on discussing some of Iran’s nefarious activities, such as its support of jihadist groups and missile development, albeit on a separate track, with linkages to ensure that the benefits Iran acquires from a new nuclear deal are compensated by Tehran’s demonstrable actions as a constructive regional player. [Alon Ben-Meir, PhD]
The case for direct U.S.-Iran negotiations Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USA
The Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund successfully sued to prohibit the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) from teaching about Islam in the San Diego Unified School District as part of an anti-bullying program. Now the organization is protesting a proposed CAIR-sponsored speech in the Poway Unified School District by U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, a Palestinian-American who is considered one of Israel’s most vocal critics in the Congress. [Donald H. Harrison]
Proposed Tlaib speech in Poway protested Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USAIn the midst of partisan debate over President Donald Trump’s possible impeachment, and a day after a kosher market in Jersey City was the scene of a mass shooting, there is a lot of rhetoric going around about Trump’s decision to sign an executive order adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA’s) working definition of anti-Semitism and to apply it to Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. [Donald H. Harrison]
Nuanced reactions to Trump’s EO on anti-Semitism Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
Avigdor Lieberman has been in politics for several decades. Earlier, he was close to Bibi, but later protested his less aggressive postures toward Palestinians. He came from a Zionist background in Kishinev, and in Israel has led the Yisrael Beitenu (Israel our Home) party. It began mostly with the support of Russian immigrants, but has since expanded its appeal–both due to the aging of the Russian population and Lieberman’s most recent posture as a strong opponent of the ultra-Orthodox and Benyamin Netanyahu. [Ira Sharkansky, PhD]
Stubborness of Lieberman, Netanyahu mires Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
Sephardic Jews who were expelled in the late 15th century from Portugal and Spain learned about cocoa and the production of chocolate from the indigenous peoples of Central and South America and the Caribbean. Keeping up contacts with non-Jewish acquaintances who had remained on Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, they helped to popularize chocolate and develop it as a product in international trade. [Donald H. Harrison]
Jews and chocolate: 500 years of sweetness Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USA
The official journal of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has published an article depicting the Jewish National Fund as a colonialist exploiter of the Palestinian Arabs. Is this an appropriate way for a federally-funded museum that is mandated to teach about the Nazi genocide against the Jewish people to be using taxpayers’ dollars? [Moshe Phillips]
U.S. Holocaust Museum publishes attack on JNF Read More »
Middle East, USAThere are protests and riots across Iran, brutally put down by Iranian security forces and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC); the government is charging families for the bullets used to kill their loved ones before releasing bodies to them. Inflation is rampant and economic growth is negative. Sanctions on Iranian oil shipments have led Iran to steal Iraqi oil, one cause of the anti-Iranian riots across Iraq. Yet, Iran continues to arm its proxies and allies with missiles that can strike Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Jordan and Israel. Ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones, controlled by Iran’s Quds Force, are being spread across the region. [Shoshana Bryen and Stephen D. Bryen]
As Iranians riot, Iran stirs trouble elsewhere Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, Stephen D. Bryen, USA
The local Jewish community has watched congressional candidate Sara Jacobs, 30, grow up within institutions named for her family. For example, she attended the preschool and later participated in 18 J*Company shows on the Jacobs Family Campus of the Lawrence Family JCC. Her parts ranged from the mother in Benjamin and Judah to the “scary grandmother” back from the underworld in Fiddler on the Roof. [Donald H. Harrison]
Sara Jacobs on her family, issues, and spending Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Judaism, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Binyamin Netanyahu is the most powerful politician in Israel. Yet he often describes himself as a victim – of the media, of the police, of the judiciary, now even of an alleged cabal within his own party led by his rival Gideon Sa’ar. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Netanyahu has a persecution complex Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East
Three Democratic members of Congress representing portions of San Diego County – Susan Davis, Scott Peters, and Mike Levin – were among 192 cosponsors of a House Resolution approved by a vote of 226-188 on Friday, Dec. 6, that reiterated support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. A fourth San Diego Democrat, Juan Vargas, joined his colleagues in the majority. [Donald H. Harrison]
Resolution on Israel wins S.D. reps. support Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
Noting that directors and affiliated faculty at federally-funded Middle East Studies programs who support an academic boycott of Israel have attempted to implement that boycott in ways that directly violate the legislative intent of Title VI of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, 88 education, civil rights and religious organizations on Wednesday called on U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to prevent this abuse. [Press Release]
DeVos urged to enforce Title VI rules against BDS Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USAWe’re in the midst of a 21 day period, coming after neither of two party leaders could form a government, when any Knesset Member who can get 61 votes is enabled to form a government. Can anyone do it? [Ira Sharkansky, PhD]
Knesset parties in free-for-all maneuvering Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East