By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel (Press Release)– There are days when you think: No, this nightmare can’t be real! Is the Obama Administration really so bad? Have the policymakers really taken leave of their senses? And then you see this: The U.S. Consulate-General in Saudi Arabia “hosted Dr. Trita Parsi, founder and President of the […]
U.S. sponsors speech by Iranian apologist in Saudi Arabia Read More »
Middle East, USAJERUSALEM (Press Release)– Providing teens and young adults from abroad with a continuum of experiences in Israel and creating social action opportunities in Israel for young Israelis and Jews from abroad will serve as the focus of the work of the Jewish Agency for Israel, its Board of Governors decided Monday, Oct. 25. These areas of
Jewish Agency refines its plans to introduce young Diaspora Jewry to Israel Read More »
Middle East
By Bruce Kesler ENCINITAS, California– “Is ‘Palestinian-killer’ the new ‘Christ-killer’?” was the first question that occurred to me as I read news reports that a meeting of Catholic Bishops from the Middle East condemned Israel, called for withdrawal to 1967 borders, and asserted that Jews have no Biblical right to Israel. I just read the actual statement of
Pro-Palestinian cleric hijacks statement from Middle East bishops Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Two items are front and center in the Israeli media. One is American and one Israeli. Both are important in their own right, and may spill over to what had been the principal issue of the peace process. Palestinians should be worrying that Americans are concerned with their dirty laundry,
Bad news for Palestinians: Israel and U.S. focused on other matters Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Two questions come to mind on reading about the latest release of secret material by WikiLeaks: Will this provide the same push to anti-war activists as the Pentagon Papers in 1971? and will anyone notice that the ugliness associated with the Americans and their allies dwarfs the charges levied against
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel–A reader asks: “You wrote, `But if Israel defined it’s final boundaries before negotiations, the Palestinian Authority [says it] would return to the talks. Israel won’t do that, of course.’ Why is that `of course’”? I first joked that it was because the article was getting to be too long. In
Palestinian negotiating tactics: give nothing, insist on everything Read More »
Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Now appearing in Pyongyang: North Korean missile; Iranian nose cone. Ain’t international cooperation wonderful? Joshua Pollack, a very smart arms’ expert, has just published an article and a paper on cooperation between these two countries which is well worth reading. One point really caught my eye. Iran’s news agency
Political bedfellows: Communist North Korea and Islamist Iran Read More »
International, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Is the sky falling? Or only part of that over the Jewish community of the United States? The signs appear in one New York Times article that takes seriously the prospect of a Palestinian state declared unilaterally, with the support of prominent international bodies and maybe even the acquiescence of
Is American Jewish community getting restive over Israel? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– In a speech to the American Task Force on Palestine, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emphasized that both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian must be prepared to make concessions and to realize benefits from peace. Here is a text of the speech she made on Wednesday, Oct. 20, at the Ritz Carlton
Clinton tells American Task Force for Palestine concessions are necessary by both sides Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Due to the co-existence of Hebrew and secular calendars, Israelis can celebrate events twice. The vast majority operate according to the secular calendar, but events close to a religious holiday tend to be remembered as such. Varda was born on hay b’Tishri, (five days after Rosh Hashana), so
On 15th anniversary of assassination, Rabin’s legacy debated Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastJERUSALEM (WJC) — Following protests in Israel and abroad, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he wants to include Jews in a bill that would require new Israeli citizens to swear loyalty to the country as a “Jewish and democratic state” when taking citizenship. Netanyahu gave instructions to the justice minister to extend the controversial
Netanyahu says Jews too should take Israeli loyalty oath Read More »
Middle East
JERUSALEM (Press Release)–The head of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Tuesday, Oct. 19, visited the Rogosin-Bialik School in Tel Aviv, a diverse inner-city school with students from nearly 40 countries, where he met with children of migrant workers who are threatened with deportation. “We care about you, and in the spirit of Jewish values, we
Foxman promises help to children of migrant workers in Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–I’ve been urging Kaddish for the idea of the Palestinian state ever since the sound of exploding buses replaced enthusiasm for the Oslo Accords. That puts me against many people who consider themselves right thinking, and perhaps a large majority of those who are leaders of their countries. On the other hand,
What would change if UN recognized Palestine as independent? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–The following statement is issued by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon. U.S. and Israeli delegations, headed by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon, met today in Washington to continue the semi-annual U.S.-Israel Strategic Dialogue. The
U.S., Israel vow continued pressure on Iran Read More »
Middle East