By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — A Palestinian used his car as a weapon and drove into a cluster of soldiers alongside an IDF base in the West Bank. He killed two and injured two others. A few days later, a Palestinian stabbed a security guard in Jerusalem’s Old City. Those were the third, fourth, and […]
Palestinian terror, American mass shootings Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Barry Shaw NETANYA, Israel — Billionaire and philanthropist, Ronald Lauder, a regular and massive contributor to Jewish and Israeli charities, made the most bewildering statement in the New York Times: “…the Jewish democratic state faces two grave threats that I believe could endanger its very existence…The first threat is the possible demise of the two-state
OpEd: Why Ronald Lauder is wrong about Israel Read More »
Middle EastJERUSALEM — Is this another occasion to sit shiva for the idea of a Palestinian state? Or yet another indication that the idea is well within the realm of dreamland, not to die, but not to achieve anything real? Several events qualify for the label of strategic, in the sense that they signal abject failure
Will there ever be a nation of Palestine? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
SANTA CRUZ, California (Press Release)– Within hours of San Francisco State University (SFSU) President Leslie Wong’s public apology to Jewish students and affirmation that “Zionists are welcome on our campus,” an SFSU professor shot back with a hateful and discriminatory message targeting Jewish and Zionist students. The message was posted on an official site of the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and
By Alon Ben-Meir and Arbana Xharra NEW YORK — Less than a month ago, in advance of the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, the Turkish daily Yeni Şafak, which is considered one of the mouthpieces of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), published an
Turkish plans to conquer Israel, Europe Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USABy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — “What is your favorite sound?” was one of the questions that the legendary French interviewer and literary figure, Bernard Pivo, used to ask his interviewees. The answers were usually interesting but not very original. “The sounds of nature,” “A champagne cork popping,” “The harmonious cacophony of the orchestra tuning
Friday nights with the grand children Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East, Travel and FoodBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The story is an old one, repeated several times in history, literature, film, and Israel’s reality. Most famous is the story of Judas Iscariot, and the use of the label “Judas” for a person turning against a figure to whom the turncoat had been loyal.. The term is used not
Former allies turning on Netanyahu Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
JERUSALEM (Press Release) — Thirty four Haredi Women graduated a United Hatzalah EMT course on Thursday, joining the Women’s Unit of the organization. The newly trained EMTs will be tasked with providing emergency medical care as first responders to women in the Haredi communities of Jerusalem and the surrounding area. Director of United Hatzalah’s Women’s
United Hatzalah certifies 34 women to serve Haredim Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– Understandably, readers of my comments about current events in Israel are at times, perhaps often, irritated or worse by the underlying pessimism of my reflections. Hard statistics seem to refute it: for the fifth successive year Israel has retained its eleventh happy place among 156 countries in the ranking of the
Love Israel, but critique some of its policies Read More »
Middle EastThis is the second part of an article examining the volatile Iran-Israel relationship. To see Part I, please click here. By Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — The recent violation of Israel’s air space by an Iranian drone and Israel’s retaliation against Syrian and Iranian targets prompted many observers to suggest that the growing regional
U.S. should make NATO- like pledge to Israel Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Our friends are worried. Young American Jews are in danger of disappearing via intermarriages at rates of 50 percent or more. Many are ill informed and disinterested in Israel. Key figures in AIPAC have come out in support of a Palestinian State, against sentiments in the Israeli government. Many Democrats,
Is Israel isolated? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — The recent violation of Israel’s air space by an Iranian drone and Israel’s retaliation against Syrian and Iranian targets prompted many observers to suggest that the growing regional tension resulting from such incidents may precipitate a war between Israel and Iran/Hezbollah, and perhaps inadvertently with Syria as well. I
Iran, Israel have good reasons to avoid war Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — I learnt today (Tuesday, March 13) that, to make sure that I don’t misinform you, I should only comment on events in Israel long after they happen. What seemed quite plausible, perhaps even certain, this afternoon turned out to be false and irrelevant only hours later. After Prime Minister Netanyahu’s
No Israel elections afterall! Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — When, not if, the current government of Israel breaks up, the formal cause of it will the stance of Avigdor Lieberman, the defense minister and leader of the Yisrael Beitinu party. As the protector, in his ministerial capacity, of universal conscription, which the ultra-Orthodox seek to challenge by introducing legislation
Netanyahu may want new election Read More »
Middle East