Middle East

Pro-Israel Groups Respond to ‘Oxymoron’ Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry

By Faygie Holt (JNS) As the United Nations prepared to hear the results of the Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry, which many are calling a demonization of the Jewish state, the parents of a 5-year-old boy who died during a Hamas bombing told their story to the media gathered outside the U.N. building in […]

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International, Israel, Middle East, USA

Hundreds of Syrian Refugees Leave Lebanon to Return Home

Published by DPA Some 700 Syrian refugees left Lebanon for their war-torn home country on Wednesday, in a repatriation organized by the Lebanese and Syrian authorities, witnesses and security sources said. “Most of the returnees wanted to go back. Lists were given to Lebanese authorities and whoever was approved to return by the Syrian government

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Middle East

Nikki Haley: Antisemitism Must Be Flagged at Every Instance

TORONTO, Canada (Press Release) — Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the Canadian Friends of Jerusalem College of Technology (CFJCT) 50th anniversary gala dinner that antisemitism needs to be called out whenever it happens during a keynote address Sunday night. “We have to call out antisemitism everytime we see it,” the

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International, Israel, Middle East, USA

The World is a Mess as Israel’s Election Approaches

By Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D JERUSALEM — The world seems to be in a mess. Where to start? Israel’s election is in a bit more than a week. The parties are maneuvering. We aren’t sure who’s going to be aligned with who? And will there be enough to assure that Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi) is not our

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International, Ira Sharkansky, Israel, Middle East, Opinion, USA

Israeli Elections 2022: A Rundown of Parties and Leaders

By David Isaac (JNS) 1. Benjamin Netanyahu – Likud Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister and now head of the opposition, will attempt to win his sixth term as premier. Even his enemies acknowledge his political gifts and strong grasp of economics. He is credited with transforming Israel’s heavily regulated economy into a capitalist, high-tech

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Israel, Middle East

What’s Israel Got to Do, Got to Do with Sexism and Homophobia?

By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — Perhaps these students had not advanced far enough in law school to recognize that the murder of women and gays is, well, murder. Otherwise, the Women of Berkeley Law would most certainly have rallied against the “honor killings” of women that ravage the Arab world, and the Queer Caucus

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Bruce Ticker, California, Israel, Middle East, Opinion, USA

Largest-of-its-Kind ‘Tree of Life’ to be Dedicated in Ma’ale Adumim

(JNS) On Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. at the beautiful, lakeside Shamir Park located in Ma’ale Adumim, a growing city outside of nearby Jerusalem, the district’s newest tourist and interpretive cultural attraction, the “Tree of Life,” will be dedicated by Mayor Benny Kashriel. The public is invited to attend the ceremony and share in the

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Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Palestinian Rivals Agree on Elections to End Dispute, But Doubts Persist

Published by Reuters By Lamine Chikhi and Nidal al-Mughrabi ALGIERS/GAZA (Reuters) – Rival Palestinian factions meeting in Algiers for talks mediated by the Algerian government agreed on Thursday to resolve 15 years of discord through elections that will be held within a year, a Palestinian and an Algerian official said. However, there was scepticism back

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Middle East

Arab-Jewish Musician Releases CD Exploring His Heritages

Yoni Avi Battat’s debut album, Fragments, explores his Arab-Jewish identity through nine selections. He composed the music for seven of them, delving into the Arabic melodies of his grandparent’s native Iraq for inspiration and including native instruments such as the oud (Arabic lute), qanun (chordaphone with many strings), nay (reed flute), riq (tambourine), frame drum, karakeb (large iron castenets), darbuka (goblet shaped drum) and joza (coconut shell fiddle held on knee). [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Israel, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

US Fumbles Israel’s Marine Border Negotiations with Lebanon

Envoy Hochstein, in the tradition of American negotiators in Israel’s sphere, has proposed that it accept 100% of Lebanon’s demands in the Eastern Mediterranean, with some minor concessions to Israel. In any event, Hezbollah rejects the entire agreement, adding additional requirements. Acting Prime Minister Lapid had immediately commented favorably on the proposed deal, although the opposition vehemently disagrees. (Steve Kramer]

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Israel, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

Offshore Gas Deal Seems Fair, Though Ill-Timed

The Americans were given the task of producing a draft agreement, and the man they chose for doing the deal is a Jew, a former Israeli, and veteran of the IDF, who subsequently moved to Washington and joined the State Department. Amos Hochstein expresses the mix of Israeli and American identities. He’s produced something that seems reasonable, especially given Israel’s economic strength and Lebanon’s economic desperation.  [Ira Sharkansky]

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Ira Sharkansky, Israel, Middle East, USA