Middle East

Half a year after brutal axe attack, Tzvika Cohen goes home

After he was brutally attacked by an axe-wielding Arab terrorist, doctors predicted Tzvika Cohen might never recover. Comatose for three weeks and suffering severe injuries across his body, the staff at Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem initially struggled just to keep Cohen alive. But this week, Cohen beat the odds, receiving a green-light to return

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Middle East

Iran seizes Western hostages, yet wants cooperation

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Let’s not waste time. At the direction of President Obama, the United States of America gave $400 million to Iran – it was Iran’s money, after all, Obama said. In an unrelated move, Iran released four American hostages: a newspaper reporter, a former Marine, a Christian pastor, and a

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International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Positively Israel ~ August 5, 2016

Funny But True By Michael Ordman NETANYA, Israel — Many readers say that they are amused by some of the articles in my positive weekly Israel newsletter featuring Israeli innovations, discoveries and humanitarian activities. Here are a few recent examples. Israel’s Amit Goffer invented the ReWalk exoskeleton that enables paraplegics to walk upright. Unfortunately, Amit

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

1000 Russian-speaking Birthright participants celebrate Israel

Last night, some 1000 Russian-speaking Birthright Israel participants celebrated Israel as a land of diversity and opportunity as they came together for a special event honoring the country”s pioneering spirit and showcasing opportunities they can take advantage of to pursue their own dreams and goals in Israel. “Many faces – One Israel,” held Tuesday night,

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International, Middle East

In Saudi Arabia, Jewish sites with ancient resonance beckon

Saudi Arabia is not high on the list of Jewish travel destinations. There has been no organized Jewish activity in the country for 70 years. Even though a Saudi delegation visited Israel last month, anyone with an Israeli passport is banned from entering the country, as the two countries don’t have diplomatic relations. As of

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Middle East, Travel and Food

Obama administration denies $400M cash payment to Iran was ransom for hostages

The Obama administration insisted Wednesday that its secret airlifted payment to Iran of $400 million in January wasn’t ransom to obtain the release of four jailed Americans, as more lawmakers in Congress expressed outrage over the deal. White House press secretary Josh Earnest denied repeatedly that the cash payment was ransom. “No, it was not.

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Middle East, USA

Israel’s right, left tussle over control of textbooks, media

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Israel may be one of the noisiest of democracies. There’s a large variety of views expressed in families of many different origins, media providing different views of news and commentary in both traditional and Internet varieties, as well as politicians, Knesset Members, government personnel, and other activists who span a wide

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Middle East Roundup: August 4, 2016

Humanitarian aid official indicted for giving charity funds to Hamas (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) A serious security affair was exposed on Thursday after the Israeli courts lifted a gag order: Mohammed Halabi, the head of the international aid organization World Vision, has been indicted on suspicion of transferring humanitarian funds to the terrorist organization Hamas.

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Middle East

Trump blasts ‘incompetent’ Obama following Iran ransom report

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Wednesday blasted the Obama administration over a report in the Wall Street Journal which said it secretly funneled $400 million in cash to the Iranians in January, around the time four American prisoners were released from Tehran. Trump called the incident a “scandal”, and pointed out that negotiations opened

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International, Middle East, USA

The anti-Israel movement’s ‘anti-normalization’ campaign

The basis of any negotiated settlement is compromise. But what if one of the parties to the conflict simply refuses to talk? Some Palestinian factions and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement have engaged in what’s known as an “anti-normalization” campaign: they are demanding that all contact between Palestinians and Israelis be severed, lest

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Middle East

Recep Erdogan, Turkey president, accuses U.S., EU allies of taking sides of coup plotters

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at the Obama administration and its European allies Tuesday, accusing the West of supporting terrorism and taking sides with coup plotters, and claiming that the attempted overthrow of his government by a portion of the military last month was scripted by foreign forces. At a moment when many

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Middle East, USA