By Yissachar Ruas OFF ISRAEL’S COASTLINE — Israel’s Navy is the IDF’s smallest branch and the least known. Israel’s navy actually predates the establishment of the State, existing as the Mossad LeAliya Bet, the Haganah’s illegal immigration organization, running ships through the British blockade in an attempt to rescue Jews from Europe and smuggle them […]
Israeli Navy rescues friend and foe alike Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– Sari Nusseibeh, the Palestinian public intellectual, activist and president of Al Quds University, paraphrases in his memoir, Once Upon a Country (p. 446), what he wrote in 2001: The average Israeli sought security and a Jewish state, and the average Palestinian sought freedom from occupation. There was an astoundingly simple
Some issues are meant to preserve status quo Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Jews are nervous. That is a chronic condition, now heightened by talk of boycott, helped along by the likes of John Kerry and Thomas Friedman. Shimon Peres is joining those who say the conditions.are ripe for Israel to.make peace with the Palestinians, and it better succeed or else. On the ground however,where
Despite BDS, things are great for Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
JERUSALEM (WJC) – A delegation of 43 Argentinean Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders and politicians has arrived in the Middle East for a goodwill tour to the region to promote peace and mutual understanding. The group met on Thursday, Feb. 20, with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah, who expressed his belief that peace
Inter-religious Argentine delegation visits Ramallah Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Two dramatic events, or maybe not so dramatic. Commentators see possibilities, while the rest of us will wait and see what comes next, if anything. One has optimists hopping. The other is sobering, but may portend significant responses. The event seen as a sign of hope was a presentation made
Good news in Ramallah, bad news in Sinai Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) on Wednesday, Feb. 19, responded to the announcement that President Obama has appointed Robert Malley to serve as a senior director of the National Security Council, a powerful post inside the White House. RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks stated: “We are profoundly disappointed to see Robert
RJC finds Malley appointment ‘deeply troubling’ Read More »
Middle EastJERUSALEM (Press Release)–Israeli Ministers Avigdor Liberman, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Tzipy Livni, Minister of Justice and Dr. Yuval Steinitz, Minister of Intelligence and Strategic Affairs, as well as Opposition Leader Yitzhak Herzog and Mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat addressed leaders of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in briefings Tuesday, Feb. 18,
Jewish leaders weigh education, peace negotiations Read More »
Middle East
JERUSALEM (Press Release) – The Knesset’s Committee for Aliyah, Absorption and Diaspora, headed by MK Yoel Razvozov visited Nefesh B’Nefesh offices on Tuesday morning, Feb. 18. The committee toured the various departments of the organization and was able to experience the organization’s activities to encourage and increase Aliyah from North America firsthand. Various options to
Knesset members tour Nefesh B’Nefesh offices Read More »
Middle East
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM (TNA) –The five Palestinian suspects arrested in connection with the rock attack that left three-year-old Adele Biton from the Yakir community in critical condition nearly one year ago, heard from Adele’s mother during their trial last Thursday, February 13. In March 2013, three-year-old Adele Biton was critically injured following a Palestinian
Mother tells of tot’s coma following rock-throwing Read More »
Middle East
By Aryeh Savir JERUSALEM (TNA)– The remnants of a rural town that was lived in for approximately two centuries during the Second Temple Period were uncovered near the ‘Burma Road’, on the main route to Jerusalem. In June 2013, Israel Natural Gas Lines began construction of the 35km-long project, which runs from the coast
Hasmonean-era village site found by gas company Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — A sizable majority of American Jews support Israel. With respect to those who do and don’t, one of the stronger explanations is affiliation with a temple or synagogue. Affiliated Jews are more likely to support Israel, and the Orthodox stand out as more supportive than those in other congregations. No
Waves of immigration changed Israeli ideology Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– Chapter 16 of the memoir, Once Upon a Country, by the distinguished Palestinian public intellectual, spokesman, activist, philosopher and current president of Al Quds University Sari Nusseibeh is called, “Annex Us!” It tells how he rattled Israelis and confused Palestinians by proposing that Israel annex the West Bank and Gaza.
Alternative to two-state solution won’t benefit Israel Read More »
Middle EastJERUSALEM–The President of the EU Parliament, Martin Schulz, came to Israel and addressed the Knesset in what was mostly a ceremonial occasion to demonstrate his credentials as a friend of Israel and an opponent of boycotts. But one poorly crafted sentence brought forth an uproar. It didn’t help that he was speaking in German. There
Schulz’s water comment a diplomatic gaffe Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Thanks to Martin Schulz, president of the European parliament, and Naftali Bennett, Israeli cabinet minister and leader of the Habaayit Hayehudi party, we’ve all become experts on the amount of water Arab residents of the West Bank get in comparison to what their neighbors, the settlers, use. You don’t need any
Debating Israel’s residential water allocations Read More »
Middle East