By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — I do view myself as a centrist in politics. Or perhaps more accurately, as an apolitical political scientist. I’ve never had a strong party identification, either during that half of my life when I voted in the US, or the latter half voting in Israel. I view politics as the
Mulling options in Israel’s upcoming election Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Israelis appear to like the Pope more than their Chief Rabbis. 50% of all Israelis (the highest figure in any non-Christian country) approve of the current leader of the Catholic Church and only 25% disapprove while 67% of Israelis are against the continued existence of the country’s chief rabbinate. The data
Growing disaproval for Israel’s chief rabbinate Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastCompiled by JNS.org Southern Israelis protest IDF decision to end security for Gaza-border communities (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has decided to end its security presence along the communities adjacent to the Israel-Gaza border, sparking strong protests by the area’s residents. Following Operation Protective Edge, the IDF deployed hundreds of soldiers
Daily Jewish news briefs: January 2, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USA-Summary by JNS.org– Palestinian terrorist behind murder of 3 teens convicted (Israel Hayom/ Exclusive to JNS.org) Husam Qawasmeh, the Palestinian terrorist who planned kidnapping and murder of Israeli teens Gil-ad Shaer, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach last June, was convicted in a military court on Wednesday on all charges against him. Qawasmeh admitted to planning
Daily Jewish News Briefs: January 1, 2015 Read More »
Middle East
NEW YORK (Press Release) –The American Jewish Committee (AJC) denounced Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s application for International Criminal Court (ICC) membership as an unconscionable blow to the peace process. Abbas announced Wednesday, Dec. 31, at a Ramallah rally celebrating the 50th anniversary of his Fatah party that he had signed the Rome Statute, the ICC
P.A. seeks to join Int’l Criminal Court Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
NEW YORK (Press Release)–The U.S. Area Elections Committee chair has found that there is no basis for the request made by the ZOA to disqualify the Hatikvah progressive Zionist slate, established for the upcoming World Zionist Congress elections in the United States. Ironically, the ZOA is attempting to delegitimize the ideological heirs of those who
Hatikvah Slate calls ZOA charges ‘hysterical’ Read More »
Middle East, USAU.N. Security Council rejects Palestinian statehood resolution (JNS.org) The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday rejected a Palestinian resolution that called for an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank by 2017 and the establishment of a Palestinian state with borders based on the pre-1967 lines. The United States and Australia voted against the measure,
JNS news briefs: December 31, 2014 Read More »
International, Middle EastCAIRO, Egypt (WJC) — Magda Haroun, the head of the tiny Jewish community of Egypt, described a court ruling banning the annual Abu Hasira festival as “unconstitutional.” The Alexandria Administrative Court on Monday banned the celebration of the Abu Hasira festival, saying it violated public order. “The Jews have not had any particular impact on the
Egyptian court nullifies Jewish festival Read More »
Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release) — The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) filed an objection/complaint on Monday, Dec. 29, with the election officials administering the upcoming World Zionist Congress election, to disqualify a group that misleadingly calls itself the “HaTikvah slate,” because the group Ameinu of the “HaTikvah slate” lobbies for international sanctions against Israeli leaders whose political positions
ZOA wants ‘HaTikvah slate’ disqualified by WZC Read More »
Middle East, USAUNITED NATIONS, N.Y. (Press Release) –The United States, as well as Australia and five other countries, prevented the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution pushed by the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League. The measure “is not constructive, sets arbitrary deadlines and fails to account for Israel’s security needs,” the U.S. State Department said prior
Palestine deadline bid rejected by Security Council Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM (Tazpit) — Israeli President Reuven Rivlin hosted the traditional state reception for leaders of Israel’s Christian leaders to mark the civil New Year on Tuesday morning, December 30. The event was attended by nine heads of various churches in Israel and senior members of the community. Both the Israeli president and
Rivlin, Christians hope 2015 will be better Read More »
Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Saudi Arabia does not control the price of oil, but it is trying to manipulate the current, temporary, price decline for its own purposes — and it should be careful. The price of oil, like any commodity, is subject to immutable laws of supply and demand. The addition of
Saudis deploy oil weapon against Iran, Russia Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — In his lifetime, Ovadia Yosef – a former Sephardi chief rabbi of Israel, said to have been a great rabbinic scholar – was also a kind-of supreme leader/ayatollah of the ultra-Orthodox Sephardi Shas party. He now seems to continue to rule it from the grave. Though his earthly home
With election coming, Shas’s split gets uglier Read More »
Middle EastHosting Christian leaders, Israeli president laments persecution of Mideast minorities (JNS.org) The persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East is “a cause of great worry and pain,” Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said Tuesday upon his hosting of Israeli Christian leaders for a reception to mark the New Year. During 2014, arguably
JNS news briefs: December 30, 2014 Read More »
International, Middle East, USA