International

Setting straight the factoid crowd

 By Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — What’s a factoid? According to one definition, it’s a questionable or spurious (unverified, false, or fabricated) statement presented as a fact, but without supporting evidence. (Wikipedia) Factoids are what passes for knowledge among Westerners who vilify Israel and describe it as apartheid, neo-Nazi, warmongering, and more. Advocates for

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Middle East, Steve Kramer

Internet changes form, not substance, of politics

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Last week, while getting my nightly dose of a discussion program, I heard a political scientist talk about her research via Facebook and other meeting places on the Internet. She claimed that the number of Likes, and their changes over time, indicated the rise and fall of politicians. Maybe. Her presentation was

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Growing disaproval for Israel’s chief rabbinate

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Israelis appear to like the Pope more than their Chief Rabbis. 50% of all Israelis (the highest figure in any non-Christian country) approve of the current leader of the Catholic Church and only 25% disapprove while 67% of Israelis are against the continued existence of the country’s chief rabbinate. The data

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Jewish Religion, Middle East

Daily Jewish news briefs: January 2, 2015

Compiled by JNS.org Southern Israelis protest IDF decision to end security for Gaza-border communities (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has decided to end its security presence along the communities adjacent to the Israel-Gaza border, sparking strong protests by the area’s residents. Following Operation Protective Edge, the IDF deployed hundreds of soldiers

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International, Middle East, USA

P.A. seeks to join Int’l Criminal Court

NEW YORK (Press Release) –The American Jewish Committee (AJC) denounced Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s application for International Criminal Court (ICC) membership as an unconscionable blow to the peace process. Abbas announced Wednesday, Dec. 31, at a Ramallah rally celebrating the 50th anniversary of his Fatah party that he had signed the Rome Statute, the ICC

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International, Middle East, USA

Hatikvah Slate calls ZOA charges ‘hysterical’

NEW YORK (Press Release)–The U.S. Area Elections Committee chair has found that there is no basis for the request made by the ZOA to disqualify the Hatikvah progressive Zionist slate, established for the upcoming World Zionist Congress elections in the United States. Ironically, the ZOA is attempting to delegitimize the ideological heirs of those who

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Middle East, USA