By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–It seems that expressions of commitment to a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians that politicians on both sides are currently mouthing in front of TV cameras are intended for foreign consumption; unlike some hopefuls abroad, locals aren’t fooled by them. Now when US envoy George Mitchell is again in
As for the Israelis and Palestinians, the status is quo Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — Regardless of the eventual political outcome, and assuming that an Iranian nuclear missile doesn’t vaporize the Holy City and the millions of Jews, Muslims, and Christians who inhabit it and the greater biblical land—we Jews will mention the city several times in our weekly Sabbath prayers that begin
Jerusalem, no matter what, is eternally Jewish Read More »
Middle East
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel (Press Release)–History does not simply repeat itself, wrote Karl Marx. It often happens that a phenomenon’s first round is a tragedy; the second round is a farce. So is it today as thousands of young people devote themselves to extreme left-wing causes, including the destruction of their own countries, democracy, and
Parallelism seen in communists of yesteryear and Islamists of today Read More »
International, Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Yes, it is as bad as it seems. When U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton protests the fact that the Syrian government lied to her about its missile supplies to Hizballah, she instructed those meeting with the Syrians on their talking points. It is amazing how the Obama Administration
U.S. stance on Syria shows Obama’s weakness Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Palestinian Authority (PA) is moving away from the principle of a negotiated settlement with Israel under the auspices of the United States because it seems to have concluded that the United States is unable to force or bribe Israel into abandoning its fundamental principles, that: a) The State of
As U.S. role fades, Palestinians invest their anti-Israel hopes in U.N. Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenHAIFA (Press Release)– Prof. Ido Izhaki, head of the Carmel Research Center at Israel’s University of Haifa, recommends after the massive fire: “Let nature take its course” “The forest on the Carmel Mountains is adapted to fires. Some vegetation species have developed resistance to fire and some have developed a dependence on fire, such as the
If left alone, Carmel forest will grow back, professor asserts Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Shmully Hecht NEW HAVEN, Connecticut — The Oslo Accords died on October 11, 2010, after a long and painful terminal illness. Oslo Accords died around October 11th after a lifetime of wretched illnesses. Born to great fanfare, Oslo never lived up to the messianic expectations set by the many mid-wives who attended and
Oslo Accords, September 13, 1993 – October 11, 2010, RIP Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Often, small details give a tremendous insight into political realities. Such an example is the remark made by a high-ranking Palestinian official about the tragic fire in northern Israel. When the fire broke out, 40 Israeli prison guards were rushed to a prison to evacuate the prisoners there in
Palestinian leaders yell political theatre at a crowded Israeli fire Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It is easy to blame Binyamin Netanyahu’s right of center coalition for the failure of the American peace initiative. Examined in isolation, it seems clear that five parties with 61 seats in the 120 member Knesset are standing in the way of that 90 day extension of the building freeze,
Blaming Israeli rightwingers for frozen peace efforts is for the intellectually simple Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastNEW YORK (Press Release)– ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) reacts with alarm to a recent report that 50 leading Israeli municipal chief rabbis, all employed by the State of Israel, have signed on to a religious ruling that forbids renting homes to Gentiles–a move particularly aimed against Arabs. This ruling comes just months
ARZA condemns Israeli rabbis who forbid renting homes to non-Jews Read More »
Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– Representative Steve Rothman (D-NJ), a member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, released the following statement on the $205 million allocated toward Iron Dome, an advanced Israeli anti-rocket system, that has been included in the continuing resolution (H.R. 3082) to fund the rest of Fiscal Year 2011 that passed Wednesday evening,
House approves continued funding of Iron Dome, Israel’s advanced anti-rocket system Read More »
Middle East
YEMIN ORDE, Israel (Press Release)– Embers still smolder in Israel’s Carmel Mountains. Yemin Orde Youth Village, home to more than 400 at-risk immigrant youth ages 8-19, sustained considerable damage as a result of the worst fire in Israel’s history. Forty percent of the buildings are in ashes. The library is lost. The fire devastated the
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — The Washington Post’s editorial, “Mr. Mubarak vs. Mr. Obama,” has two passages especially worthy of notice. Among U.S. daily city newspapers, the Post has been the best generally at understanding the serious trouble created by the Obama Administration’s mistakes and misunderstandings. In this editorial, it urges the U.S government to
Wikileaks expose America’s waning influence in the Midle East Read More »
Middle East, USAJERUSALEM (Press Release)–Calling it a “perversion of Jewish and democratic values,” the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Tuesday, Dec. 7, condemned a petition signed by dozens of rabbis in Israel prohibiting their followers from renting homes to gentiles. ADL’s Israel Office issued the following statement: “It is outrageous and unacceptable that rabbis across Israel are promoting
ADL denounces call by Israeli rabbis for religious tests in housing Read More »
Middle East