By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — It’s understandable, even if often immature, that individuals don’t speak to those they consider to be enemies. But it’s deplorable when states behave like that. That’s how I understood Ephraim Halevy, a former high ranking Israeli intelligence chief, when he spoke in Jerusalem earlier this week. His analyses based
Statecraft requires talking to your enemies Read More »
International, Middle East, USAReport: US considers withdrawing from UN human rights body, citing anti-Israel bias (JNS.org) The U.S. is reportedly considering withdrawing from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), a body that has been accused of harboring deep anti-Israel bias and favoring countries with authoritarian governments. A former State Department official said the UNHRC’s anti-Israel bias is
Middle East Roundup: February 27, 2017 Read More »
Middle EastTEL AVIV, Israel (Press Release) — Arsenic is the leading freshwater contaminant on the planet, affecting millions of people worldwide and causing an untold number of deaths every year. Removing arsenic from groundwater and freshwater is a major challenge still facing scientists and policymakers. Now a new Tel Aviv University study published in Nature Communications
Bacteria in a sponge species can render arsenic inert Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationWASHINGTON — For the second time, one of President Donald Trump’s appointees to head one of the nation’s armed services has withdrawn, citing difficulty in meeting ethics requirements. Philip Bilden, a former private equity investment manager who operated in Asia, had been nominated to be secretary of the Navy. He withdrew his nomination Sunday, three
Ethics concerns lead second of Trump’s armed services secretary nominees to withdraw Read More »
USAJimmy Kimmel opened Sunday’s Academy Awards show by acknowledging the political divide and promptly called President Trump a racist. The host’s opening monologue acknowledged the importance of having a serious conversation with someone who disagrees with you, saying that “if we all do that, we can make America great again.” And then he went there.
Jimmy Kimmel blasts Trump as racist in Oscars opener Read More »
Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USACYPRESS, Texas — A few hours after winning a state championship on Saturday, Mack Beggs came walking out of a conference room, flanked by his coach, with the entire Euless Trinity girls team in tow. Beggs, a 17-year-old transgender wrestler from Euless Trinity, had been the topic of this weekend’s state championships. Debates rose up
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The still unfolding story of Elor Azaria is only the latest saga reflecting the difficulties faced by Israel, and the struggle of officials and others to deal with contending values and aspirations. Azaria was an IDF draftee who became the center of events that seem to have been beyond the
Azaria case points up Israel’s complexity Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Arnold Flick, MD SAN DIEGO — I have been a member, or have watched many Jewish organizations in my life, beginning with Habonim in the 1930’s, AZA in the 1940’s, Federations in several cities, thereafter, and in San Diego have annually contributed to one or several Jewish organizations. The membership and tone of these
Op-Ed: J Street owes President Trump an apology Read More »
USALOS ANGELES — He was a retired Los Angeles County Superior Court judge who became an unlikely American TV icon, a white-haired jurist who was dubbed the “Solomon of Small Claims.” Judge Joseph A. Wapner, who presided over “The People’s Court” for 12 years in the 1980s and ’90s, has died, a family member told
Judge Joseph Wapner, who presided over ‘The People’s Court,’ dies at 97 Read More »
Obituaries & memorials, USAJust before members of Congress return to Washington next week, Politico has acquired and published a draft of a House Republican Affordable Care Act repeal bill. (They host the document here). House Majority Leader Paul Ryan has said the bill is undergoing scoring and pricing by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) — the nonpartisan agency
Here’s the draft of the Obamacare repeal and what it could mean for your healthcare Read More »
Science, Medicine, & Education, USAWASHINGTON — President Donald Trump claimed Sunday that the race for Democratic National Committee chairman had been “rigged”—drawing a quick response from Tom Perez, who narrowly won the party’s leadership race. Trump insinuated that Perez’s election as chairman on the second ballot at a party conference in Atlanta on Saturday was because Hillary Clinton had
‘…establish justice, insure domestic tranquility…’– From the preamble of the U.S. constitution By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — Just Sunday afternoon, I was gazing at an internet photo of cemetery headstones, some overturned, bearing names like Singer, Weiss, Goldstein and Markowitz three miles southeast of my apartment in Northeast Philadelphia. The desecration of nearly
Jackie Evancho had long tried to stay out of politics. The 16-year-old classical crossover singer agreed to perform the national anthem at President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, even as other musicians refused to participate, because she felt doing so was an honor and a duty to her country. She’s witnessed how politics can divide
Inauguration Singer Jackie Evancho on Trans Rights Read More »
USAFive others injured in digging accident on Rafah border while attempting to fix a shaft destroyed by the Egyptian army By Itamar Sharon and Times of Israel staff In this Monday, September 30, 2013 file photo, a Palestinian worker rests inside a smuggling tunnel in Rafah, on the border between Egypt and the southern Gaza
Hamas blames Egypt for death of 3 in Gaza tunnel Read More »
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