By Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort CARLSBAD, California — In the late 1970’s I sat in my classroom in the local Jewish day school watching as Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat warmly shook hands with President Jimmy Carter smiling broadly behind them. I was overjoyed. Peace was at hand, finally! When I noticed the long faces around […]
Arabs don’t want peace; land bribes won’t change that Read More »
Middle East, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –When George Orwell wrote his famous 1984, I doubt even he could have anticipated Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to ban large supersized beverages in New York’s food service restaurants and establishments. Obesity is certainly a problem for young people, but is it correct to assume that it’s
Bloomberg has a super-sized bad idea Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Peter Huessy WASHINGTON, D.C. — Russia is demanding the United States stop building missile defenses in Europe, just as it simultaneously assists Iran in building the very missiles that threaten NATO. In language reminiscent of the Cold War, Russian President Vladimir Putin is once again urging Washington to “better not to do this.” Russian
U.S. needs to build up portable missile defense systems Read More »
USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — I love reading stories about real heroes in the world. No, they may not have great physiques like Batman or Superman; nor are they bulletproof, nor do they possess super-human powers or strength. In fact they look like ordinary people. A Hassidic Rebbe once said, “Why
2 prosecutors geographically and morally a world apart Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Michael Goldblatt and Daniel Mandel NEW YORK — When Barack Obama entered the White House, he promised to make Israeli/Palestinian peace-making his priority from “day one.” And, indeed, in his own way he did. He pressured Israel into freezing Jewish construction in the West Bank for 10 months in a bid to entice Palestinians
P.A.’s real agenda is elimination of Israel, not peace Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –The slaughter of innocents in Syria bothers Israelis no less than it bothers others. Perhaps it bothers Israelis more, insofar as it is happening next door. Syria’s capital is less than 200 miles from Israel’s capital, and less than 50 miles from the Israeli border. What happens there has spilled over
Israel is ambivalent about the best outcome in Syria Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Illegal immigrants from Africa remain on Israel’s front burner. Minister of Interior Eli Yishai has made a high profile effort to arrest several hundred from South Sudan, and send them on free flights home, each with 1,000 Euros to get started in their old/new country. 123 have already left. Weekly
Israel arrests, repatriates some Africans Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Yaakov Lappin WASHINGTON, D.C. — Recent developments on Israel’s southern borders have illustrated the direct relationship between the changes sweeping Arab lands and mounting threats to Israel’s national security. This past weekend, as Egyptians went to the polls, terrorists operating in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula fired two Grad rockets into southern Israel. The projectiles
Islamists stir the pot in Sinai Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — What was so revealing at the time of his painful thrust into the national spotlight was the media refrain about “Motorist Rodney King.” It was as though the unlucky young man was in constant motion, agitated, seeking a place to alight, and ultimately homeless. It was 1991, Los
Farewell to a victim of police brutality Read More »
USA
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –Awell-organized, well-equipped group of terrorists has attacked Israel from Egyptian territory Monday morning, possibly the second such Egyptian-assisted assault in a week. An armed squad of two men—said to be Hamas, though this is not confirmed—crossed the border after travelling 30 miles from the Gaza Strip through Egyptian territory. They
Terror incident near Israel-Egypt border Read More »
Middle East
By Isaac Yetiv , Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — Since his election, President Obama ‘s relationship with the U.S. Supreme Court has been one of defiance and antagonism. In his State of the Union address of 2010, he flatly insulted the Justices who came to honor him by their presence . The TV picture clearly showed Justice Alito shaking
President Obama’s contempt for the court Read More »
USA
By Ernie Weir NAPA, California — I was not at the White House ceremony last Wednesday, June 13, at which time President Obama honored Israeli President Peres with the US Medal of Freedom. Nevertheless, my family and I were immensely proud of the honor bestowed by our President upon Israeli President Peres. Our wines have
The wines selected for presidential palates Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Israeli media has put on one of its circuses of prolonged discussions following the publication of the State Comptroller’s Report on the incident invovling the Turkish ship Marmara carrying protesters toward Gaza in May, 2010. The essence of this report is that Prime Minister Netanyahu did not carry out all of
Comptroller’s report reignites Marmura debate Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — The Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court has just invalidated the parliamentary election there. The parliament, 75 percent of whose members were Islamists, is being dissolved. The military junta has taken over total authority. The presidential election is still scheduled to proceed. In short, everything is confused and everything is a
A military coup in Egypt Read More »
Middle East