Sha’ar Hanegev, the partnership region in Israel of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, has been experiencing a lot of tension, but so far no casualties in the current barrage of rockets being fired at Israel from Gaza. [Donald H. Harrison]
S.D partnership region under rocket attack Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education
Over 150 rockets were fired at Israeli civilian targets by the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists from Gaza within hours after the November 12 targeted air strike assassination of Baha Abu al-Ata, a top commander of Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine (PIJ). Coming just over two weeks after the U.S. successfully targeted ISIS terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to be captured or killed there is a simple question to ask here: What would the U.S. decide to do if after al-Baghdadi killed himself his terrorist soldiers fired 150 rockets as U.S. civilian targets? Would the U.S. then decide to negotiate with ISIS over how large their independent state would be, where its borders would be, and where its capital would be located? [Moshe Phillips]
150 reasons to say ‘No’ to a Palestinian state Read More »
Middle East, USA
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) honored Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday with its Light Unto the Nations Award. It is the global Jewish advocacy organization’s highest honor bestowed on world leaders who exhibit leadership in the defense of democratic values and friendship with the Jewish people. [American Jewish Committee news release]
AJC honors Japan’s PM Abe Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
The Court of Justice of the European Union issued a decision Tuesday that Israeli-made products from East Jerusalem and other disputed Israeli territories be labeled with the designation “colonies israéliennes” (“Israeli colony or settlement”). The controversial regulation was driven by foreign policy concerns, and contributes in no demonstrable way to food safety or consumer protection. The Lawfare Project and Cabinet Briard initiated legal action in 2017 on behalf of Israeli winemaker Psâgot, challenging the regulation before France’s administrative supreme court (Conseil d’État), which asked for guidance from the CJEU. [Lawfare Project press release]
EU court mandates labeling of Israeli products Read More »
Business & Finance, International, Middle East, USA
Both at the top, and both are reeling on the edge. Can they help one another? Perhaps with favorable comments. But both are subject to local pressures likely to overcome such goodies. [Ira Sharkansky, PhD]
Parallel troubles for Trump and Netanyahu Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
The former foreign minister said that it was during the Second Lebanon War that she realized that there could be no military solution to Israel’s troubles with its neighbors, only a political one. She said when the terrorist group Hezbollah attacked settlements in the north of Israel, she was urged by then U.S. Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice to prevent her country’s military forces from destroying the duly constituted Lebanese government while retaliating against Hezbollah. [Donald H. Harrison]
Tzipi Livni remains optimistic about Mideast peace Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
In a telephone interview, Sivan described what on the surface might be viewed as two conflicting goals, but which in fact are complementary.On the one hand, he said, Technion strives to isolate itself from politics. On the other hand, Technion intends to become more involved in solving some of the world’s overarching problems such as environmental issues, energy, human health, and ethics. [Donald H. Harrison]
Technion president favors isolating campus from politics while solving global problems Read More »
Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education
I Kings covered the history of ancient Judah and Israel from the coronation of King Solomon in 967 BCE through the split of ancient Israel into two nations, Judah and Israel, because King Solomon’s son overtaxed the people as his father did, though the reign of King Jehoshaphat who died in 846 BCE. II Kings resumes the story and tells readers about the twelve kings of the northern kingdom of Israel from 846 BCE, ending in 721/722 BCE when the kingdom was destroyed, and the sixteen kings of the southern kingdom of Judah from 846 BCE until it was destroyed in 587/6 BCE. It describes the kings of the two nations, Judah and Israel, the politics, wars, and a significant problem of the era in both kingdoms, idolatry. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Middle East was politically unstable in biblical times Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East
On a recent beautiful autumn morning we left for a short two-day holiday with friends. Our plans included the Hula Lake bird sanctuary and the Old City in Acre (called Akko in Israel). But since our friends hadn’t eaten yet, we decided to enjoy a breakfast break on our way north at the fabulous Herodian/Crusader ruins in Caesarea National Park. [Steve Kramer]
Touring the Israeli coast and Hula Nature Reserve Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, Travel and Food
To any dispassionate observer of the Middle East, it is crystal clear that a so-called “Two-State Solution” between a once-compliant, democratic, Israel and the violent, rejectionist, two-headed Palestinian hydra is impossible. [Barry Shaw]
Ahead of the Trump peace plan, some hard truths Read More »
Barry Shaw, Middle East, USA
In 2016, one university, Fordham University in New York, cognizant of SJP’s history of poisoning dialogue on campuses and promoting a campaign of libels, defamation, and lies against Israel and Jewish students, reversed the decision of the student government to allow SJP to become a recognized student organization and decided that SJP, based on its sorry record at other universities, had no place at Fordham. [Richard L. Cravatts, PhD]
Fordham’s proper effort to exclude SJP from its campus Read More »
Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Other items in this column include: * Capacity crowd seen for Tzipi Livni * Two Jewish fraternities among 14 suspended at SDSU * Political bytes * Coming our way By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Assemblyman Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) has been endorsed by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein in his bid to succeed termed-out Kevin Faulconer
Feinstein endorses Gloria; FPPC fines him Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
President Trump’s inviting of Turkey’s President Erdogan to Washington comes at a peculiar time when the House of Representatives is pursuing the impeachment inquiry against Trump and when Erdogan is preoccupied with his invasion of Syria and the growing frustration of the Turkish public with his ruthless domestic and adventurous foreign policy. The question is, what message will Erdogan’s visit send to both the US’ friends and foes? [Alon Ben-Meir, PhD]
Trump-Erdogan meeting an exercise in cynicism Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USA
I was having a conversation with high school students and I asked them who Yitzhak Rabin was. Few had heard of him or knew what he stood for. Yet all of them were aware of the conflict that he fought so hard to resolve. While Rabin is no longer with us, the challenges he faced, and conflicts he encountered continue to thrive. Just this week, we saw a new barrage of rockets being fired from Hamas into Southern Israel. [Rabbi Joshua Dorsch]
Remembering Yitzhak Rabin Read More »
Middle East