By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–There are far more questions than answers. There may be a new country being formed. It won’t be a welcome addition, as judged by the various governments sending units of their armed forces to attempt an abortion. Those associated with the movement, variously called the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria […]
The Gordian knot of Iraq Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–Responding to reports that a Palestinian man with U.S. citizenship had been arrested and beaten by Israeli police, the U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki issued this statement on Saturday, July 5: “We can confirm that Tariq Khdeir, an American citizen, is being held by Israeli authorities in Jerusalem. He was visited
U.S. troubled over report U.S. citizen beaten in Israel Read More »
Middle East, USAHigh school matriculation exams held in Sderot despite rocket fire (JNS.org) Many high school students in Sderot were forced to sit through their matriculation exams on Thursday under continual Color Red sirens as rocket fire continued from the Gaza Strip on southern Israel. Aviv Levy, a 10th grader who took his communications exam on Thursday,
JNS news briefs: July 4, 2014 Read More »
Middle East
By Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel –On my recent visit to America, good friends asked me to explain why Israel continues to build settlements, “when peace is so close.” Fundamental to understanding why Israel continues to build homes in “settlements,” (communities located beyond the 1949 Armistice Line), is this reality: there will be no peace
Why Jews settle beyond the Green Line Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer
By Stanley Tiger SAN DIEGO– Regarding the recent vote by the Presbyterian Church (USA) to join the BDS – a.k.a. Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel: Perhaps the most sarcastic among us should be saying, with a quasi-sincere heart, “congratulations!” Your organization has finally bitten the poisoned apple, a process of seduction which has been
Letter to Presby. Church USA: J’accuse Read More »
Middle East, USABy Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California –When word came, like an advancing nightmare, that three Jewish teenagers had been abducted in the West Bank—a tortured, biblical landscape of stony hills and olive groves—we held little faith that they would ever see their parents again. Old men, so many of them wearing the garb of piety
Young men’s murders are all senseless Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — “If indeed an Arab youth has been murdered for nationalistic motives, this is a horrifying, shocking act. There is no difference in blood. Murder is murder, whatever one’s nationality or age. There is no justification, no forgiveness and no atonement for any murder whatsoever.” These are not the
Mourning the teenage victims of religious hatred Read More »
Middle East
WASHINGTON, D.C. (SDJW) — Immigration, Civil Rights and the murder of a Palestinian teenager were among the preoccupations of Jewish members (names in boldface type) of Congress in the week leading up to the nation’s Independence Day holiday on July 4th. U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) released a statement on efforts to address the humanitarian
Migrants, civil rights, Mideast preoccupy Jewish solons Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Dmitriy Shapiro/JNS.org/Washington Jewish Week With a little more than a year until convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard is eligible for parole, a group of nine prominent legal scholars has sent a letter to President Barack Obama arguing for Pollard’s early release. The group of scholars and professors at top universities—led by Harvard Law
Scholars give 10 reasons for Pollard’s release Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Aryeh Savir JERUSALEM — Children around the world have begun their summer vacation this week; many will attend camps, experiencing the riches of life summer can offer. They will play, do arts and crafts or go to the pool. The summer camps in Gaza offer a different kind of summer experience. This year,
Hamas trains its children at terror camps Read More »
Middle EastGaza rockets strike several houses in Sderot (JNS.org) A barrage of 13 rockets from Gaza pounded Israel’s southern communities on Thursday, July 3. Overnight and in the early morning hours, six rockets hit the city of Sderot alone, with three of those rockets hitting houses in the city. No injuries were reported, but the blasts
JNS news briefs: July 3, 2014 Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Soon after finding the bodies of three young men, right wing politicians and activists called for the death penalty, large scale aggression against Hamas and other Palestinians, in order to solve the problem of terror once and for all. The killing of three young men touched a lot of Israelis,
Israel, P.A. likely to return to status quo ante Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Daniel Sokatch NEW YORK — I know you are worried about what’s going on in Israel. I am too. Israel buried three teenagers who were kidnapped and murdered. It was a devastating act perpetuated by extremists determined to shed innocent blood and to provoke further conflict. Even while the funeral was going on Tuesday,
New Israel Fund decries extremism Read More »
Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — On June 30, the Embassy of Israel announced: “With great sadness we must announce the bodies of Eyal, Gilad and Naftali have been found near Hebron. Our thoughts are with their families.” Their tragic end wasn’t inevitable, but almost so. Hamas kidnapped three Israeli teenagers returning from school to
Kidnap lesson: Terrorists must never control territory Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen