By Edwin Black WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressional legislators were astonished last year to learn that the Palestinian Authority was issuing monthly payouts totaling $3-7 million as salaries and other financial rewards to specific terrorists and their families. The money was channeled, in part, through the Ministry of Prisoners pursuant to the Law of the Prisoner. The […]
How the P.A. pays for murder, terror Read More »
Edwin Black, Middle East, USABy J. J. Surbeck SAN DIEGO — On March 21, 2015, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, head of the Reform movement gave a speech at the 5th J Street National Conference in Washington, D.C. (see http://tinyurl.com/nc6ffrk). This was an astonishing, not to say disturbing speech.He started off by reciting the usual obligatory mantra, without even seemingly realizing how absurd it
Reform’s Rabbi Jacobs offers distorted view of Mideast Read More »
Middle East, USAJewish Democrats ask White House to tone down criticism of Netanyahu (JNS.org) In a meeting with deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, a dozen Jewish Democrats serving in the House of Representatives asked the White House to tone down its criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his statements on the peace process. The
Jewish news briefs: March 30, 2015 Read More »
Middle East, USA
JERUSALEM (Press Release) –The Prime Minister’s Office’s Israel-China task force, led by the National Economic Council and the Israel Export Institute, will be launched at the China-Israel Cooperation Conference at the Dan Hotel in Tel Aviv. For the first time, there will be a dialogue on China combining the business sector, academia and government in
Israel and China get down to business Read More »
Middle East, USA
JERUSALEM (WJC) — Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the outline of a nuclear agreement between Iran and Western powers as even “worse” than he had feared. “While [world powers] convene to sign this deal, Iran’s proxies in Yemen are seizing large swaths of land with an aim to overtake Bab al-Mandab strait so that they
Netanyahu: Emerging N-deal worse than feared Read More »
International, Middle East, USANEW YORK (Press Release) — The total number of anti-Semitic incidents in the United States increased by 21 percent in 2014 in a year marked by a violent anti-Semitic shooting attack targeting Jewish community buildings in Kansas and anti-Jewish expressions linked to the war in Gaza. The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, issued today,
2014 saw 912 anti- Semitic incidents in U.S. Read More »
Jewish History, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It’s not easy–it may not be possible–to identify the real Barack Obama. We can say the same about other–perhaps all–politicians who reach the top of a steep climb. Yet the Obama puzzle is especially daunting, given his position at the head of the most powerful country of them all. His
Decoding Barack Obama Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USANEW YORK (Press Release)– Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a telephone discussion with Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman of Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, that she thinks “we need to all work together to return the special US-Israel relationship to constructive footing, to get back to basic shared concerns and
Hillary Clinton: Return Israel- U.S. relations to normal Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Edwin Black WASHINGTON, D.C. — The controversial New Israel Fund and its social change and political lobbying organization known as SHATIL, have received more than $1 million from the State Department under a program designed to create political change, reform, and activism in the Middle East. The government program, Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), has
State Dept. provides over $1m for activism in Israel Read More »
Edwin Black, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Among the features of life in Israel in this age of Internet is a busy mailbox. It reflects Israel’s place in the world’s media, and recalls those old maps that put Jerusalem in the center of it all. Now it comes with the ease of putting one’s thoughts–whether profound, interesting,
Internet letter writers do not lack for opinions Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–Israel’s decision to release the tax revenues it had been withholding from the Palestinian Authority was greeted warmly in Congress on Friday, March 27. U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey (D-New York) commented: “I commend Prime Minister Netanyahu for his decision to release withheld Palestinian tax revenue. This is a constructive step, and I hope
Israel releases revenues collected for P.A. Read More »
Middle East, USAEx-security prisoner suspected of spying on Israel for Syria (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Several residents of the Israeli Druze village of Majdal Shams, in the Golan Heights, were recently arrested in a joint Shin Bet security agency and police operation on suspicion of spying for Syria, defense officials said Friday. A gag order placed on
Jewish news briefs: March 27, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
NEW YORK (WJC) — Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani sent a letter to the leaders of the P5+1 group, including US President Barack Obama, as negotiations continued in Switzerland over a possible agreement aimed at preventing Iran from building an atomic bomb The content of the letters was not known, but Rouhani also phoned the leaders
Rouhani sends letter to P5+1 countries Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida –“We simply did not give the Israelis a clear enough picture of what dreams we have for a better future. That is why we lost the election,” said Stav Shaffir, a pretty redhead who, at 29, is the youngest member of the Knesset and is number 3 on
Youngest MK electrifies J Street conference Read More »
Middle East, USA