Middle East

Escapees, Covid and Sukkahs Major Topics of Israeli News

Three main items on our news. First, security personnel have caught the final two escapees, in Jenin. Apparently with some help from Palestinians via Israel intelligence operatives. Second, Israel continues to give third booster shots to all those above 12 years of age, despite an FDA vote approving third booster shots to those 65 years and older. Third, the City of Jerusalem has destroyed a jerry-built Succah in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Good News from Israel (September 19, 2021)

NETANYA, Israel — In the Sept. 19, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include: 
–3 million Israelis have had their Covid antibodies boosted tenfold.
–Israeli surgeons successfully separate twins conjoined by their heads.
–Israel’s first female Muslim IDF Major.
–An Israeli startup converts text into video read by an animated narrator.
–The value of Israel’s trade with Arab states in 2021 is triple that of 2020.
–Israeli pianist wins international record contract.
–The Land of Israel reveals more Jewish history. [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

San Diego Jewish Community Condemns AFT 1931 Resolution on Israel and Palestine

Jewish Federation of San Diego County strongly condemns the San Diego Community College American Federation of Teachers Guild Local 1931’s “Statement Regarding the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” and we do so with the full support of our valued community partners listed below. We are dismayed to find that the union representing community college and continuing education faculty and other employees in the San Diego Community College District and the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District voted in support of this misguided and simplistic statement that has caused sadness, fear, and anger as a result of its false claims and incendiary language. This statement creates an unsafe atmosphere for Jewish and Israeli students, faculty and staff, and other members of the San Diego and Grossmont Community College Communities. Consider how an anxious Jewish student might feel walking into the classroom of a professor who supported this statement. Consider the situation a Jewish junior member of faculty now finds themselves in with a department chair who supported the statement.  [Jewish Federation of San Diego County]

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Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Burlington, Vermont, Grapples with Israel-Palestinian Conflict

Twas two nights before Yom Kippur, when all through Burlington City Hall, a half-mile from Lake Champlain’s eastern shore, many a creature of sorts was stirring…stirring up unrest for Jewish Vermonters, 5,400 miles from the land that inspired a City Council resolution urging “justice and (a) peaceful end to (the) Palestine and Israel conflict.” [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA

Jewish New Year Presents New Opportunities for Thousands of Young Adults from US and Worldwide

NEW YORK (Press Release) — On Thursday, September 2, an advertisement in New York City’s Times Square displayed a send-off message to thousands of Masa Israel Journey (“Masa”) Fellows who are starting their long-term, immersive experiences in Israel. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of young adults from around the world have arrived in or are

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Middle East, USA

Blinken to meet Israel, Arab states as US hails normalization

Published by AFP Washington (AFP) – President Joe Biden’s administration will meet Friday with Israeli and Arab leaders to celebrate a normalization accord overseen by Donald Trump one year ago, calling it a step toward peace with the Palestinians. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s virtual meeting with his counterparts from Israel, the United Arab

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Middle East

Egypt’s president stresses calm between Palestinians and Israel

Published by DPA Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stressed the need to maintain calm between Palestinians and Israel following talks with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday, according to the Egyptian presidency website. It was the first time in 10 years that an Israeli prime minister was an official guest of Egypt. “The president

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Middle East

Iran’s Strategy Works

By Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — While the U.S. and the Europeans dawdle and vacillate at the JCPOA (Iran nuclear agreement) meetings – or non-meetings – in Vienna, Iran gets ever closer to nuclear weapons capability. This situation is very dangerous to Israel and the West. Europe and the U.S. are oblivious to this,

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Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

Palestinians’ Prison Break Dominates Israeli News

The big news here is of the breakout from a “security” prison by six Palestinians. They’re all of the Jihad Islamis, and apparently with a great deal of luck, or perhaps help from some of their jailers. Over the course of some six months, they dug out from under a toilet in one of their cells, under the walls, and emerged only a few meters away. And they eluded capture from many who were hunting them from the police and other security forces.  [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Russia, Israel Need Working Accord on Syria

Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid made a quick trip to Moscow just after the end of the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) to meet with his counterpart, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.  The meeting was focused on Iran, the nuclear threat, and Iranian activities elsewhere, particularly Syria. It is clear that Israeli-Russian relations need a restart. [Stephen D. Bryen]

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International, Middle East, Stephen D. Bryen, USA

StandWithUs Says AFT Guild 1931 Fuels Antisemitism

StandWithUs is deeply disturbed by the bias and misrepresentations in the AFT Guild Local 1931 statement. Simply writing “we’re not antisemites” does not eliminate the antisemitic nature and impact of this statement, which at its core denies Israel’s right to self-defense, and the Jewish peoples’ right to decide what constitutes antisemitism. [StandWithUs)

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Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

AFT Local Representing Community College Faculty Denounces Israel

The local guild of the American Federation of Teachers serving faculty members of the San Diego Community Colleges as well as its Continuing Education Branch, and faculty at Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College has adopted a resolution denouncing Israel, while leaving unmentioned the more than 3,000 rockets fired by Hamas from Gaza during the recent violence with Israel. [AFT Local 1931 press release]

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA