By Rev. Gabriel Naddaf NAZARETH, Israel –It’s hard to be a Christian Arab in Israel, but not because of prejudice My name is Gabriel Naddaf, and I have the privilege of being a Greek Orthodox priest from Nazareth in the Galilee. My people have mistakenly been called “Christian Arabs”, but the reality is that we
Aramean priest tells why he supports Israel Read More »
Middle East
EDIRNE, Turkey (WJC)–The deputy CEO of the World Jewish Congress, Maram Stern, was in Turkey this week to take part in the re-opening ceremony of the Great Synagogue of Edirne, which was restored for $2.5 million and is the first synagogue to open in Turkey in two generations. Guest of honor at the ceremony was
Great Synagogue of Edirne, Turkey, reopens Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastIranian foreign minister: no nuclear deal unless all sanctions immediately lifted (JNS.org) Iran is insisting that all sanctions against the country be lifted immediately as part of any nuclear deal with world powers. “This is the position that the government has insisted on from the start,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad
Jewish news briefs: March 26, 2015 Read More »
Middle East, USABy Abraham H. Foxman NEW YORK — As someone who was critical of several steps by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the campaign leading up to his reelection, particularly his decision to address Congress and his statement seeming to reject a Palestinian state, I am even more troubled by statements now coming out of
U.S. must reexamine relations with Palestinians too Read More »
Middle East, USAWASHINGTON, DC (Press Release)—Congressman Peter Roskam (R-Illinois) and Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-New York), two co-chairs of the House Republican Israel Caucus, joined with other House colleagues in sending a letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs urging the panel to prohibit funding for further U.S. involvement in dangerous P5+1
House GOP members seek to cut P5+1 funding Read More »
Middle East, USATEL AVIV (Press Release) — Tracking the rotation speed of solid planets, like the Earth and Mars, is a relatively simple task: Just measure the time it takes for a surface feature to roll into view again. But giant gas planets Jupiter and Saturn are more problematic for planetary scientists, as they both lack measureable solid
Saturn’s day computed at 10 hrs., 32 mins., 44 secs. Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Comments by Benyamin Netanyahu and Yair Garbuz, said to be the “racism” of right and left, remind us that Israelis, like the voters of numerous other countries, bring their family backgrounds with them to the polls. Ethnicity, religiosity, and social class explain a good deal of recent voting, but not all of
How Israelis divided their votes Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM — Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin appointed outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the responsibility of forming the 34th government of Israel on Wednesday evening, March 25. At a special ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, the President signed the official letter of appointment in his office with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Rivlin to Netanyahu: Repair relations with U.S. Read More »
Middle East, USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–During a joint appearance at the White House with Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday, March 24, President Obama was questioned by a reporter about the deteriorating U.S.-Israel relationship. Here is a transcript of that exchange, released on Wednesday, March 25, by the White House. Q Thank you, Mr. President. You’ve made
Obama: No Palestinian state overnight Read More »
Middle East, USABy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Like most – if not all – of my friends, I was disappointed by the outcome of Israel’s recent general election. Perhaps I was not quite as disappointed as some of them, as I had been expecting a result along the lines of what actually transpired. I still
Status quo voters will have themselves to blame Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Michael Ordman NETANYA, Israel — Jewish tradition connects the five books of Moses (the Torah) with water. For a healthy life, our sages say that you cannot go three days without either. Recently there have been many news stories from Israel on the theme of water – all focusing on the Israeli priority of
Positively Israel ~ March 25, 2015 Read More »
Michael Ordman, Middle EastIsraeli court sentences Hamas terrorist to 15½ years in prison (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Israel’s Beersheba District Court on Tuesday sentenced 24-year-old Muhammad Abu Draz, an operative of Hamas’s Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, to 15½ years in prison after convicting him of membership in a terrorist organization, conspiracy to commit an act of terror, attempted murder,
Jewish news briefs: March 25, 2015 Read More »
Middle East, USAWASHINGTON, D.C. — White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough laid out President Obama’s positions on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, and the negotiations between the P5+1 countries and Iran, during an address to J Street, which is meeting in convention in the nation’s capital. Following is a transcript of those portions
What White House staff chief told J Street Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Anav Silverman TEL AVIV (Tazpit) — With one week to go before Passover, 110 new Ukrainian immigrants landed in Israel on Tuesday morning, March 24. The majority of newcomers are refugees who fled the fighting zones in the eastern part of the Ukraine including the husband of a woman killed by a direct rock
110 olim from Ukraine arrive for Passover Read More »
International, Middle East