Middle East

US forces carry out raid aimed at Islamic State leaders in Syria

AMMAN, Jordan — A team of Army Delta Force commandos carried out a raid in Islamic State-held territories of eastern Syria, killing at least two militants with the extremist group, U.S. officials said Monday. The officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly about the classified operation, said a special operations team carried out the […]

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Middle East, USA

Jewish college students may return to more harassment

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, the recently retired UC Santa Cruz Hebrew and Jewish Studies professor who heads the national AMCHA Initiative, said Monday that she fears that Jewish students across the country may bear the brunt of a lot of anger now that they are returning from winter break to

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

AJC unit urges Jewish pluralism in Israel

JERUSALEM (Press Release) – The Jewish Religious Equality Coalition (J-REC) is visiting Israel to advocate for religious pluralism. Created and led by AJC, J-REC is a broad-based coalition of American Jews and Israelis dedicated to the realization of full religious equality in the Jewish state, and is mobilizing support for the creation of alternatives to the

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Erekat blasts Congress for condemning UN

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary General Saeb Erekat blasted the U.S. Congress for overwhelmingly voting to condemn United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemned Israeli construction in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem. The bipartisan House measure passed last week by a majority of 342-80. It said that Resolution 2334 “undermines the prospect of Israelis

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Middle East, USA

South African President: Don’t visit Israel

South Africa”s President Jacob Zuma is calling on South Africans not to visit Israel in order to show solidarity with “the people of Palestine”, the Africa News website reported Sunday. Zuma”s comments came at the 105th anniversary celebration of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), during which he reiterated the party”s solidarity with the “oppressed

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International, Middle East

Rivlin: Terror won’t win

Israeli President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin responded to Sunday’s ramming attack at the welcome ceremony held in his honor by Georgia President Giorgi Margvelashvili. After both countries’ anthems were played the the opening ceremonies had been held, Rivlin said, “I came here, from the eternal and holy city of Jerusalem, the city towards which every Jew

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International, Middle East

Netanyahus said treated to expensive gourmet meals, new details into illicit gifts probe reveal

Australian businessman James Packer reportedly paid for meals worth thousands of shekels sent to PM’s private home in Caesarea, split costs of cigars, champagne with Arnon Milchan By Raoul Wootliff and Times of Israel staff Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, tour Ramat Hanadiv, a nature park in northern Israel, April 25, 2016.

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International, Middle East, USA

UN Security Council condemns Jerusalem ramming attack

World body emphasizes ‘need for those responsible for this reprehensible act of terrorism to be held accountable’ By Times of Israel staff The scene of a truck-ramming attack in which a truck plowed into a group of Israeli soldiers, killing four and injuring 16, in the Armon Hanatsiv neighborhood of Jerusalem. January 08, 2017. (Yonatan

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International, Middle East

Middle East Roundup: January 9, 2017

Israeli security cabinet orders IDF to raze home of Jerusalem terrorist (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Israel’s diplomatic-security cabinet approved several security measures in the wake of the Jerusalem truck-ramming attack that killed four Israeli soldiers and wounded at least 16 Sunday. Israeli government ministers voted unanimously to order the Israel Defense Forces to raze terrorist

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Middle East

Akbar Rafsanjani, former Iranian president, dies at 82

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former Iranian president whose support for social freedoms and outreach to the United States made him a powerful ally of moderates despite allegations of corruption and authoritarianism, died Sunday. The cause was a heart attack, state news media reported. Iran declared three days of mourning for one of its most significant

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Middle East, Obituaries & memorials