International

Coronavirus Politics in U.S., Israel

Along with, or perhaps behind the quarrels over the presidential transition, is the global pandemic.It’s the worst case since the flu that accompanied World War I more than a century ago.The US President should take considerable credit for his country’s leading indicators of illness and death. His various claims about cures and vaccines, plus his reluctance to wear a mask have contributed to the widespread disregard, and the increasing incidence of infections. [Ira Sharkansky]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Israeli settlers disrupt EU visit to sensitive East Jerusalem area

Israeli settlers disrupted a visit on Monday by a European Union (EU) delegation to a neighbourhood in East Jerusalem where Israel plans to build more than 1,200 housing units.A video published in Israeli media shows activists shouting “anti-Semites go home,” “anti-Semites go back to Europe” as EU representatives attempted to speak.Two Jerusalem city council members

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International, Middle East

Israel demands CNN anchor apologise after comparing Trump years to Kristallnacht

Israel has demanded that a CNN anchor apologises for comparing US President Donald Trump’s actions to the Nazi pogrom against Germany’s Jews in 1938, also known as the Kristallnacht.”This week 82 years ago, Kristallnacht happened,” Christiane Amanpour said in a live broadcast on CNN on Thursday. “It was the Nazis’ warning shot across the bow

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International, Jewish History, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Senate chief blasts Trump troop withdrawal plans

Washington (AFP) – US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned President Donald Trump Monday against accelerating troop reductions in Afghanistan and Iraq, saying it would give extremists a “big propaganda victory.”Addressing reports that Trump plans to announce within days sharp cuts to US forces in both countries, the Republican Senate chief said the US would

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International, USA

‘We are all Jews here’

Sgt. Edmonds ordered all 1275 men to assemble for the Nazi roll call. Siegmann ordered Edmonds to single out the Jews. He refused. Siegmann put a pistol to Edmonds’ head and threatened to kill him if he did not comply to separate out the Jews. Edmonds, with cold, pure courage, told the American educated Commandant, “We are all Jews here.” He told him the war would be over soon. If he killed him, Siegmann would be tried as a War Criminal. [Jerry Klinger]

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International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Can Pompeo replace annexation with a glass of Psagot wine?

Could US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo already be stumping for votes for his own presidential run in 2024 by weighing a visit to the West Bank Psagot Winery?PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi certainly seemed to make that assumption, when she attacked him for contemplating such a trip during his visit here later this

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Middle East, Travel and Food, USA

Justice Samuel Alito Voices Conservative Political Concerns In Speech, Slams ‘Unimaginable’ Curbs On Religious Freedom

During a meeting of the Federalist Society late on Thursday, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to “previously unimaginable” curbs on individual liberty, namely through signaling out restrictions on religious events. “We have never before seen restrictions as severe, extensive and prolonged as those experienced for most of

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USA

‘Paper Bullets’ tells of lesbian resisters in Nazi-occupied Jersey

Avant-garde artists Lucy Schwob and Suzanne Malherbe advertised the fact that they were stepsisters, and hid the fact that they were lovers; their practice in deception  useful in hiding their World War II roles as anti-occupation propagandists in Nazi-occupied Jersey. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Good News from Israel (November 15, 2020)

In the 15th Nov 20 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include: • A new Israeli endoscopy device takes better biopsies for diagnosing cancer. • Saudi Arabia diverted an Israeli plane to fly near Mecca, to avoid a storm. • An Israeli’s learning difficulties led him to develop an educational app. • Israelis helped build Apple’s new microprocessor.
• Latest figures show Israel is the highest spender on R&D as a proportion of GDP. • Israeli hi-tech is the subject of the new TrueFuture TV series. • An on-line Israeli course on Islam has hundreds of students across the Muslim world. [lMichael Ordman]

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Michael Ordman, Middle East

Obama calls Netanyahu ‘smart, canny, tough’ in new tell-all book

Former US President Barack Obama described his often complicated and constantly scrutinized relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Promised Land, the first of two books Obama is writing about his time in office, which will be released on Tuesday, according to Jewish Insider.Despite reports of constant fights, name-calling, leaks, and an altogether dysfunctional relationship,

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Middle East, USA

SCN develops training program in case of attacks on synagogues, schools

The Secure Community Network (SCN) has developed a new training program to help combat extremist and terrorist actions in Jewish communities in the Diaspora, focusing on active threat response and emergency life-saving responses.As the official safety and security organization of the leading US Jewish umbrella groups Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and the Conference

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Jewish Religion, USA

Coast Guard Officer Candidate School in the Mid-1950s

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy sits high on a bluff overlooking the Thames River in New London, Connecticut. A group of colonial, brick, Georgian buildings, trimmed in white moldings and shutters, sit serenely among tall trees and a pampered lawn that goes on forever. Pyracantha bushes with bouquets of pouting red berries line the driveways and keep order. Midshipman in their crisply pressed black and white uniforms walk briskly from class to class for four years of nurtured perfection, until they graduate. The rewards are shiny gold ensign’s bars designating them as the next generation of leaders. [Ira Spector]

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Lifestyles, USA

Transition time for elected officials and staffs

The weeks immediately following an election are exciting ones for officeholders, their campaign staffs, and for the staffs of outgoing officeholders.  This is the time when legislators learn what committees they’ll serve on; when campaign workers learn whether they will be hired by the new officholders, and when the staff of retiring or defeated officeholders begin looking for other jobs, both inside and outside government. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, San Diego County, USA