Middle East

Biden Will Find Abbas Opposed to Two-State Solution’s Requirements

Before he meets with Palestinian Authority (PA) strongman Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, Biden should be aware that Abbas has already rejected the notion of “normalization” of relations between the PA, Israel and the Arab States, nixing the principle of accepting the State of Israel, i.e., nixing a solution ending in two states. [Shoshana Bryen]

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen

Lapid new PM, Netanyahu First in Poll as Biden Visit Approaches

apid’s first words were his call for national unity. That hardly fits the image of a divided Israel, but it may work. The election is several months away, on November 1st, and that’s a long time in politics. Meanwhile, there’s been testimony about Netanyahu receiving and demanding gifts, especially cigars and champagne, worth hundreds of thousands of shekels. Despite that, there’s a poll published by Ma’ariv, showing Bibi with 61 seats in the Knesset for him and his allies. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Inflation Index Adds to Cost of Buying Homes in Israel

The government created the Building Construction Index to protect all parties’ interests. When someone purchases an apartment in a project under construction, the unpaid portion of the price becomes linked to the BCI. Parenthetically, buyers who are risk averse can often accelerate their payment schedule and prepay the lion’s share of the purchase price, thus limiting their inflation risk. [Gedaliah Borvick].

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Business & Finance, Gedaliah Borvick, Middle East

Four Jews Who Served as Port Commissioners Tell of Their Tenures

Members of the Jewish community who have served on the Port Commission since its creation in 1962 were Harvey Furgatch (appointed 1969), Milton “Mickey” Fredman (1970), Ben Cohen (1977) and Louis Wolfsheimer (1979), all of whom had passed away prior to my undertaking this book, and Robert Penner (1988), Lynn Schenk (1990), Stephen Cushman (1998) and Laurie Black (2007), all of whom I had the opportunity to interview. All these Jewish Port Commissioners represented the City of San Diego, except for Penner and Cohen, who were appointed by Chula Vista and Coronado respectively. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

This Year’s Maccabiah Games Are Going Live …

By Mike Wagenheim (JNS) Broadcasting the Summer Olympic Games is a massive operation, with more than 7,000 personnel covering 28 sports utilizing 1,000-plus cameras, taking the games global. For the first time, the so-called Jewish Olympics will be broadcast around the world from July 12-26 with slightly more humble resources, though still requiring a herculean

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International, Middle East, Sports & Competitions, USA

Palestinian Authority President, Israeli Defense Minister Meet Before Biden Visit

Published by Reuters JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a rare meeting in the West Bank in an effort to calm tensions and coordinate security measures days before U.S. President Joe Biden’s first visit to the region. Gantz said on Twitter that Thursday’s meeting in Ramallah

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Middle East

American Friends of the Hebrew University Appoints Justin Pressman as Western Region Executive Director

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU) has appointed Justin Pressman as Executive Director of its Western Region, which encompasses Southern California and the Southwestern states. In his new position, Pressman will develop regional strategic campaign plans, as well as implement and evaluate major giving campaigns in support of the

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California, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

The Bullet That Killed Abu Akleh

By Shoshana Bryen (JNS) Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh died covering an Israeli counter-terror operation on the West Bank. That this was a tragedy is the only thing clear about her death. Various media outlets—some reasonably unbiased and some not—mounted “investigations.” Private companies, including a Dutch-based consortium, did their own. Politicians with an ax to grind

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Middle East, Opinion, Shoshana Bryen, USA

US, Israel Push Arab Allies for Joint Defense Pact Amid Iran Tensions

Published by Reuters By Aziz El Yaakoubi, Andrew Mills and Matt Spetalnick RIYADH (Reuters) – The United States and Israel are seeking to lay the groundwork for a security alliance with Arab states that would connect air defence systems to combat Iranian drone and missile attacks in the Middle East, four sources familiar with the

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Middle East