By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — One of the more problematic stories associated with the present wave of Palestinian violence is that of an attack on a security guard at a shopping mall in Maale Adumim. A video shows repeated blows with an ax, directed at the head of the security guard, which continue despite the […]
Shopping center attack fans Jewish distrust of Arabs Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastEU businesses urge ‘occupied territories’ labels for Israeli settlement products (JNS.org) The European Union (EU), responding to demands by businesses in its member nations, plans to step up its labeling measures for Israeli products by requiring farmers based beyond the 1967 lines to clearly label produce as coming from “the occupied territories,” Israel Hayom reported
Middle East Roundup: March 4, 2016 Read More »
Middle East
By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM — A sellout crowd of women packed the prestigious Jerusalem Theater a few weeks ago for, Sisters!The Daughters of Tzelofchad, the latest production of the Raise Your Spirits Theatre group. If someone just gave you a ticket without telling you the background of this all-female group of performers, you would be justified
Theatre group raises spirits of Gush Etzion residents Read More »
Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Toby Klein GreenwaldBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — France is proposing to lead the Middle East Quartet on a new foray into Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy. This is understandable as a part of French politics. The Palestinians, however, are setting up to be at least as difficult a client for France as they have ever been for the U.S. Of
French Mideast initiative will scare away Abbas Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenKnesset speaker calls out Palestinian incitement amid protests of U.K. visit (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) During a visit to London on Wednesday, Israeli Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud) addressed a group of 40 members of the British Parliament. Edelstein highlighted the dangers posed by anti-Israel incitement on Palestinian television channels, radio stations, and social media
Middle East Roundup: March 3, 2016 Read More »
Middle EastThe Dream of Zion: The Story of the First Zionist Congress by Lawrence J. Epstein, Rowman & Littlefield, New York; ISBN 978-1-4422-5466-5 ©2016, $36.00, p. 137, plus chronology and references. By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — Professor emeritus Lawrence Epstein in his newest book The Dream of Zion, argues that the nineteenth-century European Enlightenment’s
‘The Dream of Zion’ focuses on the life of Herzl Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, International, Jewish History, Middle EastIsrael’s U.N. envoy blasts ‘pure anti-Semitism’ of Palestinian foreign minister (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki on Tuesday called on all nations of the world to deny entry to Israeli settlers, comments that Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon described as “pure anti-Semitism.” “The international community must not
Middle East Roundup: March 2, 2016 Read More »
Middle East
By Yedidya Hazani KIBBUTZ HANNATON, Israel — Can hummus and soccer bridge rivalry? Can joyful music and dancing overpower political differences? Can acceptance of shared values rise out of contradictions in religion, culture, or upbringing? And, is it possible to maintain civic life, apart from political life? All these questions arise, both formally and informally,
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Recent articles in the New York Times suggest a comparison between the leaderships of Palestine and the American Republican Party. One article details the miserable position of Mahmoud Abbas, old, weak, rejected by a substantial portion of Palestinians, and dithering between supporting and opposing the current wave of violence against
Israel’s problems: The P.A.’s President, next U.S. one Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USAIDF rescues 2 Israeli soldiers mobbed in Qalandiya refugee camp (JNS.org) Five Israeli Border Police officers were injured when security forces entered the Qalandiya refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, on Monday night to rescue two non-combat soldiers who had accidentally driven into the area and were attacked by a local Palestinian mob that stoned
Middle East Roundup: March 1, 2016 Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The British Prime Minister David Cameron upset quite a few of us with this. “I am well known for being a strong friend of Israel, but I have to say the first time I visited Jerusalem and had a proper tour around that wonderful city and saw what had happened
British PM’s Jerusalem comments disturb Israelis Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The decision to establish an egalitarian prayer area at the Western Wall on seemingly same terms as the two Orthodox ones that are now there (one for women and one for men) may be theologically dubious in the eyes of some of us, but it has been politically most
New Kotel section a victory for progressive Judaism Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Several of our headlines have dealt with an issue that is always in the near background: Who are the Palestinians and Israeli Arabs? How do they think? Is there any chance of living in a condition of peace, or at least reasonable quiet? One of the headlines came from responses
The clash and confluence of Jewish, Arab cultures Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Boaz Bismuth/Israel Hayom/JNS.org Everything has already been said about Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination: that the GOP establishment is wary of him, that he intentionally makes provocative declarations, that he is nothing more than a passing fad, and that he will ultimately fail. Yet in the meantime, the billionaire businessman
Trump explains his ‘neutral’ approach to Mideast Read More »
Middle East