Israeli Arab who helped Syrian rebels sentenced (JNS.org) The Israeli government on Monday sentenced an Arab-Israeli man who joined Syrian rebels fighting against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to 30 months in prison. Israeli authorities accused Hikmat Massarwa of receiving small-arms training from radical Islamists in Syria, where he was also asked to […]
JNS news briefs: July 8, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Chaos in Syria and now in Egypt, with instability in Lebanon increasing as Hezbollah is deeply involved in Syria. Hamas in Gaza is most likely planning its response to the problems of its patron in Egypt. Jordan’s king may be even more worried than usual about threats to his regime,
Egyptian coup another example of Muddled East politics Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastTwo explosions rock Eilat (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Two powerful explosions echoed through the Red Sea resort town of Eilat on Thursday night, shortly before 10 p.m. A Color Red alert did not sound beforehand. Several city residents dialed the police emergency hotline and reported the blasts. The Israel Defense Forces and police dispatched personnel
JNS news briefs: July 5, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The similarities and differences between Barack Obama and Benyamin Netanyahu tell us something about politics. For cynics, they are two peas in a pod who happen to coincide, and deserve one another. Both are attractive physically and know how to speak. Those are the makings of good actors, and that is the
Bibi and Barack: two political peas in a pod Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USA
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — One of the readers of the AJR Journal (Association of Jewish Refugees), published in London, to which I contribute a monthly column entitled ‘Letter from Israel,’ wrote an irate letter to the editor complaining about what I write. They wrote: “Why doesn’t Mrs. Shefer-Vanson write about the real
Jerusalem and Northwest London Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East
By Jeremy Ben-Ami WASHINGTON, D.C. — Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts aimed at jumpstarting diplomacy to reach a two-state solution are running into a buzzsaw of negativity. I’m not surprised when the negativity comes from opponents of a two-state solution. They don’t see ending the conflict as either an existential necessity for Israel or
With skeptics like these, Kerry doesn’t need enemies Read More »
Middle EastEgypt President Mohamed Morsi ousted by military (JNS.org) Mohamed Morsi, the Islamist president of Egypt whose rule sparked protests that had engulfed the country since last Friday, was removed from power on Wednesday by the Egyptian military. The constitution of Egypt was also suspended. Egypt Army Chief General Abdel Fatah al-Sisi said in a televised
JNS news briefs: July 4, 2013 Read More »
InternationalNY Times questions Kerry’s Middle East focus (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Against a backdrop of raging civil war in Syria and emerging chaos in Egypt, the New York Times asked in a report on Tuesday whether the Obama administration is doing the right thing by focusing now on advancing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. “The Israeli-Palestinian
JNS news briefs: July 3, 2013 Read More »
International
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — How much territory does Israel need to be secure in the absence of peace with its Palestinian neighbors? Is that different from how much security Israel is entitled to under that circumstance? Who decides? And why is an American general trying to find out? These are not trick questions
Israel self-defense, not U.S. guarantees, key to security Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–A political analyst should never say never. Things change. Politicians generally mask their intentions, and occasionally surprise constituents with their flexibility. Remember Nixon’s opening to China. John Kerry may be hoping for something like that from Benyamin Netanyahu, and maybe even from Mahmoud Abbas. It may happen, but unlikely is a legitimate
Kerry’s peace mission? Never say never Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida –The two men sat side by side with clenched jaws as they faced the press after a two-hour emotional meeting. They were the presidents of the two greatest superpowers, the United States and Russia. What to do about the two-year-old civil war in Syria that has divided the
Two men met in Ireland Read More »
Middle EastGruesome video reveals fate of Syrian Catholic priest (JNS.org) A new video has emerged that possibly reveals the fate of Syrian Catholic Priest Francois Murad, who was reportedly killed last week by Islamic terrorists. Last week, the Vatican’s official news agency reported that Syrian Priest Francois Murad, 49, was killed in Gassanieh in northern Syria
JNS news briefs: July 1, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — It is tempting to watch American foreign policy and Russian foreign policy and assign all the naiveté and sloppy thinking to one and all the clever, chess-playing skills to the other. But that would be wrong. Neither side is very clever and Russia’s hand — and that of the
Russia seriously stumbles in Syria Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Ira Sharkansky We’ve been traveling between relatives in the land that has been home to several generations of wandering Sharkanskys. Family members and others we are encountering look on Israel with a combination of admiration and disappointment. Some of those disappointed want it to be more aggressive in solving its problems, while some want
Israel is like a European democracy, only Jewish Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East